Automate UK brought together businesses and apprentices from across the Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and North Buckinghamshire area last week to celebrate the launch of its Apprenticeship Cluster, an innovative new initiative designed to address critical skills shortages in the manufacturing industry.
The groundbreaking programme aims to deliver top-tier training opportunities for young people through a collaborative approach, uniting business leaders, educators, and apprentices to shape the future workforce. Automate UK’s pioneering framework of Apprenticeship Clusters will allow businesses to attract and retain talent by offering reciprocal training opportunities, team building events, and value-adding projects that benefit both employees and their organisations.
Each cluster will consist of four to eight member companies and will operate under three core pillars: partnership; training; and talent pipeline. This model enables businesses to share best practices in apprenticeship training, promote interest in manufacturing careers, and expand the talent pool for member companies and their end users.
Significant step forwardPeter Williamson, chief executive of Automate UK, said “This initiative represents a significant step forward for our sector. By working together, we can ensure young people are equipped with the skills they need while creating opportunities for businesses to thrive in an ever-increasingly competitive marketplace. The project is fully funded through our charity,
Automate BEST — using some of the hard-earned profits of our members, to create a sustainable future for our sector and our future workforce.”
The initiative is launched as the UK continues to face a shortage of engineers and technicians, impacting economic growth and infrastructure development. The shortage of critical skills poses substantial economic cost, with the Public Accounts Committee warning last year that the UK currently lacks the expertise and capacity required to successfully deliver major infrastructure projects.
This new Apprenticeship Cluster is only the beginning, with plans for more throughout the country in the hope they will play an important in addressing the skills gap and ensuring the manufacturing industry is prepared to meet the demands of tomorrow with a highly skilled and capable workforce. Automate UK Member organisations kicking off the initiative include Domino UK Ltd, SMC Corporation (UK) Ltd, RARUK Automation Ltd, Endoline Machinery Ltd, and Huxley Bertram Engineering Ltd.
Sarah Jones MP, Minister for Industry, said: “This initiative marks a step towards ensuring our manufacturing sector has the skills and talent it needs to deliver growth and keep the UK at the cutting-edge of automation technologies. Our Industrial Strategy will double down on this with advanced manufacturing as one of its key growth sectors, driving the jobs and skills we need to turbocharge AI, and helping us deliver our Plan for Change.”