Extra funding has opened more places on 3D 360 Skills Training’s 3D Printing, 3D CAD and Industry 4.0 Skills Bootcamp, which runs in collaboration with Enterprise Cheshire & Warrington.
Places are open to people who live or work in Cheshire and Warrington.
Not just for manufacturers
Many people assume 3D printing belongs on the factory floor, but the course has a much wider reach than that.
Architects and interior designers use it to build models clients can hold in their hands. Retailers and marketing teams print display pieces and props. Estates and maintenance teams make replacement parts that are no longer manufactured. Product start-ups test prototypes in hours instead of waiting weeks for outside suppliers. Schools use the training to enrich the current curriculum or set up STEM clubs. Businesses, charities and community groups alike are designing and printing items to use themselves or to sell.
Wherever someone needs a physical object either designed, tested, replaced or made to sell, 3D printing and CAD can save time and money.
What employers get
Employers who put staff through the bootcamp pay a subsidised contribution. The rest is covered by funding.
In return they get people who can:
- design parts, tools and products in 3D CAD software
- turn ideas into physical prototypes quickly and in-house, with fewer outsourcing costs and shorter lead times
- produce jigs, fixtures and spare parts on demand, which reduces downtime
- understand where Industry 4.0 technologies such as AI, the Internet of Things, VR and AR and big data could fit into the business in future
The course also gives employers a low-cost way to develop and keep good staff, at a time when finding people with technical skills is harder than ever.
Hands-on learning
The two core modules, 3D printing and 3D CAD, are fully hands-on. Learners design on screen and then print what they have made.
The Industry 4.0 content builds understanding, so businesses can make better-informed decisions about what to invest in next.
Who is eligible
Places are free, subject to eligibility, for people who are unemployed or self-employed and for schools, community groups, CICs and charities.
Employees take part at no cost to themselves. Their employer pays a heavily subsidised rate.
“People are often surprised by who comes through our doors”
Paul Bullock, Managing Director of 3D 360 Skills Training, said: “People are often surprised by who comes through our doors. We train engineers, of course, but we’ve also had designers, retailers, psychotherapists, teachers and small business owners. They all leave able to design something and print it.
“For an employer, that means faster prototypes, fewer bought-in parts and a member of staff who brings new ideas back into the business. Working with Enterprise Cheshire & Warrington, we can now offer more residents and businesses across the area that opportunity at a fraction of the usual cost.”
Employers and learners can find out about the course and register their interest at https://3d360printer.co.uk/training-courses/funded-3d-printing-cad-training/
About 3D 360 Skills Training
Since it was founded in 2020, 3D 360 has trained more than 2,500 learners with over 80% have reported career progression and the course has earned over 100 five-star Google reviews. It is an Ofsted Good Provider and holds the matrix Standard and Cyber Essentials Plus.
