The LMETB Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre of Excellence (AMTCE) is a state-of-the-art training facility based in Dundalk, Co Louth which was established in January 2021.
The purpose of the AMTCE is to provide training on state-of-the-art equipment and processes which will underpin the transition of Irish companies to industry 4.0 based operations. The centre provides a dynamic catalogue of training courses which are tuned to the needs of industry and delivered by leading industry training practitioners.
New opportunities
With the opening of the AMTCE, LMETB schools and colleges were provided with exciting and innovative new opportunities to enhance the student learning experience by establishing linkages with the Centre.
The AMTCE Further Education and Training (FET) Advanced Manufacturing Pathways Schools Project forms an intrinsic part of LMETB’s vision for training the nextgeneration of students. The project, which is a collaboration between the FET and Schools Directorates in LMETB, is being offered as part of the FET structured Pathways and Transitioning opportunities for students and learners to participate in and experience FET.
The aim is to inspire students to consider high-skilled STEM careers, and to broaden teachers’ views of the careers on offer.
Combination of activities
The AMTCE FET Advanced Manufacturing Pathways Schools Project programme includes a combination of activities including visits to the schools, visits out to the AMTCE and other research centres, brainstorming sessions with groups of students, idea generation, concept and prototype development and practical workshops.
Through engagement with the project, the programme’s project challenge introduces students and teachers to real-world applications of STEM and technologies used in advanced manufacturing, enabling both teachers and students to learn new skills that allow them to better contextualise what is taught in schools with the requirements of the modern workplace.
Students also have opportunities to interact with engineers from diverse backgrounds, highlighting potential career paths available to them in all areas of STEM, whilst teachers also have the opportunity to upskill in design software and 3D printing technologies.
New realities
The project incorporates the latest technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and Robotics and as part of the programme there is also a focus on the importance of and skills of cyber security.
The project, which was piloted in four LMETB Post Primary schools in the last academic year, is now being rolled out across all LMETB Post Primary Schools for the 2022/2023 academic year as part of the Transition Year Programme.
In January 2022, AMTCE and Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) in Mullingar signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to boost the development of a national workforce skilled in advanced manufacturing.
Further information on the programme is available by emailing fclinton@lmetb.ie
Further information on LMETB is available on www.lmetb.ie and more information on the AMTCE is available on www.amtce.ie
