West of England Combined Authority unveils £2.7 million support programme for manufacturers to go digital

Manufacturers in the West will adopt new digital technology and workers will gain new skills thanks to a brand new £2.7 million programme of support from the West of England Combined Authority, led by Metro Mayor Dan Norris.

Eighty-plus West of England firms will embrace robots and futuristic virtual reality tools, and digitise their manufacturing processes through the Made Smarter West of England programme.

Advice from experts will be on hand about future-proofing manufacturing processes and the skills that workers need for 21st-century world-class manufacturing.

Dan Norris said: “A thriving manufacturing sector means using the very latest tech. So I’m really delighted that this £2.7 million West of England Combined Authority-led programme will mean our local workers will be able to access the training they need to thrive.

"As everyone knows we are in the midst of a climate emergency. It is so very, very important for everyone to pull together to reach our stretching net-zero 2030 targets. These tools will help our amazing manufacturers to become greener.”

The programme is funded by the West of England Combined Authority with training supported by the University of the West of England, and 1-1 digital acceleration sessions led by the National Composites Centre.

It has been created to meet the particular needs of manufacturers in the West of England.

For more information, visit https://www.westofengland-ca.gov.uk/growth-hub/technology-innovation/made-smarter