Automation and Robotics - Is your business fit for the future?

The team at West Nottinghamshire College will demonstrate some of the training facilities they have available to support their new Automation and Robotics curriculum – including full-time courses, apprenticeships and part-time, short courses. Visitors will be able to discuss bespoke delivery on their own premises using the college's mobile training facility. Visitors will also be able to see the extensive CNC machining training facility and the fabrication and welding workshop.

Colleagues from Chesterfield College will present the developing offer they have in relation to advanced manufacturing, particularly using additive processes.

North Nottinghamshire College will introduce visitors to the opportunities available through the National Fluid Power Centre and how these opportunities are increasing I the near future.

Newark College will set out their curriculum offer relating to the aviation sector.

All four colleges will be keen to understand how they can use their facilities, equipment and staff to support businesses to adopt new technologies and become more competitive in order to grow.

Andy Dean – Project Manager for the Automated Distribution and Manufacturing Centre will set out the plans for this fabulous new facility which will support local and regional businesses in understanding and successfully integrating these new technologies in order to improve productivity and competitiveness.

Nottingham Trent University will attend to describe their plans for Higher Education courses, knowledge transfer and business support across Mansfield and Ashfield.

Nick Mellors from Innovation Nottinghamshire will run a session looking at the potential of 5G in driving business growth.

We will be joined by Jason Roper from the East Midlands Chamber of Commerce, who will introduce the Chamber's "Digital Upscaler" programme. This programme seeks to support businesses in all sectors to embrace and adopt digital technologies of all kinds. It helps businesses understand their digital technology needs and then develop effective implementation plans. It also provides access to grant funding of 35% contribution to capital investment on digital technologies up to a maximum of £50k. Jason will provide a short presentation on the programme, followed by Q&A.

The D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership will be available to talk more about their campaign "The Future Is Now" aimed at driving digital adoption for our manufacturing SMEs.

Ashfield District Council will attend to set out their support offer to businesses in the district.