MIRA Celebrates Skills Academy Milestone

MIRA Academy, the training and education initiative that aims to further develop skills of existing MIRA staff and support future generations of engineers and technicians, has celebrated its one year anniversary, having trained more than 3,500 delegates through its varied programmes in the last 12 months.

Since its April 2013 launch, MIRA Academy has hosted more than 300 training courses across 79 topics at its dedicated on-site facility, including Leadership Development Programmes, Specialist Technical Post-Graduate Modules and Project Management Training.

With plans to create more than 2,000 jobs by 2021 across MIRA and MIRA Technology Park, MIRA Academy exists to provide an essential training platform to address the skills needs not only of MIRA staff, but also those from the increasing number of partner, customer and transport sector organisations based at the 1.75m sq. ft. Technology Park.

Over the last 12 months, MIRA Academy has also developed a number of key working relationships with education partners, including North Warwickshire & Hinckley College, Midlands Studio College and the Nuneaton Academy, working alongside them to develop the curriculum within schools, giving students the necessary skills to succeed in engineering

Lisa Rowles, Senior Manager at MIRA Academy said: 

“At MIRA we are passionate about developing the engineers and technicians of the future, and we’re proud with what we have been able to achieve with MIRA Academy in the last 12 months.

“Not only have we been able to train more than 3,500 delegates on various courses over the year, but we have been able to establish some strong links with education providers, too, ensuring we are taking a step in the right direction in inspiring the next generation to consider advanced engineering as an exciting and rewarding career choice.”

As part of its varied programme of activity, MIRA Academy also runs the business’ existing Apprentice and Graduate Development Schemes, and is currently supporting 37 MIRA apprentices and graduates – seven per cent of MIRA’s workforce – as part of the courses on offer. In addition, MIRA Academy has also created nine STEM ambassadors, who work to help support young people’s learning.

Lisa Rowles, added:

“We have ambitious visions for MIRA Academy going forward, one of which is to continue to grow the offer and become a national provider of transportation skills across the industry. In addition to this, we have plans to increase both Further Education and Higher Education partnerships on a local and national level, ensuring we are continuing to develop and nurture the engineers of the future.”