A senior development specialist who has worked with Airbus and BAE has been appointed as managing director of the Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre being developed next to Coventry’s Manufacturing Technology Centre.
John Male will lead the vision for the £18 million centre which is being developed by the Manufacturing Technology Centre at Ansty Park with the support of Lloyds Bank.
John Male has more than 30 years’ experience working in learning and organisational development in industry. He worked at Airbus where he was a production team leader and then training manager responsible for training and development at manufacturing locations across the UK.
He held several senior positions within BAE Systems culminating in his appointment as Head of Capability, leading the development of Air Systems learning for 10,000 employees across four sites. He also led the implementation of the National Skills Academies for BAE Systems.
Before joining the MTC he worked for AMEC and the Wood Group in the oil and gas and power generation sectors. At the Wood Group he introduced a new learning and development structure to support the organisation’s international business.
He said, “I am honoured and excited to lead the creation of what will be a flagship training centre for high value manufacturing. As manufacturing technology advances the centre will be at the forefront of developing the skills and knowledge required to meet the challenges faced by the sector.”
The MTC has recently taken on 40 new apprentices employed on the centre’s innovative High Value Manufacturing Technician programme. The MTC was also named one of the top 100 apprentice employers in the country.
The new Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre will make a significant contribution towards solving the skills shortages which have been prevalent in manufacturing for many years. It has been welcomed by both the Prime Minister David Cameron and Business Secretary Vince Cable.
The building will be a flagship facility for an advanced apprenticeship programme. Apprentices will learn the latest technology in areas such as intelligent automation, additive layer manufacture, laser machining and welding. They will be able to test and develop their skills in sponsored placements, including the opportunity to undertake international assignments.
The training centre is part of an ambitious £90 million expansion plan for the MTC and marks the beginning of a strategy to establish cultural changes in developing the skills and processes needed for future manufacturing in the UK.
The MTC opened in 2011 and was founded by the University of Birmingham, Loughborough University, the University of Nottingham and TWI Ltd. The MTC’s industrial members include some of the UK’s major global manufacturers.
The MTC aims to provide a competitive environment to bridge the gap between university-based research and the development of innovative manufacturing solutions, in line with the Government’s manufacturing strategy. The MTC is part the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, supported by Innovate UK (formerly the Technology Strategy Board.)
MTC chief executive Clive Hickman said, “The new training centre will create vital skills, developing the next generation of manufacturing engineers and technicians. The skills shortage has been an ongoing issue for manufacturing. Many small and medium-sized companies simply cannot afford the four year investment costs of apprentices, and fully skilled workers are attracted by the larger players – often at salaries that smaller companies simply can’t match. Our plan is help SMEs by offering apprenticeships which are cost-effective and provide tangible value from day one.”
The growth of the Manufacturing Technology Centre has far exceeded expectations, achieving many of its targets five years ahead of schedule. The Centre already has a growing apprenticeship and trainee scheme which will be enhanced by the new facility.