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Fund helps beat the skills shortage

An Advanced Engineering Skills Project product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Mar 31, 2006

Engineering employers who need to provide extra training have a lifeline in the grants offered through the South West RDA's Advanced Engineering Skills fund.

Engineering employers who must provide extra training for their people because of the shortage of skilled staff in the sector have a lifeline in the grants offered through the South West RDA's Advanced Engineering Skills fund.

Steve Matthews, Director of Pharma Tooling in Cheltenham, said: "The engineering sector is in a situation where there are not enough competent people to go round.

"We tackle that by recruiting time-served CNC setters and programmers, and then by providing additional training so they can meet the specific demands of our business".

Pharma Tooling, which employs 32 people, has been in operation for two years supplying precision-machined products to clients in the aerospace, pharmaceutical, medical and oil industries.

The company has used the AESP grant to fund half the cost of two batches of CAD/CAM training.

"On the CAD side there are so many different types of software available, and we need our staff to be able to use our particular software as efficiently as possible".

"We train two or three people at the same time, selecting those of similar ability".

"Taking a small group like that means that they get a quality learning experience".

"The training takes place both away from the site, where they will be undisturbed, and onsite, where they can experience the challenges we face day-to-day".

Matthews says the training makes a significant difference in terms of output.

"Before the training, they can only handle certain aspects of our work but afterwards they can handle more complex, three-dimensional work", he says.

"They are also faster and more effective".

"Not only is that better for us, but it is much more satisfying for the people with the enhanced skills".

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