Businesses will benefit from even greater access to technical skills training after the Lancashire and Cumbria Institute of Technology expanded its network.
The IoT, part of a national network established by the government, brings together industry and education, with employers invited to collaborate to help draw up courses to ensure they offer the skills they need.
An additional college has become an official academic partner, taking the IoT’s network of colleges to eight.
Lakes College in Cumbria will offer specialist training in the engineering and manufacturing, and nuclear sectors.
It means even more businesses across the region will be able to send existing employees on courses drawn up by employers in their industries to address skills gaps.
The IoT, which has six key sector areas of automotive, construction, computing and digital, engineering and manufacturing, health and science, also offers a steady stream of industry-ready talent for businesses to recruit from.
Government funding of £8.7m was awarded to the IoT colleges to spend on industry-leading technology to enable learners to train on the equipment they would be using in the real world.
Businesses including Blackpool Transport and Blackpool digital marketing agency Complete Online are involved in feeding back their skills needs and assisting by offering work experience placements, expert lectures and live tasks for learners to work on.
Tom Smith, chief executive of Complete Online, is a member of the digital employer advisory board advising the IoT on skills needs in his sector.
He said: “I got involved with the IoT because I can see the value in helping change the landscape – the better the talent coming through, the easier it is for businesses like ours to recruit.
“We all need to help Lancashire and Cumbria shape that talent by ensuring the IoT is informed about the skills we need. With two more colleges joining the IoT, there are even more opportunities for businesses to get involved and benefit from the skilled talent coming out of the IoT.”
The expansion comes as the organisation announced it had exceeded learner targets in its first year. The IoT enrolled 938 learners, exceeding its original target, with one partner college reporting it had beaten its target enrolment figure by 160 per cent.
Linda Dean, managing director of the Lancashire and Cumbria IoT, said: “The IoT brings together industry and education to address skills gaps and enable the economy to prosper. We’re stronger when we work together so we are delighted to welcome Lakes College to the IoT, enabling us to benefit and collaborate with even more businesses and learners.”
Chris Nattress (pictured), principal at Lakes College, said: “We are excited to join the Lancashire and Cumbria Institute of Technology, building on the success of the seven colleges that launched the IoT last year. We believe this is a fantastic opportunity for us to share our technical expertise and for our learners and employers to benefit from collaboration to enable us to better create the workforces of the future.”
