A SOUTH Wales College has provided a money to help a programme benefit young people in Blaenau Gwent.

Coleg y Cymoedd has invested more than £260k in new engineering and advanced manufacturing equipment to provide state of art facilities for its learners, boosting the employment and training opportunities for apprentices across the college.

The upgrades, which were made possible thanks to a £260k Welsh Government grant, have enabled Coleg y Cymoedd to donate existing equipment to an employer of apprentices in order to benefit hundreds of young people throughout the region.

The college is donating a range of engineering equipment, including lathes, grinders, drills and a range of milling machines, to the Aspire apprenticeship programme – a scheme designed to boost the up-take of apprenticeships and provide opportunities for young people in Blaenau Gwent.

The equipment will be hosted at international automotive industry supplier Continental Teves in Ebbw Vale, centrally located in Blaenau Gwent to ensure all Aspire apprentices benefit.

Delivered by Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council in collaboration with numerous partners including Coleg y Cymoedd, the Aspire initiative aims to tackle the region’s manufacturing and engineering skills gap and boost employment.

Judith Evans, Principal of Coleg y Cymoedd, said: “It is important to us that our apprentices benefit from the latest industry equipment both in the classroom and during their workplace learning to best prepare them for the working world.

“We are delighted to be able to not only improve the quality of learning and training for our learners, but to also help local businesses improve their facilities, which will undoubtedly benefit hundreds of young people both now and in the years to come.”

The Aspire apprenticeship scheme, of which Coleg y Cymoedd is the leading provider, aims to fill manufacturing vacancies and produce apprentices that are work-ready. Each apprentice has a training plan, tailored according to employer’s needs, to ensure they are best placed for the role.

Now in its third year, the programme has successfully placed 52 apprentices in 15 businesses.