MIRA Technology Institute Strengthens Ties with Automotive Sector

Caption:  Marion Plant speaking at the MTI Employer Engagement

• Key employers from the UK automotive sector attend engagement event at MIRA Technology Park
• Innovative skills centre outlines vision for the future of skills training in UK

MIRA Technology Institute, a unique partnership between North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College, HORIBA MIRA, Coventry University, Loughborough University and the University of Leicester recently held an engagement event with leading employers from the automotive sector to outline the Institute’s offer to the automotive industry.

The event, attended by companies including Jaguar Land Rover, Toyota and Bosch, allowed MIRA Technology Institute to illuminate how the institute will play a pivotal role in combining education and industry, in line with the Government’s Industrial Strategy.

Located in the heart of the UK’s automotive manufacturing sector, on the MIRA Technology Park campus, MTI is perfectly geographically placed to serve the industry. Providing on and off the job training for at least 2,500 students per year, the Institute represents the future of technical and skills training for the UK.

Talking at the event, representatives from each of the partners were able to give attendees a virtual tour of the campus, further understanding of the vision of MTI, an overview of the unique curriculum and develop its position as a skills trainer catering for the next generation of automotive engineers, as well as a pioneer in upskilling already highly qualified engineers.

Curriculum staff from all the partners gave an overview of the innovative skills escalator that will be delivered at the Institute which will inspire and nurture talent from school children up to PhD level students. Starting at GCSE level, the model will enable students to develop their skills from the very basics right through to being highly qualified engineers, as well as allowing them to enter the skills escalator at different levels to develop specific skill sets. The curriculum also aims to deliver the skills necessary, not just in engineering but in other areas that allow a business to succeed such as: business development, project management and leadership skills.

Marion Plant OBE, Chief Executive at North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College, said: “The automotive sector is constantly innovating, with technology developing at an ever-increasing rate. To stay relevant in this industry employers need to be able to constantly adapt and find skilled workers for specialised roles. The unique partnership between ourselves, HORIBA MIRA, Coventry University, Loughborough University, and the University of Leicester will allow us to train the next wave of highly talented engineers, as well as upskill already established engineers as they tackle the next wave of advancement in the industry. It is this holistic approach to skills training that will ultimately prove to be such an attractive prospect for employers.”

Torin Spence, Skills Manager for MIRA Technology Park “MIRA Technology Institute represents the future of skills training in the UK. Our delivery of CPD courses alongside full qualifications from five different partners offers a unique path, adapting to the current and future needs of employers and developing the skills necessary to allow the UK automotive sector to thrive as technology progresses. Meeting with key employers from the sector is a critical step towards strengthening the relationship between industry and education, allowing us to build a curriculum that addresses the skills gap and ultimately allow automotive engineering in the UK to thrive.”

Mark Leaney, M-Tec Engineering Projects “Great event at the MIRA Technology Institute. It’s nice to see an organisation putting time, money and effort into training the next generation of automotive engineers. Having a purpose-built facility like this, the future talent of automotive engineers in the Midlands will only get stronger.”

MIRA Technology Institute is set to open in autumn 2018 and enrolment is now open. For more information on MIRA Technology Institute, its partners and curriculum offer, please visit www.miratechnologyinstitute.com.

About MIRA Technology Institute

MIRA Technology Institute represents a unique partnership between North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College, as the lead partner, HORIBA MIRA, Coventry University, Loughborough University and the University of Leicester. The Institute provides students with a bespoke curriculum aimed at satisfying an ever-increasing need for specialist skills in the UK automotive sector. The MTI has a particular focus on disruptive technologies, such as electrification and driverless cars, cultivating the skills necessary to operate at the cutting edge of automotive technology.

The development of the MTI offers a unique solution aligned with the government’s new Industrial Strategy Green Paper by creating a sector-focused institute of technology. It received £9.5m in funding from the Leicester and Leicestershire LEP Growth Deal Fund, and is backed by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

About the MTI Partners

North Warwickshire South Leicestershire College is a leading provider of technical training and apprenticeships across the Midlands, working in partnership with employers to ensure that their workforce is trained to meet their future competitive challenges.

HORIBA MIRA Ltd is a world-class, independent engineering consultancy, operating in multiple locations around the world, to support vehicle manufacturers and their supply chain with cutting-edge engineering and testing expertise. Based on MIRA Technology Park HORIBA MIRA offers full-system design, test and integration expertise to automotive, defence, rail and transport industries and also specialise in developing low carbon and autonomous and co-operative driving technologies.

Coventry University is the country’s top modern university in the Guardian University Guide 2019, in which it ranks 13th overall. It secured a gold rating in the UK government’s 2017 Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) and was also awarded the title ‘Modern University of the Year’ in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide for three years running from 2014 to 2016. It is a global institution providing groundbreaking research, beneficial business partnerships and immersive, experiential learning opportunities across all sectors, with a long history of collaboration with the automotive industry.

Loughborough University is internationally known and respected as one of the country’s leading universities; it has a significant track record of partnership with the automotive sector to deliver industrially-relevant teaching and apply world-class research to drive innovation and competitiveness.

The University of Leicester, a global university ranked among the world’s top 1% of universities, has a long and successful track record of working with industry to deliver world-changing research and high quality, inspirational teaching. We are proud to be one of the biggest suppliers of higher education distance learning courses in the UK with more than 5,000 students choosing to study with us.