Training centre Oxfordshire Advanced Skills is to undergo a £13m extension ahead of launching a range of new apprenticeship programmes.
On offer will be apprenticeships in space, robotics, data science, energy storage, power engineering and cybersecurity.
“The new courses will empower UK manufacturers to adopt transformative technology in space and robotics, helping businesses to better compete in the global marketplace,” said David Martin, director of Oxfordshire Advanced Skills, UKAEA.
The training centre is based at the UK Atomic Energy Authority’s (UKAEA) Culham Science Centre and will be funded by the government’s Fusion Foundations Programme, which is supporting the development of fusion technology.
Extension of the training facility will provide an addition of 2,355 sqm and is estimated to be completed by September 2023, creating capacity for a further 90 apprentices.
Emma Johnstone, operations manager, MTC Training at Oxfordshire Advanced Skills, said: “Since opening in 2019, our apprentice intakes have already doubled in size. The extension will help Oxfordshire Advanced Skills to increase our impact even further by supporting more people and businesses with future skills.”
The extension will be instructed by an Access & Awareness report that will make sure it is suitable for any mental health, neurodiverse and physical disability needs. It will include staff training, braille signposting, hearing aids and appropriate interior design.
“I’m pleased to announce our new Level 4 Space apprenticeship programme has already been approved by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education and we are busy working on the curriculum delivery of our other new courses, to be launched later this year,” added Johnstone.
Early-stage venture capital firm Oxford Science Enterprises lately secured £250m to invest in University of Oxford deeptech spinouts.
