Industry-backed academy to tackle local skills shortages
Dundee is set to welcome a new industry-led training centre this autumn aimed at addressing immediate workforce gaps across manufacturing, digital and energy sectors. The VMCL Skills Academy, backed by Vertical Motives Consultancy Ltd, will open at MSIP Dundee in late September and has set an initial target of training 100 people in its first year.
The programme will offer practical and technical training in areas with recognised local and national demand, including welding, fabrication, procurement, supply chain management and digital engineering. Courses are intended for a wide range of learners: school-leavers, jobseekers, those changing career, and international participants.
- Launch location: MSIP Dundee, late September
- First-year target: 100 learners
- Long-term ambition: 450 learners by 2030
- Guaranteed job interview for programme completers
- Industry partners include Rolls-Royce, WB Alloys, Malin Group and others
The academy’s backers say modern training tools will be a selling point. The programme will incorporate Extended Reality (XR) and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies as part of its curriculum, a move that organisers say can reduce training time by up to 30% while cutting emissions and improving certification completion rates.
A number of industry bodies and employers have given their support to the project, signalling an intention to link training directly to local vacancies. Named supporters include Rolls-Royce, WB Alloys, Malin Group, OPITO, SAFER Training, Scottish Engineering and the ECITB. Project leads have also said the scheme is designed to respond to recent forecasts of shortages in engineering and skilled trades across Scotland and the wider UK.
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| First-year learners | 100 |
| Target learners by 2030 | 450 |
| Estimated new jobs in first year | Up to 6 |
| Projected shortfall (Scotland) | More than 11,000 engineers across 31 core roles |
| Projected shortfall (UK welders) | 35,000 welders |
"The VMCL Skills Academy is a transformational, industry-led initiative that will help develop the skilled workforce needed to support Scotland's energy transition, advanced manufacturing ambitions and future digital economy," said Peter Waggott, managing director of Vertical Motives.
Locally elected representatives have welcomed the announcement. Lara Bird, MP for Arbroath and Broughty Ferry, said she was "absolutely delighted to be supporting Vertical Motives as they prepare to open their Skills Academy," calling it a "monumental moment for Dundee and Angus" and noting its position as the first of its kind in the area for digital and technical skills.
Organisers say those who complete the programme will be provided with a guaranteed job interview, a direct route intended to strengthen links between training and employment opportunities in the city’s manufacturing and energy supply chain. The project is also expected to create up to six jobs directly in its first year.
Officials behind the academy frame the initiative as a response to forecasts showing substantial shortages in engineering and skilled-trade roles. Scotland faces a projected shortfall of more than 11,000 engineers across 31 core roles by next year, while the UK as a whole is expected to need an additional 35,000 welders across the same period. Backers say the academy will play a role in closing those gaps, and in supporting Dundee’s wider ambitions in advanced manufacturing and the energy transition.
For Dundee residents the new facility offers both training and a route to employment at a time when local employers are seeking technicians and engineers. The use of XR and AR in training also signals a shift towards more technology-enabled education locally — an approach supporters argue will speed up qualification times and reduce the carbon footprint of practical training.
Further details on course dates, entry criteria and employer partners are expected to be published ahead of the late-September launch.
