TDK-Lambda has opened a skills centre at its European Headquarters in Ilfracombe, Devon.

The £25k facility will be used to train recruits and up-skill existing employees to further their career development.

“Our annual investment in skills training has grown to £94k; the previous skills centre had outgrown itself and needed refurbishment. We grabbed this opportunity to create a larger, more modern skills centre,” said Jane Worley, TDK-Lambda’s training officer.

Apprenticeships are part of the power supply company’s recruit plans, and it has increased the number of places available to six adult apprentices on a three-year rolling programme.

The facility will allow new recruits to develop their ICT skills, practice basic production techniques and become familiar with company procedures.

“On a new intake, we can now train up to four people concurrently and to an even higher standard,” said Worley.

In order to perform any manual operation both safely and competently, such as hand soldering or ATE testing, TDK-Lambda has developed a Skills Licence system. For a given process area, such as power supply configuration or printed circuit board assembly, a range of applicable Skills Licences is necessary.

“Some of these skills can be practised away from the production areas at workstations within the skills centre,” said Worley.

Working with Group Training and Development and the local colleges, the company also offers opportunities for school leavers to gain the experience and skills they need to progress within the company or to work towards a degree qualification.

“The ICT facilities in the skills centre provide access to distance learning,” said Worley.

In addition, the company has forged a knowledge transfer partnership for its Manufacturing Engineering Department (MED) with South West Manufacturing Advisory Service, or SWMAS.