NEWS / COVER STORIES 5 AUTOMATION EDUCATION
WELDING FIGURES IN BRITISH SKILLS GAP SURVEY
facilities available across the UK. Over the last five years, Weldability Sif have managed to help decrease the deficit of available welders. Recently, this programme took a further stride forward, when Weldability Sif joined forces with the manufacturers’ organisation EEF, for the expansion of EEF’s welder- training facility.
Based within Aston, Birmingham, the EEF Technology Training Centre (TTC) is the main hub of their Aston Training Campus. Newly fitted-out with 24 welding bays and state-of-the-art industrial equipment, the new dedicated welder-training suite is now at the heart of EEF’s Aston TTC. The centre also houses cutting-edge, fully-immersive virtual welder- training equipment from Weldability Sif – the VirtUweld VR – which allows students to train digitally and safely before trying their hand at welding for real.
By combining a modular program of up to 40 hours self-paced eLearning for underpinning MIG, MMA & TIG theory training, with a tactile, haptic simulator to build muscle-memory, the VirtUweld VR has proven a popular choice for colleges, training centres and employers, due to its low cost, intuitive interface and informative class analysis tools for tutors.
As a key part of the
Weldability Sif training portfolio, which includes DVDs, workbooks, a kit of example defect coupons, lesson plans and simulators, the VirtUweld VR delivers a collaborative learner experience in the classroom and is proven to increase engagement, retention and achievement by over 20%.
MAKING COMMITMENTS The Weldability Sif Foundation (
www.weldability-sif.org) seeks to facilitate the training and education of a new generation of high integrity welders by: • Developing cutting-edge classroom-based training tools such as e-Learning and the VirtUweld VR welding simulator, that are NOS mapped to industry- recognised qualifications.
• The introduction of six relevant Foundation level 1 qualifications, leading to two level 2 Apprenticeships and advanced qualifications at level 3, eligible for full SFA funding, and supported with additional grant funding from the Weldability Sif Foundation.
• Establishing a clear ‘Welding Qualification and Career Pathway’.’
• Providing financial support to establish new ‘Welding Studios’ in colleges and training centres across the UK.
www.awd.org.uk |JWeldingWorld1
There are marked differences in the regions in terms of demand for key employment a new survey has found. And with the British Skills Gap Map including welding as one of a number of key employment sectors currently in high demand in the UK, a geographical pattern has emerged for the industry. The study was based on 18 of the UK Visa Bureau’s most sought after occupations to find where the majority of skills gaps are found. It compared the averages of 12 regions and then cross-referenced this with the overall national demand to see who came out on top. Continues over >
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