AN 18-month programme to boost Cornwall's manufacturing businesses has been hailed as a success.

The £3m project, funded by the European Social Fund, aimed to help employers develop skills within their businesses in Cornwall and on the Isles of Scilly.

The Cornwall Manufacturers Group (CMG), with a funding package of £169,000, exceeded its targets, bosses said.

The programme, called Developing Skills for Business (DS4B), worked with employers to design, develop and pilot training to improve the relevance of skills training for businesses.

The CMG engaged with manufacturers across the county to identify the needs of the sector.

A working group of CMG members held a series of workshops to pinpoint the skills required, identify the courses needed and shape the specifications of delivery, resulting in 46 manufacturing businesses taking part, with 33 per cent non-CMG members taking advantage of the delivery and introduced to the capabilities of the forum.

Ken Martin, project coordinator, said: “This is an incredible result for everyone involved.

"Meeting the needs of manufacturers, designing courses by manufacturers for manufacturers that upskills according to need, specifically for the industry, is a long-term legacy of the programme that I’m particularly proud of.

"More so now than ever, as despite whatever impact Covid-19 might be having on industry, the skills outcome through the programme will continue to live on and thrive in all those that took part.”

Angus Fosten, managing director of Partech, one of the firms involved, added: “Partech was delighted to participate in this ground breaking CMG project as obtaining training completely relevant to manufacturing in general, and us in particular, was almost impossible. It’s a brilliant project.”

Mr Martin said: “If there was the opportunity, it is our ambition to roll the programme out across the south west as we have had a great deal of interest from manufacturers in the region.”

Any manufacturing businesses that would like to know more can get in touch with the CMG team at info@cmgroup.org.uk