A new training bar at City of Wolverhampton College welcomed a VIP customer when Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, dropped in to visit last Thursday, 21 September.
The mayor visited the college’s drinks dispensing academy, at the Paget Road campus in Compton, which is equipped with a range of industry-standard equipment – including a working cellar, beer pulls and pumps, drinks coolers, and soft drinks equipment – and used by employers in the beverage industry to train staff to install and maintain dispensing equipment in pubs, clubs, cafes, theatres and sports stadia.
The college academy provides training through an 18-month drinks dispense technician apprenticeship scheme and currently has 33 apprentices from international drinks giants Budweiser UK & I and Coca-Cola, as well as leading drinks dispense service company Innserve, attending the centre on a block release basis every six weeks, with a further 14 staff due to start their training in October.
Mal Cowgill, principal and chief executive of the college, said: “Drinks companies have a continuous need for suitably qualified technicians to install and maintain dispensing equipment, and our training academy has put Wolverhampton on the map as the go-to place to train new staff and upskill existing staff with the latest industry knowledge.”
“We were honoured that the Mayor was able to make time in his busy schedule to visit the academy and for him to see the apprentices demonstrating the skills they are gaining during their training.”
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and WMCA Chair, said: “I’m pleased to have had the chance to meet apprentices directly benefitting from this facility – equipping our region’s workforce with the skills they need to succeed in the sought-after engineering sector.
“I would like to thank everyone involved in making this facility a reality. Initiatives like this boost employment prospects for local people.
“Given the range of drinks produced in this facility, it’s also good to see a focus on the provision of low sugar and zero alcohol drinks – supporting our commitment to promoting health and well-being.”
Following the success of the apprenticeship scheme, the academy will be expanded to offer a sector-based work academy programme – funded by West Midlands Combined Authority – to enable local people to gain the skills and knowledge needed to work in the engineering industry or for those who already work in the sector to update their skills and learn about new technology and equipment.
Get details of drinks dispensing apprenticeships here or call 01902 837163
The Mayor, right, chats to John Gormley, regional operations manager at Budweiser during his visit.
