New bootcamps targeting the manufacturing sector have received generous financial backing across Greater Manchester to tackle the region's skills shortage.

Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has awarded £548,000 in funding through the Department for Education to enable three providers to deliver training in manufacturing skills as part of a broader skills bootcamp scheme.

The manufacturing sector has been identified as a key industry in the country due to its contribution to the economy, yet skills intelligence shows that employers are facing challenges when it comes to upskilling and recruitment.

Locally, manufacturing serves a long tradition in Greater Manchester and the region's skills bootcamps are designed to help the sector overcome its challenges.

GMCA is offering flexible courses to build on sector-specific skills up to 16 weeks with a guaranteed interview with a local employer at the end.

The bootcamps are particularly focused on targeting individuals from diverse backgrounds, such as low-paid or unemployed people, veterans, ex-offenders, women, ethnic minorities, people over 50, people returning to work after a break or maternity leave and people living with a health condition or disability.

All of the bootcamps are free of charge and are meant to facilitate people looking for a career change, new job opportunity or who are wanting to upskill.

The three providers chosen for the bootcamps are: 3D 360, which specialise in 3D printing courses, Rochdale Training, which focuses on welding, and Salford City College, which offers training in industrial textiles.

Councillor Eamonn O’Brien, Greater Manchester’s lead for Education, Work, Skills, Apprenticeships and Digital said: "Skills bootcamps represent such an amazing opportunity for our residents and local businesses. 

"The number of Greater Manchester residents employed in the manufacturing sector is estimated to be between 100,000 – 116,000, representing 7.4 – eight per cent of the workforce.

“The scheme is designed to help local people gain new skills to pursue exciting careers and places an emphasis on the technical skills welcomed by businesses across Greater Manchester.

“This is not just about manufacturing and technology, it’s about the benefit and value we can provide to our residents and city-region.”