The Manufacturing Technology Centre’s Additive Manufacturing Apprenticeship has been awarded accreditation by the Specialist Awarding Organisation for Engineering and Manufacturing (EAL).
The MTC has been developing new additive manufacturing units with the support of EAL to provide employers with a pipeline of technicians fully skilled in one of the fastest growing advanced manufacturing technologies in industry.
The new units, which will be offered at the MTC’s Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre in Coventry as well as Oxfordshire Advanced Skills in Abingdon, will cover topics such as operating an additive manufacturing machine and carrying out post-processing of additive manufactured components.
Additive manufacturing, or industrial 3D printing, is now employed across many manufacturing sectors in a variety of materials, producing everything from simple tools to major parts for aero engines. The MTC is home to the National Centre for Additive Manufacturing (NCAM) bringing together one of the most comprehensive combinations of equipment and capability in the UK.
The MTC's head of future skills, Martin Dury said, “The new apprenticeship units will be launched in September 2022 and will address the current shortage of skills in this vital area of advanced manufacturing. We have been piloting these units with the Institutes of Technology through a series of successful Train the Trainer programmes.
"While there are a number of additive training courses currently available in the UK, these tend to be focused on equipment use. MTC Training is aiming to provide additive manufacturing apprenticeships that will cover the whole range of competences necessary for specific occupations. They will also offer an accredited curricula of short courses to enable the up-skilling of existing staff.”
He added, "The MTC is an acknowledged world leader in additive technology. We have the equipment and capabilities to deliver first class, sector-wide and technology-agnostic programmes for apprentices or existing employees. The manufacturing industry is in need of this and we will be able to make it available in a format which allows people to study while working onsite for their employers."
Darren Fogerty, product specialist from EAL said: "We have been working with MTC Training to develop competency qualifications that will define the knowledge, skills and behaviour required to operate in the various job roles in an end-to-end additive manufacturing production environment.
“These qualifications will form the foundation for the apprenticeship programmes and short course curricula, while the consultative process which the MTC undertook with industry, manufacturers, OEMs, and academia ensures qualifications exactly match the needs of industry."
Last month EAL launched new additive manufacturing units in a number of qualifications, which can be used as standalone qualifications or to support the relevant standards. The include:
- EAL Level 3 Diploma in Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering –
Product Design and Development Technician (Development Competence)
Diploma - 603/1353/5 Extended Diploma - 603/1354/7
- EAL Level 3 Extended Diploma in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering (Development Knowledge) - 603/0926/X
More information on EAL qualifications can be found at http://www.eal.org.uk/
More information about the additive manufacturing apprenticeship is available from Colin Bancroft, regional manager – North at [email protected]
The MTC was founded by the University of Birmingham, Loughborough University, the University of Nottingham and TWI Ltd. The MTC’s industrial members include some of the UK’s major global manufacturers.
The MTC aims to provide a competitive environment to bridge the gap between university-based research and the development of innovative manufacturing solutions, in line with the Government’s manufacturing strategy. The MTC is part the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, supported by Innovate UK.