Bristol Academy Secures Funding For Expansion

June 7, 2010 - PRLog -- 4 June 2010: The UK’s largest automotive academy is pushing ahead with expansion plans that will increase its capacity and improve facilities.

It follows the approval of a £500,000 capital investment grant matching a similar amount being invested by the academy itself.

It means S&B Automotive Academy in Bedminster, Bristol will be able to complete the second part of a four-phased programme to develop the academy into a complete campus.

Based on the Every Child Matters initiative the academy’s development will create a more corporate feel in line with those of manufacturer’s training facilities. It will also allow the academy to cater for an additional 45 learners in any one week.

Operating in the engineering sector for motor vehicle maintenance and repair, S&B Automotive Academy provides courses in the fields of light vehicle, heavy vehicle, transport and engineering maintenance (TEM), auto-electrical and parts operatives.

Once complete the new facility will provide hi-tech classrooms, containing state-of-the-art training systems, new offices, workshops and a gym. The new build will also accommodate a new parts department and a bus workshop.

It will enable the Academy to separate out and provide dedicated workshops and classrooms for Heavy Vehicle and TEM students.

The additional space will also release space in existing buildings that will enable the Academy to offer 10 new framework courses in Light Vehicle and Motor cycle as well as increasing its 14 to 16 and 14 to 19 schools provision.

Jon Winter chief executive at S&B Automotive Academy said: “We’re delighted that the capital funding for the Academy’s development has been approved. We can now crack on and get the next phase of the development programme complete.”

Working closely with the Academy’s employer partners and stakeholders discussions confirm that motor vehicle sector is suffering from skill shortages.

The first is in the recruitment of new people to replace those that are leaving the sector, and the second being poor basic skill levels that are not in line with those required to meet the rapid changes in technology and business techniques.

Jon added: “The on-going development of S&B Automotive Academy will help address this skills shortage in the motor sector and ensure that those coming through have the necessary skill and knowledge to not only provide the best possible service to customers but also help the on-going development of the sector.”

The academy currently trains 600 students a year with courses ranging from pre-apprenticeships, through apprenticeships for those working in the motor industry, management training and other short courses.



It is also one of the few places to provide essential Automotive Technician Accreditation (ATA) qualifications, the industry-wide initiative that tests both the practical skills and theoretical knowledge of technicians. The initiative identifies those who have not only proven their competence in their job but also signed a professional Code of Conduct.



For details please contact S&B Automotive Academy on T 0117 953 3001 or visit the website at www.sandbaa.com



ENDS



Issued on behalf of SB Automotive Academy by Empica Ltd. For further information contact Martin Powell or Laurence Phillips on T: 01275 394400

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S&B Automotive Academy is based in Bristol UK specialising in training apprentices for the motor industry.

Release issued by Empica PR - http://www.empica.co.uk