The success of the University of Sheffield AMRC Training Centre illustrates how manufacturers are willing to invest in local training capacity to ensure they have the skills they need, according to a report from a leading think tank.

The training centre, part of the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), is also cited as an example of the importance of such institutions for attracting capital investment into left behind areas by Onward in the Course Correction: Why apprenticeship reform is needed to level up opportunity report.

The document highlights four problems with the current national apprenticeship system and nine solutions, drawing on the achievements of the AMRC Training Centre in Rotherham.

Contributing to the report, director of the AMRC Training Centre, Nikki Jones, said: “Every company and organisation will attribute its success to its people. Its capability, track record and connectivity depends on the skill and experience of its people. As such we know that skills development in every town and region is a critical part of the soft and hard power for how we level up.

“Technical education and apprentices are a key pathway for people to develop employable skills and broaden their opportunities. For employers it is a key driver of their productivity and growth. While we have come a long way in the UK, we still have a journey ahead and as such this report’s treatment of some of the learned challenges and opportunities in the system is hugely welcome.”

To read the report in full, visit the Onward website.