Rescued trainee base links up with college
NEW PARTNERS TO OFFER ENGINEERING COURSES TO REGION’S FIRMS
AN apprentice training centre that closed suddenly and was then saved by a local businessman has announced a formal link with Calderdale College.
Brighouse base Kirkdale Industrial Training Services (KITS) hit the headlines last June when it revealed it was folding.
Bosses said it was not a viable business post Covid despite the charity that runs it having in excess of £2m in the bank.
A bid to sell all its equipment at auction was sensationally halted by a management rescue team led by Andrew Denford. They have now announced a partnership with Calderdale College with courses resuming in September.
The site will offer a range of engineering and manufacturing apprenticeships in partnership with some of the region’s leading manufacturing businesses.
Andrew Denford, chairman of Denford Ltd, one of the partners in the project, said: “The news last year that there would be no apprenticeship provision for engineering locally left many residents and businesses deeply disappointed.
“By working with Calderdale College, we are able to serve the needs of businesses, apprentices and our community by delivering an extensive curriculum that is designed to meet the needs of employers.”
The college offer apprenticeships for Motor Vehicles, Maintenance and Operations, Lean Manufacturing, Engineering Operatives, Maintenance Electricians and Supply Chain Warehouse Operatives. It then hopes to expand into full-time vocational programmes and workforce development programmes for employed people.
The campus will serve Kirklees, Bradford and Calderdale, areas where advanced manufacturing is an important economic sector.
The scheme comes at a good time, with Rishi Sunak’s budget announcing an increased incentive for firms to hire apprentices, making apprenticeships an attractive path to employment.
John Rees, principal and chief executive of Calderdale College, added: “This is a real opportunity for Calderdale College to respond to the needs of a major employing sector in the district and the region, creating new opportunities for residents, with a particular focus on young people leaving school.
“We have a reputation as the best college for student results and we’re rated Ofsted Outstanding for apprenticeships which stands us in a fantastic position to play a central role in this development. We will establish a network of employers who will work together to make a real difference to the region by delivering specialist training that is designed to suit the needs of industry.
“With the news from the Chancellor’s Budget that the financial incentive for hiring an apprentice will double to £3000 for the next six months, we would urge employers to get in touch and take advantage of the scheme and our new facilities.”
Clr Jane Scullion, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Strategy, said: “It’s great news that young people in the area now have another option when considering their future path.
“Having a local facility for engineering qualifications will not only provide further opportunities for apprenticeships,” she said. “By supporting close links with local employers, it can also help local businesses recruit people with the right skills for their sector - subsequently providing a boost for the local economy.”
Anyone wanting to study an apprenticeship can sign up to courses at www. calderdale.ac.uk/engineering.