Worcestershire | Archive | 2004 | March | 25
From the archive, first published Thursday 25th Mar 2004.
WORCESTERSHIRE and Herefordshire's manufacturing and engineering industries have been given a massive boost with the opening of three state-of-the art training centres in the two counties.
The Industrial Estate Learning Zones, at Malvern's Enigma Business Park, Moons Moat, in Redditch and Rotherwas, in Hereford, were officially launched by Jacqui Smith, Minister of State for Industry and the Regions and MP for Redditch.
The scheme, the first of its kind in the West Midlands, represents a £4.6m investment in manufacturing skills in the area.
The centres, which were developed in direct response to local employers' needs, will provide workforce development resources and business services to engineering, manufacturing and related industries.
They will offer advice and guidance, state-of-the-art learning facilities, video conferencing, training and business support services and bespoke training.
The ambitious scheme has been funded by the Learning Skills Council Herefordshire and Worcestershire and Advantage West Midlands, in partnership with Evesham and Malvern Hills College, Worcester College of Technology, North East Worcestershire College and Herefordshire College of Technology.
Ms Smith officially launched the project using the centres' video conferencing technology, before Brian Johnson, of Advantage West Midlands, gave a business presentation from Malvern to the two other centres via video links.
"It all went very successfully. The technology all ran smoothly and it was nice to have the ministerial presence," said a spokeswoman for Learning and Skills Council Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
"The idea is to invest in the manufacturing and engineering skills in the region and also to bringing training and learning facilities closer to the employer and make it more flexible so that it's there 52 weeks in the year.
"We now really look forward to local employers using the facilities," she added.
Speaking at the launch, John Edwards, chief executive of Advantage West Midlands, said the centres represented a vital investment in the skills of the region's workforce.
"Manufacturing has long been, and continues to be, a major contributor to the region's economy," he said.
"However, if this is to continue it's absolutely vital that investment is made in the people and the skills that will drive highly-valued added manufacturing for years to come."
© Newsquest Media Group 2008