Jake Berry MP, the Minister for Local Growth and the Northern Powerhouse, visited the Marches Centre of Manufacturing & Technology (MCMT) recently to see how an employer-led solution to bridging the skills gap is promising to boost competitiveness in the region’s advanced-manufacturing sector.

He praised the efforts of the Marches LEP and its partners for bringing this vision to reality and offering a potential blueprint for other areas to follow.

MCMT (www.mcmt.co.uk), which has received £1.9 million of Government funding via the Marches LEP plus financial support from the European Regional Development Fund and Shropshire Council, is promising to deliver ‘2020 learners by 2020’ through a combination of apprenticeships and specialist training for existing staff.

The 36,000ft² hub — located on the Stanmore Industrial Estate in Bridgnorth — will provide a high-tech environment for individuals to learn about the latest technology from engineering experts — all geared towards making them industry-ready when they leave.

Mr Berry received a guided tour of the MCMT, including a CNC Zone with machines worth more than £1 million donated by the Engineering Technology Group.

He also met the first cohort of apprentices to hear about their initial experiences and their passion for engineering.

Matthew Snelson, managing director of the MCMT, said: “We are doing something completely different here to address a real challenge for our local businesses and the regional economy.

"Four companies have come together and put their money where their collective mouths are, and we have developed what we believe is a world-class training centre that will address both the skills and the competency gaps facing industry.”