Young people from across the region are set to be inspired by a range of exciting career and apprenticeship opportunities within the engineering sector at a special event organised by the MIRA Technology Institute. The event, scheduled for 10 March 2020, is sponsored by MTI and Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council and is designed to bring engineers together with students who are thinking about their study options.
Quickfire meetings lasting just seven minutes each will give students aged 12-14 the chance to find out about the career routes available to them and businesses will benefit from raising their profile with their future potential workforce.
Students will also get the opportunity to tour the MTI’s state of the art training facilities and find out more about the challenges facing the automotive sector. Lisa Bingley, Operations Director for the MTI said, “The engineering sector is one of the most exciting in the UK and job roles are evolving all the time as technology changes the way that businesses operate. From the perspective of the automotive industry, we are currently experiencing an increased demand for skills such as cybersecurity, a critical skill area because threats to vehicle software could now present a risk to life and health.
“In addition, the climate change agenda is driving changes to the type of work that will be available once these students enter the workforce. Businesses across the engineering spectrum are working towards the UK Government’s goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. Our focus at the MTI will be on helping manufacturers as they step up production of new electric vehicles to replace petrol, diesel and hybrid cars by 2035.
“All these developments lead to exciting new jobs and this type of event is ideal for showcasing future careers. We really need to inspire today’s students with the issues we are facing and encourage them to embrace the challenges.”
The MTI is the result of a unique collaboration led by North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College, and its partners, HORIBA MIRA, Coventry University, the University of Leicester, and Loughborough University. Built with £9.5m investment from the UK Government’s Local Growth Fund via the Leicester and Leicester Enterprise Partnership Limited (LLEP), the MTI is a specialist facility designed specifically to train the next generation of engineers in the latest automotive technology. The MTI is helping to create specialist skills in some of the new disruptive technology areas including electrification and driverless cars.
Since it first opened its doors in 2018, the MTI has welcomed over 8,000 students and delegates. This includes over 630 studying for accredited qualifications from a Level 1 Institute of the Motor Industry certificate up to Masters’ degrees, and nearly 250 following apprenticeships at all levels.
Marion Plant, OBE FCGI, Chair of the MTI Operations Board, and Principal and Chief Executive North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College said, “We applaud the support from Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council in staging this event which will really help students to focus on their future careers. Employers at the forefront of Industry 4.0 are in the best position to outline what they can see on the horizon and it is vital that students are enabled to meet them face to face.”
Kevin Harris, Chair of the LLEP Board of Directors said, “Skills and career opportunities are an incredibly important part of the LLEP’s work, so I am delighted that the MTI is hosting this event.
“Our LLEP skills team produce a range of publications to support both employers and young people. We have just published a brand-new toolkit called ‘Building the Workforce of the Future’. This informative resource helps employers to explore different ways of finding the right talent for their business. For young people we produce an annual Labour Market Guide. The guide gives the latest information on the sectors and career opportunities across Leicester and Leicestershire.
“This speed networking event is a fantastic chance for young people to explore and understand the future opportunities available to them. It may also help dispel any myths or misconceptions they may have about a career in automotive engineering and introduce them to new possibilities.”
Copyright 2024 MIRA Technology Institute
