A major new skills partnership has been launched in Plymouth to strengthen the city’s position as one of the UK’s leading centres for engineering and advanced manufacturing.
The new Plymouth Manufacturers’ Group (PMG) Academy at City College Plymouth brings together industry and education to create a direct pipeline of talent into high-value jobs across the city’s thriving manufacturing and engineering sector.
The Academy is designed to support young people aged 16-18 progressing into further education at level 2, as well as adults looking to reskill or retrain into one of the UK’s most in-demand industries. It will provide students with advanced manufacturing and engineering skills that form a strong foundation for progression into Apprenticeships with PMG members or onto advanced level qualifications.
Plymouth is one of the UK’s most significant manufacturing and engineering hubs. Around 16,577 people are employed in the sector locally, accounting for approximately 14% of all employment in the city – one of the highest concentrations in the country. Plymouth is also ranked first in the South West for manufacturing and engineering employment concentration, and ninth nationally.
The sector contributes approximately £1.118 billion in Gross Value Added (GVA) to the local economy, with PMG member organisations collectively generating more than £2.7 billion in annual turnover, underlining the scale and importance of advanced manufacturing to Plymouth’s prosperity.
The new Academy aims to align skills development directly with employer needs, ensuring students are equipped with the technical capability, behaviours, and industry awareness required to thrive in modern manufacturing environments.
By positioning PMG members as employers of choice and City College Plymouth as the skills provider of choice, the partnership is designed to create a seamless pathway from education into employment, strengthening both individual opportunity and regional economic growth.
Jackie Grubb, CEO of City College Plymouth, said: “Plymouth has a proud industrial heritage and an incredibly exciting future in advanced manufacturing and engineering. The PMG Academy represents a transformational opportunity for students in our city whether they are leaving school or returning to education to retrain.”
“Working closely with industry ensures our curriculum is directly aligned with real workforce needs, giving students the skills, confidence and experience to progress into high-quality Apprenticeships and careers that genuinely shape the future of the region.”
Lee Crocker, M.D and Chair of the Board at Kawasaki Precision Machinery and Chair of the Plymouth Manufacturers’ Group said: “The strength of Plymouth’s manufacturing sector is its collaboration. With thousands of skilled jobs already here and significant growth projected, we need a consistent pipeline of talent ready to step into highly skilled roles.
“The PMG Academy ensures employers are not just talking about skills gaps, we are actively helping to close them. This is about investing in people, supporting growth, and securing the long-term competitiveness of our sector and our city.”
The partnership between Plymouth Manufacturers’ Group and City College Plymouth reflects a shared commitment to developing future-ready skills and ensuring Plymouth remains a national leader in advanced manufacturing capability.
