Fast-track, advanced manufacturing course for the unemployed

In-Comm Training and RTX Collins Aerospace have started a 'fast-track' employment course for up to 65 advanced engineers.

The Department for Work and Pensions, who helped recruit the learners, will pay for their benefits during their training.

The fast-track course for CNC (computer numerical control) machinists and electro-mechanical fitters has begun at RTX's Collins Aerospace factory in Wolverhampton, UK.

The pilot for 10 people will be a mix of theoretical and practical training to turn, mill, and hand-fit, use computer-aided design and manufacturing, 3 & 5-axis machining, and understand technical drawings.

Backed by more than £200k of Higher Level Skills funding by the West Midlands Combined Authority, the course takes only six months.

Each learner will receive a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Engineering and Technologies, on-the-job competencies, and an interview/opportunity for full-time employment at the aerospace facility.

A second cohort is planned for June, with all engineers to be developed by the end of 2025.

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and WMCA Chair, notes, 'This partnership between DWP, Collins Aerospace and In-Comm Training shows how WMCA skills funding can align with a high-growth sector, enabling local people to upskill in this field and boosting their employment prospects at the same time. It will also provide the sector with the workforce talent required to increase productivity and fuel growth.'