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A unique re-training and employment initiative known as the ‘Manufacturing Offer’ has helped secure the future of almost 1,000 former MG Rover workers by providing a ‘matchmaking service’ with manufacturing companies throughout the Region.
Led by Skills4Auto it has not only secured employment but also helped fill the Region’s critical engineering skills gap.
“It’s been a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate just how successfully skills can be transferred and benefit everyone,” said Rita Davey, Programme Manager for Skills4Auto, which specialises in developing training programmes for the manufacturing and engineering sectors.
Rita explained that the highly skilled employees were made redundant when MG Rover closed its doors just over a year.
She said “Manufacturing is still a vitally important part of the West Midlands economy and there are an enormous number of companies desperate for well trained, qualified engineers”.
“These former automotive industry workers aged between 20 and 64 years were ideally suited and have re-trained to take up jobs in sectors ranging from engineering and construction to medical equipment manufacturing. It is a great success story”
The Manufacturing Offer – a £2million initiative launched by MG Rover Task Force - is being run by Jobcentre Plus, The Learning and Skills Council and Skills4Auto which, said Rita was acting as an ‘independent broker’ to ensure that training requirements were compatible with individual business objectives.
The offer includes free training, travel allowances and funding opportunities. Training was offered to employers, on the basis of funded training for an existing member of their staff for each former Rover worker they trained. To date some 250 employers are participating.
To ensure that the initiative was implemented in the shortest possible time Rita was supported by fellow Programme Managers Bob Green, Baden Parkin and Alan Arthur, who also offered additional business advice and consultancy particularly in the areas of Lean Business Improvement.
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