Advanced Composites Academy Prepares Students For Growing Job Opportunities
Derby College has teamed up with Derby-based epm:technology to boost the number of young people entering the workplace with skills in advanced composites manufacturing.
Applications are now being taken for the epm:technology Advanced Composites Academy which will start in September. An open day for potential students to find out more will be held at the Roundhouse on Tuesday July 14 between 3pm and 7pm.
As part of the level three BTEC in Engineering at the College, based at Derby’s Roundhouse campus, students will complete weekly work experience placements at epm:technology’ new £6 million manufacturing, research and development facility in the city.
Design and production specialists from epm will also visit the students at College for specific sessions and to support them with a number of work projects.
All the students on the Academy will be guaranteed an interview for potential apprenticeship places at the company.
epm: technology is one of the UK’s leading suppliers of complex and engineered composite components to the highly competitive motorsport arena including Formula One.
Graham Mulholland, managing director of epm:technology said: “Advanced composites is the fastest growing area in engineering in the UK and particularly in Derby which is the country’s number one high-tech city.
“As a leading employer in advanced composites, our own experiences support the national research that the main challenge facing this industry is the lack of employees with technical, practical and job-specific skills.
“We were therefore keen to work with Derby College to introduce advanced composites into the Engineering curriculum. By working closely with the students, we can build their industry-specific problem solving, team working and communication skills.
“We are a rapidly growing company with a structure apprenticeship programme so will be offering interviews to all the students at the end of the programme.
“Those who are successful will join epm and the others will stand a far greater chance of gaining apprenticeships with other companies having been through the Academy.
“The launch of this Academy is therefore good for our business and for the engineering and advanced composites sectors as a whole.”
Derby College Business Development Director April Hayhurst added: “The epm:technology Advanced Composites Academy is part of our wider programme across a wide range of industry sectors.
“It reflects the College’s commitment to working in partnership with key employers to deliver training in the skills they need to increase their competitive edge and to better prepare young people for the world of work.
“By working with epm:technology, students will benefit from working in a state of the art facility alongside experienced advanced composites personnel to gain a valuable insight into the design and manufacture of these new process and material technologies.”
For more information about the Academy programme, visit www.derby-college.ac.uk or call 0800 028 0289.