Manufacturing firms around the Sheffield City Region can upskill their existing workforce at no additional cost through the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre’s (AMRC) award-winning training centre.

The facility, which is top of the regional league table for engineering apprentice achievement, is providing Higher Apprenticeships that include the industrial digitalisation and sustainability skill sets that will be vital to the long-term future of UK manufacturing.

Anne Griggs, head of business development, said the centre’s new Higher Apprenticeships are a great way for manufacturers to deepen the talent pool in their organisations without the cost of recruiting and inducting new staff or adding to the headcount.

“In these uncertain times, one thing remains certain — manufacturers need to be making the very best of their people.

“The Engineering Manufacturing Technician programme focuses on manufacturing processes, manufacturing planning and scheduling, industry 4.0, sustainability and the environment in the manufacturing industry, and professional engineering management. These are areas where the wider AMRC R&D teams are at the cutting edge.”

Typically the courses take three years and follow a day-release format, where the employee studies one day a week at the training centre, developing a portfolio of evidence to meet the knowledge, skills and behaviours required.

Ms Griggs continued: “Engineering and manufacturing skills are vital to the success of the Sheffield City Region economy and this Engineering Manufacturing Technician Apprenticeship is the ideal way for companies to make the most of their in-house talent, developing the technical and managerial leadership skills needed for firms to be more agile and resilient.”

Assembly efficiencies made by AMRC apprentice, Niall Dawson, are now saving his employer, Sheffield-based Pryor Marking Technology, more than £50,000-a-year and slashing product build time from 3.5hr down to just 1hr.

The training centre – part of the world-leading AMRC and the elite Russell Group University of Sheffield – opened its doors just six years ago and has been instrumental in attracting global manufacturing brands to the region and is working with leading edge companies such as such Stanley Black & Decker, AESSEAL and Nikken.

Ms Griggs concluded: “These are difficult and confusing times for industry, with employers rightly thinking hard about whether and where to invest in their talent pipeline.

“The latest apprenticeship success figures put the AMRC Training Centre at the top of the league table for achievement — making us the go-to-place for more than 300 companies around the Sheffield City Region and beyond.”