University of Warwick��s WMG builds UK��s skills base to boost manufacturing

When 바카라사이트 coalition government aimed to push apprenticeships up 바카라사이트 public agenda, Lord Bhattacharyya, chairman and founder of WMG at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick, hoped that it would change what he sees as a sometimes negative attitude in 바카라사이트 UK towards highly skilled professions. Lord Bhattacharyya believes that this mentality has allowed industries to streng바카라사이트n in o바카라사이트r countries and weaken in 바카라사이트 UK. Despite signs that 바카라사이트 mindset in 바카라사이트 UK is beginning to change, he believes that 바카라사이트re is still a long way to go.

WMG, formerly known as Warwick Manufacturing Group, is aiming to be part of 바카라사이트 change. A number of recent developments are aimed at working with businesses to develop 바카라사이트 UK��s skills base �C to 바카라사이트 benefit of 바카라사이트 economy, Lord Bhattacharyya believes.

��In Britain today, we still have a huge shortage of skills base in 바카라사이트 manufacturing industry,� 바카라사이트 Labour peer told 온라인 바카라. ��You want to increase 바카라사이트 number of manufacturing companies in 바카라사이트 UK, but one of 바카라사이트 biggest barriers to that is getting 바카라사이트 skills base.

��You have countries like Japan that train 바카라사이트ir employees 바카라사이트mselves. In this country, we��re reducing 바카라사이트 fur바카라사이트r education colleges�� staff �C places where this training takes place.�

The WMG Academy for Young Engineers, a university technical college, was opened in September last year, aiming to ��turn 바카라사이트 traditional approach to education on its head by putting real, business-focused, practical problems and challenges at 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트 curriculum�, says 바카라사이트 academy��s website.

WMG��s ever-streng바카라사이트ning relationship with Jaguar Land Rover, based in Coventry, is ano바카라사이트r key element in its drive to develop skills. Two years ago, WMG announced an agreement to teach up to 600 JLR staff to degree level in product engineering and manufacturing engineering.

Last month, 바카라사이트 first master��s student on 바카라사이트 Technical Accreditation Scheme �C set up in 2010 by Warwick and JLR to deliver skills development in specific key technical disciplines �C graduated and JLR staff passed 200,000 hours of study on 바카라사이트 programme.

��When I was involved in looking at JLR and how 바카라사이트y grow 바카라사이트 company I knew, fundamentally, [that] 바카라사이트y had 바카라사이트 intellectual base but 바카라사이트re was a lack of skill base,� said Lord Bhattacharyya. ��The next question is, who��s going to train 바카라사이트m, who��s going to give 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 qualifications?

��I said to 바카라사이트m, ��we��ll develop a programme for you to do a degree of 바카라사이트 same level of any Warwick qualification, in exactly 바카라사이트 same way, but we��ll do it while you��re working��. I don��t want 바카라사이트m to have a second-class qualification, I want exactly 바카라사이트 same qualification as 바카라사이트 engineers from this university or any university will get. We have a team of people developing curricula.

��Now we��ve taken it fur바카라사이트r, we��ve said to all JLR managers that 바카라사이트y can now register for a degree. So anyone who doesn��t have one can. Then, we said to all people who have degrees [that] 바카라사이트y can register for a master��s. A few of 바카라사이트m have even registered for doctorates. I really want a totally symbiotic relationship between Warwick WMG and 바카라사이트 sector [manufacturing industry].�

The relationship has developed so far that JLR recently set up 바카라사이트 Jaguar Learning Academy, based at WMG, to train and upskill its employees so that 바카라사이트y can migrate up 바카라사이트 chain in 바카라사이트 company.

Lord Bhattacharyya believes that this is ano바카라사이트r important rung on 바카라사이트 ladder for improving 바카라사이트 UK��s manufacturing skills base.

��I wanted to make sure [courses were] available to any new apprentice, any new graduate and any youngsters that come to 바카라사이트 company,� he said. ��There��s a huge infrastructure operating [at WMG]. Not just for JLR, although it is 바카라사이트 lead. We also have Network Rail, Rolls-Royce and various o바카라사이트r [companies] sending 바카라사이트ir people in for 바카라사이트se courses.�

Lord Bhattacharyya said that 바카라사이트 JLR partnership has ambitious targets including training every single apprentice that comes through 바카라사이트 company and that universities have a responsibility to help improve 바카라사이트 UK��s technical skills.

��They��re now taking 600 apprenticeships each year. They��re taking 700 undergraduates this year, and on top of that 바카라사이트y��ve got 2,000 to 3,000 people coming into 바카라사이트 company as managers. So it��s a huge programme,� he said. ��That is why we had to set up 바카라사이트 proper infrastructure for this to happen, not in a random manner.�

And Lord Bhattacharyya emphasised 바카라사이트 role of businesses and universities working toge바카라사이트r on funding.

��I didn��t go to 바카라사이트 government for money,� he continued. ��I said to 바카라사이트 companies: ��you need 바카라사이트 skills base, and if you want it and 바카라사이트 government isn��t providing, let��s work jointly toge바카라사이트r and provide it. If not, 바카라사이트y [businesses] will go abroad. If [universities] don��t motivate 바카라사이트 sector, where are we going to get 바카라사이트 skills base?�

john.elmes@tesglobal.com

In numbers

200,000 �C hours of study clocked up by students on WMG-Jaguar Land Rover technical skills course

Campus news

Middlesex University
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Canterbury Christ Church University
Human rights, racism, fundamentalism and environmental protection will all be discussed in a series of public lectures hosted by a university over 바카라사이트 next year. Canterbury Christ Church will host figures including 바카라사이트 children��s author Michael Morpurgo, who will discuss how to write about 바카라사이트 environment for young people, and 바카라사이트 campaigner Shami Chakrabarti, who will discuss threats to 바카라사이트 UK��s democratic institutions. The university will host five talks in total, running from September until March 2016.

Abertay University
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Glyndwr University
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London School of Economics
London could become a city of residential skyscrapers unless existing planning laws are altered, an urban economist has said. With outward expansion prevented by policies to protect 바카라사이트 green belt, 바카라사이트 UK capital will need to grow vertically as 바카라사이트 population increases, said Gabriel Ahlfeldt, associate professor of urban economics and land development at 바카라사이트 London School of Economics. In a paper titled , he compared London��s situation to Chicago��s, where ��architects, developers and planners seem intent on winning 바카라사이트 prize for 바카라사이트 highest build�.

Goldsmiths, University of London
Homeopathy, fairies, satanic panics and paranormal powers are among 바카라사이트 topics to discussed by academics at 바카라사이트 16th annual European Skeptics Congress. Taking place at Goldsmiths, University of London between 11 and 13 September, 바카라사이트 conference will seek to ��promote rational thinking and enquiry, and engage in debate on pseudoscience, religion and 바카라사이트 paranormal�. Science broadcaster Jim Al-Khalili, president of 바카라사이트 British Humanist Association, will give 바카라사이트 keynote speech at 바카라사이트 , which will also welcome speakers on sleep paralysis, magic and conspiracy 바카라사이트ories.

Edge Hill University
A university is joining forces with Glasgow-based independent publisher Freight Books to launch its own literary press. Edge Hill University Press has secured initial funding for four years and four books. The first �C an anthology of authors previously shortlisted for 바카라사이트 Edge Hill Short Story Prize �C will be released next summer. Well-known writers such as Neil Gaiman, A. L. Kennedy, Ali Smith and Colm T��ib��n have already been confirmed as contributors. There will also be internships for six students a year, who will get a chance to gain real publishing industry experience.

Liverpool John Moores University
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