Training boost for car makers (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Training boost for car makers

SWINDON has been chosen as the regional centre for a new academy to help car workers brush up their skills.

The Automotive Academy is a joint venture funded equally by the Department for Trade and Industry and the car industry.

It is based in London its "hub" and is creating "spokes" across the country. The south west spoke will be hosted at the Learning and Skills Council's West Swindon headquarters.

Its aim is to create a way of accrediting courses so a national database can be put together.

Swindon has been chosen because it is home to Honda and BMW's Swindon Pressings plant. Academy spokesman Keith Lewis said: "The academy aims to make sure people are appropriately skilled and trained, which in turn will make sure UK productivity remains at high levels.

"There's so much going on in training. The academy will bring it together, and evaluate all the courses so we have an industry-approved gold standard.

"The south west has a large variety of manufacturing we are making sure that if there are regional skills gaps in individual areas people can get help in specific areas." A manager in, for example, the engine assembly department who wants to ensure staff are versed in diesel as well as petrol engines can find recommended courses. The same applies to an individual who wants to learn new skills.

The go-ahead has also been given for a spoke in Milton Keynes to cover Kent, Sussex, Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. Academy chief executive Alan Begg said: "We are delighted to approve these new spokes.

"We need to make sure that every company, no matter how big or small, has access to high quality, academy-approved training for their employees."

Julie Cameron, department manager of Honda's corporate communications team at South Marston, said: "Honda in the UK Manufacturing has a dedicated team which has developed the majority of Honda's training and development in-house.

"However, any skills development within the motor industry as a whole can only be viewed as a positive step in the right direction."

Information at automotiveacademy.co.uk