News: Progress at AMRC Training Centre

Work on the AMRC Training Centre in Rotherham is gathering pace as the state-of-the-art facility gears up for opening later this year.

The AMRC Training Centre is a £20.5m centre on the Advanced Manufacturing Park in Rotherham where the focus will be on 250 students aged from 16 upwards, taken on paid apprenticeships with opportunities to progress on to postgraduate courses.

The centre will focus on high-level training, concentrating on sectors such as aerospace, energy and Formula One. It will also host part time CPD courses with the training schedule guided by industrial partners and participating companies.

Sheffield Hallam University will deliver part-time BEng programme, while the University of Sheffield will deliver part-time MSc, MBA, Executive MBA and EngD programmes.

Barnsley College has recently secured a major contract at the AMRC Training Centre.

Contractor, Willmott Dixon, is making good progress on the construction of the 5,566 sq m centre that will include two large workshops of around 780 sq m each plus four floors accommodating preparation space, workshops, classrooms, offices, presentation rooms and a refectory.

Steve Walker, senior building engineer at Willmott Dixon, said: "It is a proud achievement to work with The University of Sheffield and the AMRC in what is the next step forward for engineering in South Yorkshire."

Orders are being placed for cutting edge machinery for the students to utilise, including a CNC Machining Centre for machining carbon fibre and metals, arc welding equipment and equipment for production line and maintenance training areas.

Key members of staff are also in place with Roger Davis-Green, head trainer and Richard Lawton, Gareth Wilkinson and Mick Fairman, the trainers, joining Alison Bettac, the centre's training director.

Grahame Ashcroft has joined as business development manager. He said: "The centre is a breath of fresh air within the educational sector as we are totally employer led which enables us to train apprentices and give them the tailored set of skills and hand on experience our employers require which will provide them with a sound foundation for a rewarding career within their chosen sector and enable their employers to always be competitive.

"I am part of an exciting new training team with a vision to make a young person's journey into adulthood and the working environment an exciting educational experience which alone is an honour to be part of."

The Department for Business Innovation and Skills awarded £9.2m from the Regional Growth Fund to establish the centre with the remainder coming from participating companies and other funding streams.

The centre is due to open in the Autumn and mechanical and electrical contractors, NG Bailey said recently that the building is due for completion in December 2013 in line with the apprentice enrolment dates.

AMRC Training Centre website

Images: AMRC Training Centre / Facebook