The latest part of a scheme to improve manufacturing skills in the Black Country has officially begun.

The £12 million Elite Centre for Manufacturing Skills at the Thomas Dudley factory site in Tipton is the latest phase of a wider scheme involving a consortium from industry, the academic sector, the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership and various trade federations.

A ground-breaking ceremony took place at the end of last month for the centre, which will be on the site of a now-demolished office block.

Ian Fitzpatrick, chief executive of the Elite Centre, said: “It’s an ambitious project, but we are keen to see it up and running as quickly as possible.

“The centre will form a critical part of skills development in this area and supply the future workforce our industries need.”

Professor Ian Oakes, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Wolverhampton, said: “Manufacturing is a highly specialised sector that has an ageing workforce and is suffering from a significant skills gap.

“Following extensive consultation with businesses across the Black Country, it’s clear that the region is lacking in the skills that underpin HVM performance, productivity and growth.

“This is a key strategic project, which links employers, Further Education and Higher Education in the Black Country and provides another huge step forward in the regeneration of the region, helping to boost the economy and create jobs.”