Further EU investment to support advanced materials and manufacturing in Wales

Finance and Government Business Minister, Jane Hutt has announced £1 million of EU funds to provide Welsh industry with the skills to remain competitive in a fast paced global market. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Materials and Manufacturing Education Training and Learning (METaL 2) scheme, led by Swansea University, will help increase the number of people gaining technical skills in the workforce throughout North, West Wales and the South Wales Valleys. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The £1.5m scheme will help more than 360 employees achieve qualifications in the field of advanced materials and manufacturing. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Over 30 companies from Welsh industry such as Tata Steel, the Royal Mint and Oceaneering will benefit from the employee training over the next three years. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Finance Minister, Jane Hutt, said: “Over £350 million of EU funds are being invested over the next five years to improve skills in the workforce that will help drive business growth and create jobs in this important sector for Wales.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This investment follows a multi-million pound EU fund investment announced by the First Minister last month for TWI Ltd’s new advanced engineering research centre in Port Talbot. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Building on the success of its predecessor project, which delivered materials engineering themed training, METaL 2 will offer short, accredited courses in advanced manufacturing as well as materials engineering. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The scheme will support the performance of the participating companies by boosting skills that will help achieve faster and improved responses to operational problems and new product development. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Dr David Warren, METaL 2 Project Manager, said: “This EU funding provides a great opportunity for Swansea University to share its knowledge and experience to up-skill the Welsh workforce. The training will take place at the new EU and Welsh Government funded £450m Science and Innovation Bay Campus which will offer the very best state-of-the-art facilities to the participants. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The courses cover a broad spectrum of Materials and Manufacturing topics ranging from foundation knowledge right up to post-graduate level. The training will benefit industry by ensuring that staff have the correct knowledge to compete in a crowded marketplace and make the transition from low skill, low productivity to more advanced manufacturing capability built on higher skills.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Businesses interested in developing their staff through the METaL 2 scheme can find out more and register interest at www.project-metal.co.uk. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​