Electrical training provider JTL has officially opened a new electrical training centre in Medway following a £2 million investment to expand apprenticeship training across Kent.
Located at Sun Pier in Chatham, the facility was opened by the Mayor of Medway, Councillor Douglas Hamandishe, alongside Sir John Low, Chair of the JTL Board; Chris Claydon, JTL Chief Executive; employers; industry representatives; and local skills organisations.
The centre has been created within the former BBC Radio Kent building and has the capacity to train more than 200 electrical apprentices each year.
Facilities include electrical training bays with industry-standard equipment, a hybrid classroom for practical and theory-based learning, four teaching rooms, an inspection and testing area, an exam room, and an End Point Assessment preparation area.
JTL says the centre will support apprentices from across Kent and the South of England, with plans to introduce plumbing apprenticeship training in the future.
Addressing regional skills demand
The new centre has been developed to support regional priorities around construction, retrofit, and low-carbon technologies, whilst providing opportunities for people not in education, employment, or training (NEETs).
The opening event included guided tours of the facilities, opportunities to meet apprentices and training staff, and networking sessions for employers and industry partners.
Exhibitors included Edmundson Electrical, Milwaukee, JIB, Scolmore, and Schneider.
Councillor Douglas Hamandishe, Mayor of Medway, comments, “It was a pleasure to attend the official opening of JTL’s Medway centre.
“Facilities like this are vital in ensuring young people and career changers can access high-quality technical training, while supporting the development of skills needed for the future.
“It was fantastic to meet some of the brilliant apprentices and the employers they are working for and to hear how they will all benefit from JTL’s new training centre.”
Sir John Low, Chair of JTL’s Board of Trustees, adds, “The new Medway centre demonstrates JTL’s long-term commitment to the highly skilled trades of electrical services, and to investing in the future of the region.
“By providing apprentices with access to industry-standard equipment and specialist training in occupations in desperate need of skilled tradespeople, we’re helping to address skills shortages while supporting the UK’s journey towards a more sustainable built environment.
“Each apprenticeship depends on employer backing to give them the work placement, so we are committed to supporting employers in meeting demand and pressing the Government to make these commitments a reality.”
According to Skills England’s latest Skills Assessment, electrotechnical occupations (including electricians) are expected to see significant growth due to increasing demand linked to net zero, construction, and infrastructure projects. The report identifies electricians as a priority occupation where additional training capacity is required.
The Medway training centre is now operational and supporting apprentices, employers, and industry partners across the region.
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