Some of the significant investments in skills provision in Lancashire are included here:
Skills Facilities
Investing in Lancashire's skills and education facilities
The Lancashire Skills Hub has made key investments in skills provision for both the workforce of today and the future workforce and continues to seek investment for Lancashire.
- Advanced Manufacturing & Engineering
- £1.4m invested
- Nelson
Advanced Engineering and Manufacturing Innovation Centre
Nelson and Colne College
The College’s Advanced Engineering and Manufacturing Centre features a subsonic wind-tunnel, workshops equipped with the latest technology and software and computerised numerical control machinery including a Mazak CNC Lathe and Tooling and a Colchester CNC Training Lathe.
There is also an Innovation Laboratory featuring the very latest in 2D and 3D design, fabrication and rapid prototype technology. The Laboratory is well equipped with IT including CAD/CAM software, Robotics equipment and software, 3D printers and a compact Advanced Manufacturing Centre.
Employers are invited to use the Innovation Laboratory to prototype products and use the adjoining classroom/lecture room/workspace for staff development and training.
In addition, the College Engineering department operates a service where they can develop and test ideas and produce small scale batches of components.
For more information about the facilities contact Head of Section for Engineering Brent Marshall on 01282 440340 (b.marshall@nelson.ac.uk).
- Advanced Manufacturing & Engineering
- £670k invested
- Lancaster and Samlesbury
Advanced Manufacturing Capital for Skills Development and Employer Engagement (ACaDEmE)
Lancaster University and BAE Systems
The investment has been split between the two organisations securing the funding, with two respective specialist facilities at different sites receiving investment:
- Lancaster University: A Stratysys J750 multi-material, multi-colour additive manufacturing machine with high-resolution scanning capability for the collection of complex geometry and a high-definition wax printer, for the creation of patterns.
- BAE Systems, Academy for Skills and Knowledge, Samlesbury: A Virtual Reality Cave to be used as a training environment, allowing people to mimic any process from enhancing technology on a military jet to simulating building major infrastructure.
The facilities would be suitable for organisations that would like to understand the benefits and limitations of additive manufacturing (often referred to as 3D printing) and augmented/virtual reality technologies and immersive environments.
For the Lancaster University facility, contact: Chris Lambert, Programme Manager on 01524 594383. For the BAE Systems facility, contact Damian Adams, Programme Delivery Manager on 03300 476148.
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- Advanced Manufacturing & Engineering
- £800k invested
- Blackburn
AMAC – Advanced Manufacturing and Automation Centre
Training 2000 Ltd
The Advanced Manufacturing & Automation Centre (AMAC) is a pioneering, technologically advanced centre at the forefront of both the manufacturing and engineering industries.
A dynamic team of experts recruited directly from industry, deliver accredited and bespoke training courses which are designed to develop and grow specialist skills which are directly applicable within the workplace, utilising the latest in equipment and technology.
The AMAC provides an environment to support the region’s manufacturing base with the opportunity to outsource capacity constraints. Additionally the centre provides a safe pre-production environment to support new product introduction and development work.
Whether upskilling your current workforce or enhancing an apprenticeship, by training with the AMAC employees will grow skills and knowledge which will set both them and their employer apart from the competition – at the very forefront of manufacturing and engineering production and technology.
For more information, call Paul Duerden on 01254 54659 (amac@t2000.co.uk).
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