Sheffield Forgemasters has agreed a four-year engineering training contract with the
University of Sheffield AMRC Training Centre. The package will support the professional and personal development of Sheffield Forgemasters’ apprentices and includes placement of a permanent engineering skills coach at the company’s site to deliver highly advanced machining methods for trainee engineers.
Adopting a bespoke model to train and upskill employees at the historic engineering company, the AMRC Training Centre will support the workforce as it makes the shift from traditional engineering to the new ‘state of the art’ machining facilities, currently under construction.
Emily Baldwin, people development advisor – Early Careers at Sheffield Forgemasters, said: “This is a very important training programme to underpin the £1.3 billion of investment into new facilities for manufacture into the UK and allied defence programmes. We have worked with the AMRC Training Centre to identify the very specific skills that our existing and future workforce will need to get the maximum efficiency from our 30,000m
2 machining facility, which will be the most advanced of its kind.
Step-change in engineering capabilityA dedicated engineering skills coach will be based at our Brightside Lane site to oversee apprentices in a newly built training area, where they will learn the technologies required for a step-change in engineering capability. Our engineering apprentices will also gain from further academic support at the AMRC Training Centre facility in Rotherham.”
Sheffield Forgemasters operates an award-winning apprenticeship programme, with 10% of its 725-strong workforce made up of apprentices at any one time and intake for 2025 totalled 27 new starters. Its recapitalisation programme is delivering a 13,000-tonne forging line and a machining hall, containing 15 of the world’s largest vertical turning lathes and ancillary machines.
Rebecca Blackburn, head of business development, engagement and contracts at the AMRC Training Centre, said: “We are immensely proud of our partnership with Sheffield Forgemasters. Together, we share a vision to deliver the highest quality engineering apprenticeships and workforce upskilling. This unique opportunity allows us to support their growing business needs. By working closely together, we have curated a bespoke programme which we are excited to launch in the new academic year.”