£3m academy to train hundreds of apprentices and upskill workers launches in Telford

A new £3m training facility where hundreds of apprentices will be trained up will help Shropshire and surrounding areas plug skills gaps in engineering and manufacturing.

In-Comm Training, which already operates two successful facilities in the Black Country and Shrewsbury, is looking to train more than 350 apprentices and upskill 2,500 existing workers at its new T54 academy near the centre of Telford over the next twelve months.

The ‘Ofsted Outstanding’ provider has created 20,000 sq ft of manufacturing training space, fitting it out with new equipment and state-of-the-art technology, spanning from the latest CNC machines, robotics, fluid power and material testing to welding, electrical, lathes, millers, CAD/CAM and metrology equipment.

Gareth Jones, MD of In-Comm Training, Bekki Phillips, In-Comms Training’s COO, James Morgan, In-Comm’s apprentice of the year, Georgina Barnard, MD of the Black Country and Marches Institute of Technology, Selina Graham, Sheriff of Shropshire, Kathryn Jones, Head of Partnerships at Marches Local Enterprise Partnership and Claire Critchell, Business Support at Telford & Wrekin Council

A team of 20 expert trainers – all with considerable experience in industry – will be on hand to guide the engineers of the future and to deliver best practice courses that will help local companies future-proof employees for years to come.

Gareth Jones, managing director for In-Comm Training, said: "It's a really proud moment for In-Comm and it's a real achievement to get to this stage.

"It's a fantastic facility, near the birthplace of the industrial revolution and the epicentre for industry for the north Marches region. That's why we chose to bring it here.

"The work starts now and we want to work with manufacturing and engineering organisations and really understand their values, engaging with them on strategy and growth," he added.

"Post-pandemic, there have been more early retirees which has accentuated the skills gap.

Apprentice Abbie Clinton, aged 16, is benefiting from In-Comm’s new training academy in her home town of Telford

"We have to plug the gap that has emerged with initiatives to bring new blood into the pipeline as well as reskilling existing employees for new job roles.

"We have got a massive part to play in the development of the industry."

Mr Jones added: "We’ve been operating in Shropshire since 2015 and all of our clients have been saying to us that Telford has been crying out for a dedicated manufacturing training centre for years.

“Our approach, being very much employer-led, meant we had to act on this, so we decided to make a £3million investment into taking on the building on T54 and creating a truly world class technical academy for the thousands of manufacturers operating in the town and county.”

He continued: “Telford is just a few minutes away from where the first industrial revolution started and industry is going through the next one, with digital transformation firmly on the agenda and a move to more sustainable production high on the list of priorities.

“Companies must act to make sure they have the skills in place to support this transition and this Technical Academy will play an important role in generating the talent of the future."

Apprentice Annabelle Wood, aged 16, is broadening her skill set at In-Comm Training’s new Telford academy

“Our manufacturers have a major role to play in this and we are using the opening as a rallying call to get more strategic partners involved in how we deliver training in the area.”

In-Comm Training marked the open day by inviting senior delegates, including Selina Graham, the High Sheriff of Shropshire, Claire Critchell, of Telford & Wrekin Council and Kathryn Jones, from Marches LEP.

The centre will be home to the Marches spoke of the Black Country & Marches Institute of Technology, which is pioneering a new approach to delivering today’s higher technical education for tomorrow’s careers.

The aim is to create a vibrant learning environment that leverages the capabilities of academia, employers, and higher education – all geared towards providing high quality training opportunity with clear pathways to skilled jobs in automotive, advanced engineering, aerospace, construction, medical and renewables for example.

There will also be a strong focus on delivering upskilling and managed services from Telford, as well as expert consultancy on safety and quality compliance, leadership and management and continuous improvement.

In-Comm Training’s HNC offer will be expanded, with new engineering and manufacturing Level 4 courses available through apprenticeships or upskilling opportunities.

Bekki Phillips, chief operating officer at In-Comm Training, added her support: “One of the other differences that separates us from other training providers, is our ability to leverage the expertise and capabilities of an army of technical partners.

“This includes the CNC machining technology of the Engineering Technology Group (ETG), the automation knowledge of Telford-based Bauromat, precision toolmaking of Brandauer, clean air experts Filtermist, energy specialists Schneider Electric and the metrology, measuring and CAD insight of Hexagon and The Torus Group.

"There’s no escaping the tough economic climate," she added. "But, at the same time, local manufacturers have some great opportunities through re-shoring and leading the electrification race. Protecting the skills of today and future developing the skills required for tomorrow will be key in turning the potential into reality."

Bekki Phillips, In-Comms Training’s COO, Claire Critchell, Business Support at Telford & Wrekin Council, James Morgan, In-Comm’s apprentice of the year (cutting ribbon), Gareth Jones, MD of In-Comm Training, Georgina Barnard, MD of the Black Country and Marches Institute of Technology and Kathryn Jones, Head of Partnerships at Marches Local Enterprise Partnership

“A strong UK economy needs a buoyant manufacturing sector, and we’ll only achieve this by growing engineering and industrial skills. If we achieve this, our innovative companies will no longer have to worry about gaining access to the talent they need to lead the world.”

Bridgnorth's James Morgan, 24, In-Comm Training’s Apprentice of the Year, officially opened the Telford Technical Academy.

He said: "It's great to see this new facility. I am now attending one day a week and the other four days I am now at work full-time at Torus.

"I work as a product engineer within the team. In-Comm has really given me the opportunity to be where I am today and without the courses and programmes and being pushed outside my comfort zone, I wouldn't be in the position I am now with Torus. It has set me up for the future."

Telford & Wrekin Council’s support team Enterprise Telford helped In-Comm to find a site which met their needs, identifying a building at T54 as the perfect location for the new academy.

Councillor Eileen Callear, Telford & Wrekin Council’s Cabinet Member for Visitor Economy, Employment and Skills said: “We are delighted that our business support team has firstly helped In-Comm find a building within Telford which meets their needs and then supported them with a successful BGP funding application which has made a significant contribution to the redevelopment of the site.

“The launch of this new facility is key to training the next generation of engineers in Telford and Wrekin which will create new employment opportunities for decades to come.

“In-Comm is one of the leading providers of engineering apprenticeships in the UK and we’ll continue to spread the news amongst our business community about the exciting apprenticeship and training offers and the value this new facility will bring to Telford.”