The North East Automotive Alliance (NEAA), the UK’s largest automotive cluster, has secured £1.9m, to get more people into work in the region’s advanced manufacturing sector, including a range of technical apprenticeships in the Sunderland area.
The Training for Growth pilot, supported by Sunderland’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund programme, is an innovative partnership between the NEAA and Education Partnership North East (EPNE). It is directly aligned with the priorities outlined in the North East Local Skills Improvement Plan (NELSIP) and has been shaped by comprehensive analysis conducted over several years by local stakeholders.
The pilot brings together businesses, employer bodies and training providers to address the critical shortage of engineering technicians in Sunderland and the wider North East region, particularly within the advanced manufacturing sector and net-zero economy.
It will provide financial support to small and medium-sized enterprises in Sunderland to enable them to take on Level 3 technical apprentices as part of the September 2024 intake. This support will help cover the additional costs that employers will incur in the first year of the programme and will support up to 21 apprentice positions.
The NEAA’s operational role in the pilot will include leading and managing staff employed on the pilot in pursuit of its objectives and policies, working closely with other bodies to develop and promote the programme to SMEs and promoting the objectives, actions and achievements to wider stakeholders both regionally and nationally.
Paul Butler, chief executive of the North East Automotive Alliance, said: “The region has many outstanding manufacturing companies, who are contributing enormously to the local economy, not least by the creation of many thousands of high-quality jobs
“However, the biggest potential barrier to continued success, is the regular supply of a skilled workforce. This project we are now facilitating, in conjunction with key partners and stakeholders, will play an important part in filling that gap and, offering more technical apprenticeship opportunities.”
The Sunderland area is central to the North East automotive sector and accounted for 57.5% of the £8 billion of regional automotive turnover in 2021. The region is globally significant for automotive manufacturing, home to the UK’s largest and most productive car plant, three of the UK’s top five off-highway manufacturers and an internationally competitive supply chain comprising 34 first tier suppliers and a myriad of innovative SME’s.
It is also recognised as the UK’s leading location for vehicle electrification thanks to the Nissan LEAF, Europe’s first Giga battery manufacturing facility, its full Power Electronics, Motors and Drives capability and a raft of further investments that have bolstered these credentials.
Cllr Kevin Johnston, Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration and Business at Sunderland City Council, said: “Thousands of jobs are set to be created across the city over the coming years as our economy continues to diversify and grow, and initiatives such as Training for Growth, which can now be taken forward in the wider context of the MADE NE project just announced, will be key to ensuring we capitalise on this.
“By working closely with the business community, we will not only be able to identify the skills and knowledge gaps within the workforce that are required to fill the roles, but also provide the training and opportunities to help upskill residents and get more people into work.”
NOTES TO EDITOR
The Training for Growth pilot programme has received £226,498 UKSPF grant from the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund Programme, managed in Sunderland by Sunderland City Council on behalf of the Sunderland Partnership.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. For more information, visit UK Shared Prosperity Fund: prospectus – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
For more information on Sunderland’s UKSPF programme, visit UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) in Sunderland – Sunderland City Council
