National Skills Academy for Manufacturing

National Skills Academy for Manufacturing
Name	National Skills Academy for Manufacturing
Formation	2008
Type	Not-for-profit training organization
Headquarters	Nottingham
Region served	United Kingdom

Contents

National Skills Academy for Manufacturing The National Skills Academy for Manufacturing is a British training institution focused on advancing technical proficiency across United Kingdom, England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and international partners; it engages with employers, trade bodies, and educational institutions including Aston University, Cranfield University, University of Cambridge, University of Oxford and Imperial College London to align workforce skills with sector needs. It operates alongside sector organizations such as the Confederation of British Industry, Make UK, Engineering Employers' Federation, The Royal Academy of Engineering and works with funding and policy bodies like Department for Business and Trade, Department for Education (United Kingdom), Skills Funding Agency, UK Research and Innovation and Office for Students. The academy collaborates with professional institutes including Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Institution of Engineering and Technology, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and Association of Accounting Technicians to deliver employer-led standards.

History

The academy was established in 2008 following sector advocacy by groups such as Manufacturing Industry Forum, EEF and UK Steel and was influenced by reports from Leitch Review of Skills, BIS and parliamentary committees including the House of Commons Business, Innovation and Skills Committee; founding partners included RATC, TWI, National Apprenticeship Service, City & Guilds and Pearson PLC. Its early initiatives drew on models from German Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Fraunhofer Society, Siemens training centres and collaborations with Rolls-Royce Holdings, BAE Systems, Jaguar Land Rover and GKN. Over time it expanded through projects with devolved administrations such as Welsh Government, Scottish Government and cross-industry alliances like Aerospace Growth Partnership, High Value Manufacturing Catapult and Northern Powerhouse initiatives.

The academy’s mission aligns with national and sectoral strategies promoted by The Rt Hon Gordon Brown, The Rt Hon David Cameron, The Rt Hon Theresa May era policies and recommendations from think tanks including Resolution Foundation, Institute for Public Policy Research and Centre for Cities to boost technical capability and productivity. Objectives include implementing occupational standards from Trailblazer apprenticeships, supporting qualifications from BTEC, NVQ, Higher National Diploma and coordinating with awarding bodies such as City & Guilds, Edexcel and Ofqual. It aims to serve employers like Siemens, Rolls-Royce, Airbus, Unilever and Philips and to interface with regional bodies including Greater Manchester Combined Authority, West Midlands Combined Authority and Tees Valley Combined Authority.

The governance structure comprises a board with representatives from corporations such as BAE Systems, RNS Engineering, Honeywell, trade unions including Unite the Union and GMB (trade union), and academic partners like Loughborough University, University of Sheffield and University of Manchester. Reporting channels include accountability to agencies like Companies House, Charity Commission for England and Wales where applicable, and liaison with regulators such as Ofqual and Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education. Operational units coordinate regional hubs in collaboration with organizations such as Local Enterprise Partnerships, LEP clusters including London LEP and Leeds City Region.

Programs incorporate apprenticeships linked to Trailblazer apprenticeships, short courses co-developed with City & Guilds, bespoke employer training co-designed with National Grid, Network Rail, British Steel and higher-level technician pathways in partnership with Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, Manufacturing Technology Centre and Catapult centres. Training modalities reference standards from ISO 9001, ISO 14001 implementations used by Nissan Motor Manufacturing (UK) and Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK and incorporate digital skills in collaboration with Siemens PLM Software, Microsoft, SAP and Autodesk. The academy supports participation in competitions such as WorldSkills and collaborates with schools and colleges including The Manchester College, City of Bristol College and Blackburn College to route learners into careers at companies like Mott MacDonald, ArcelorMittal and Thales Group.

Partnerships span sectors and include aerospace partners Rolls-Royce plc, Airbus UK, GE Aviation, automotive firms Jaguar Land Rover, Nissan, Bentley Motors; supply chain firms such as Bosch, ZF Friedrichshafen, Schneider Electric; and service firms including Capgemini and Accenture. Collaborative projects have been undertaken with industry bodies Make UK, Manufacturers' Organisation, Aerospace Technology Institute, Rocket Makers and trade associations like Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and British Plastics Federation. The academy also interfaces with international partners including Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, Erasmus+ consortia, European Commission initiatives and bilateral programmes with India, China and United States partners.

Outcomes reported include increased apprenticeship starts aligned with Apprenticeship Levy redistribution, employer adoption of standards promoted by Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education and measurable productivity gains cited in assessments by Office for National Statistics and reports from National Audit Office. Case studies reference workforce development at BAE Systems, productivity projects at Siemens, skills pipelines for Airbus and research collaborations with University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre. Evaluation frameworks use metrics from Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, UKCES legacy reports and impact assessments by Nesta.

Funding streams derive from sources including the Apprenticeship Levy, contracts with Department for Education (United Kingdom), grants from European Social Fund historically, private sector contributions from Caterpillar Inc., Siemens AG, 3M and revenue from commissioned training with firms like Rolls-Royce Holdings plc. Accreditation and quality assurance partner organisations include Ofsted, Ofqual, City & Guilds, Institute of Apprenticeships and Technical Education and professional registration bodies such as Engineering Council and Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.

Category:Organizations based in Nottinghamshire