Young people sign up for new training hub

The move comes after the £4 million Bridgenorth-based training hub threw open its doors to give young people, parents and employers the opportunity to see how they can benefit.

MCMT managing director Matthew Snelson said: “This was the first time we’d been able to showcase what we are doing in the nearly-finished building and the response was fantastic.

“Over 500 visitors joined us during the five hours and, importantly, we had lots of school pupils keen to explore a possible career in engineering and manufacturing. Once they saw what we had planned, spoke to In-Comm about the training opportunities and saw the robotics/CNC machines we were putting in, 40 of them signed up on the spot.”

He continued: “I think we’ve captured the imagination with this venture, where a company-led approach is harnessing public sector funding to creating Apprenticeships and upskilling opportunities that will make a real difference to firms in the county.”

The Open Event was the first time people could look inside the vast 36,000 sq ft training hub. Ron Whittle, the Mayor of Bridgnorth, also joined the visitors. The facility is being run by a consortium of Classic Motor Cars, Grainger & Worrall, In-Comm Training and Salop Design & Engineering.

It will house dedicated fabrication, foundry, lathe, metrology, milling, robotics and vehicle trimming sections, as well as a specialist CNC Zone and spray booth/mixing capabilities. There will also be an auditorium lecture theatre, bespoke learning environments, five vehicle ramps and a rolling road test facility.

The MCMT has received £1.9 million of Government Growth Deal funding via the Marches LEP to bring the concept into reality, with £1.1 million of private funding already pledged.