Sunderland-based businesses are being urged to enhance their teams’ engineering skills and extend their capabilities, through fully funded courses delivered by training specialist, Seta.

As a partner of the Sunderland Skills and Inclusion Programme (SSIP), Seta is now providing fully funded training in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, mechatronics, machining, welding/fabrication, safety, lean manufacturing and first aid.

Funding for the courses, which will be delivered at Seta’s Washington training centre, is available to employers in the Sunderland City Council area.

Learners train in Seta’s workshops on industry-standard equipment, and its courses are delivered by tutors who have extensive engineering backgrounds.

The Sunderland Skills and Inclusion Project is delivered by University of Sunderland. The project is funded by the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund Programme, managed in Sunderland by Sunderland City Council on behalf of the Sunderland Partnership.

The £2.56 million project will run until March 2025 with more than 100 SSIP courses – from day-long starter courses to advanced accredited diplomas – available through 12 partner training providers. The courses are based on the different needs of businesses and their employees.

Twenty six fully-funded courses are available via Seta through the programme. These include: Requirements for Electrical Installations – 18th Edition Wiring Regulations; Introduction to Mechanical Maintenance; Introduction to Welding TIG; EVAC Fire Marshall Training; and Safety Excellence – Working at Heights.

Robin Lockwood, Chief Executive of Seta, said: “We’re proud to be a partner in the SSIP and to be helping the project to achieve its aims of driving productivity in the Sunderland economy, developing skills and supporting inclusion.

“The SSIP project is a fantastic opportunity for Sunderland-based companies that need to upskill their teams to stay competitive and open new routes to growth.

“We’re excited that our courses, which are shaped to industry requirements, will be available to businesses and their employees through this initiative.”

Seta offers apprenticeships and an extensive range of engineering courses, and has been providing industry-recognised training for more than 50 years to both locally headquartered businesses and multinationals.

If you are interested in booking a Seta course through the Sunderland Skills and Inclusion Programme, and for a full list of available courses, visit https://seta.co.uk/SunderlandUKSPF/ , email enquiries@seta.co.uk or call (0191) 416 2860.