Weldability-Sif Foundation Help Reinvigorate Uk Manufacturing Industry

In response to its extensive research revealing a declining, ageing workforce within British industry, Weldability-Sif, one of the UK’s cutting edge manufacturing engineering businesses, has identified a need for and developed a computer simulator to proactively encourage the development of new fabrication and welder training facilities in the UK that will entice young people into this career.

Llanelli based Coleg Sir Gâr’s engineering section already houses a modern fabrication and welding facility and the Weldability-Sif partnership has allowed the college to update its workshop equipment as well as invest in virtual welding which provides safer, cost effective and less material intensive process for those who are beginning their training. It will also offer an experience for the younger generation who cannot yet access a welding workshop, through schools and community links.

The programme is so advanced that it tests users’ dexterity through analysing hand and eye co-ordination and it also gives accurate information about the effects of metallurgy as well as providing up to date safety regulations. It accurately simulates welding processes using oxy acetylene, gas tungsten arc, metal active gas welding and plasma cutting.

Coleg Sir Gâr principal Barry Lilies, a former design engineer, commented: “By putting new technology into the hands of a new generation, we hope to inspire young people to think about careers that can lead to a multitude of lucrative occupations within manufacturing, as welding plays an important role in the industry.

“A new generation has become so accustomed to everything being just a click away that when it comes to practical skills that need to be practiced and perfected to a worldwide standard, it’s our role as educators to not only inspire, but to ensure that these skills meet the mark and by putting technology back into young people’s hands, we hope to provide experiences and opportunities that will hopefully have an impact on the industry and local employment.”

The Weldability-Sif foundation is a charity that helps to co-fund the implementation of foundation level welding skills across the UK and Coleg Sir Gâr is the first Welsh college that is benefitting from the programme. Weldability-Sif works with 20 other colleges and has plans to extend that by another 25.

Commenting on behalf of the Weldabilitiy-Sif Foundation Adrian Hawkins said: “The Weldability-Sif Foundation was established and registered as a Charity with the Charities Commission to specifically encourage the development of new welder training facilities across the UK. Welding plays an important role in manufacturing and is used in a multitude of different industries including pharmaceutical, structural steel, automotive manufacturing, as well as energy and UK infrastructure industries. Welding plays an active part in keeping it all together and Foundation level welder skills training at Coleg Sir Gâr is another step towards a full apprenticeship programme designed to meet demand and overcome the current skills gaps in the UK welding industry.”