New Boost for Jobs in South Yorkshire’s Technology Industries with Launch of High Tech Network Training Facilities

April 22, 2004 the Centre of Excellence for New Technologies (CENT), located at the Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham, is celebrating the launch of new network training facilities for the world’s largest Information and Communications (ICT) networking company, Cisco. The new facilities are part of a £7.5m investment in skills and jobs by the EU Objective 1 and Yorkshire Forward funded ‘e-SY Skills’ programme managed by the Learning and Skills Council South Yorkshire and targeting South Yorkshire’s ICT-based industries.

The CENT@Magna facilities are already helping new recruits to the industry train as network technicians and gain prized Cisco qualifications. These are needed to fill vital jobs in business and public sector services that increasingly rely on technology.

The launch at CENT@Magna on April 22 at 12.00 pm will showcase the Cisco wireless and network training courses run in partnership with Rotherham College of Arts and Technology (RCAT) and Sheffield Hallam University IT Foundry and give an opportunity to meet students on the new JIGSAW IT Technician work placement and training scheme, which is being sponsored by the e-SY skills programme.

A new website, > www.centatmagna.org.uk_, will be launched at the event, offering ready access to information on the extensive facilities and training courses on offer through CENT@Magna.

Richard Smith, Director of Cluster Development at the Learning and Skills Council South Yorkshire, and Christine Melia, Executive Director of Magna and Chair of the CENT Board, will officially open the facility, together with Judith Robinson, Development Manager, People, Communities and Skills, Objective 1 South Yorkshire and Paul Pascoe, Yorkshire Forward’s Head of Learning and Skills South Yorkshire.
Richard Smith, Director of Cluster Development at the Learning and Skills Council South Yorkshire, commented, “CENT@Magna is a flagship initiative in our programme to develop a regional skills base in creative and digital industries which will be second to none. Availability of network training is vital to ensure that South Yorkshire businesses and public sector services have a ready supply of qualified IT technicians.”

Paul Pascoe, Yorkshire Forward’s Head of Learning and Skills South Yorkshire said, “The e-SY skills initiative represents a major part of Yorkshire Forward’s investment in capacity building of the education and training infrastructure in South Yorkshire to meet the needs of our ICT-based businesses and services. It is good to see this new capability already helping previously unemployed recruits to the industry to gain the qualifications they need for skilled jobs as IT technicians.”

Judith Robinson, Development Manager, People, Communities and Skills, Objective 1 said, “Objective 1’s aim is to transform South Yorkshire into a high growth, knowledge-rich economy. The new network training facilities at CENT@Magna will help to ensure that local people have the skills needed to grasp new employment opportunities being created through the increased use of technology across all areas of life.”

CENT@Magna is managed by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council working closely with Rotherham Learning Partnership and is serving young people in school and college, as well as job seekers and those already working in the IT and creative industries. Employers can benefit from training needs analysis as part of the service and find out about the latest offers on low cost technical training as well as 50% subsidy for potential new recruits through the JIGSAW work placement scheme. Offerings include Cisco network and wireless training, Microsoft Office Specialist and European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) courses. The Centre’s high-tech training facilities are also available for hire complete with technical support service.