When Leyland Trucks identified a need for electric vehicle training for its apprentices, Preston College, an academic partner of the Lancashire & Cumbria Institute of Technology, responded by integrating a new module into its courses. By adapting the curriculum to focus on in-demand skills, learners develop up-to-date, industry-relevant knowledge that can be applied directly in the manufacturing sector.

Alongside technical training, soft skills have been embedded into the apprenticeship programme, including communication, adaptability, accountability and enthusiasm.

It’s just one of the ways the business is benefiting from working with the Lancashire and Cumbria Institute of Technology to train its next generation of engineers. The close partnership is built on regular employer feedback, allowing the college to adapt courses as technologies and industry needs change.

The business also supports by donating prototype vehicles for learners to work on, and welcomes college staff to the business annually to stay close to current industry practice.