NWRC are now recruiting individuals to undertake fully funded accredited courses through the Enhanced Investment Zone (EIZ) Advance Me Further Programme, supported by the Department for the Economy (DfE) 

Advance Me Further is the primary upskilling and reskilling strand of the Enhanced Investment Zone Skills Programme, focused on addressing skills shortages that constrain productivity and growth within the Advanced Manufacturing sector. 

The programme will deliver skills provision at Levels 3 – 5, supporting individuals to upskill and reskill in subject areas which are undersupplied in the Advanced Manufacturing Sector. This includes technical skills, digital capability and business/leadership and management practices that contribute to higher value employment and improved business performance. 

EIZ Advance Me Further Courses

Please see below the provisional list of courses due to be delivered by NWRC under the EIZ Advance Me Further Programme.

Places are limited and will be offered to eligible applicants who meet the relevant course entry criteria. Where courses are oversubscribed, places will be allocated according to the programme criteria and waiting list.

Please note: Participants should undertake no more than two Advance ME Further courses at any one time.

If you are interested in developing your skills and improving your future employment and earning opportunities, please register your interest below.

  • Advanced Manufacturing, Materials and Engineering

    Pearson BTEC Level 3  National Extended Diplomas in Engineering (Unit 12: Pneumatic and Hydraulic Systems) (In Person) 

    Entry Requirements

    4 GCSEs including Maths & English

    Sessions per Week

    TBC

    This qualification has been developed to provide individuals with the skills and knowledge to explore the safe operation of pneumatic and hydraulic systems, including simulation of circuits using software and practical system assembly and testing. Pneumatic and hydraulic systems are an important part of many modern engineering products and systems.

    For example, aircraft landing gear relies on hydraulics, as do the robotic machines that are used in vehicle assembly plants. Pneumatic systems are widely used in the manufacturing industry and pneumatically operated tools are commonplace in garages and engineering workshops.

    You will study the safe operation and maintenance of pneumatic and hydraulic power systems by investigating industrial case studies. You will learn how to use computer-aided design (CAD) software to create circuit diagrams of pneumatic and hydraulic systems and then simulate their function before gaining practical experience of assembling and testing a physical system.

    As an engineer you may need to operate, maintain and repair pneumatic and/or hydraulic systems safely. This unit helps to prepare you for an engineering apprenticeship, for higher education and for technician-level roles, such as in plant maintenance or as a hydraulic/pneumatic technician.  

    Register your Interest

    OCN NI Level 4 Certificate in Hydraulic and Pneumatic Systems (In Person) 

    Entry Requirements

    Learners will be expected to have four GCSEs including Maths and English and either level 3 qualifications in Engineering, Science, Computer Systems or similar or two A levels at grade C including Maths and/or Physics. However, learners with substantial relevant industry experience may also undertake this qualification.

    Sessions per Week

    TBC

    This qualification has been developed to provide individuals with the skills and knowledge to design, build, test and maintain hydraulic and pneumatic systems. The objectives of this qualification are to enable learners to develop the knowledge and skills to principles of fluid power, components and control methods, control system drawings and symbols, design, build and test hydraulic and pneumatic systems, fault finding and maintenance of hydraulic and pneumatic systems. 

    Register your Interest

    OCN NI Level 3 Award in Industrial Robotics (In-Person)

    Entry Requirements

    Learners will be expected to have 4 GCSEs including Maths & English. They must also be at least 18 years old and have a level 3 qualification.

    Sessions per Week

    TBC

    This qualification has been developed to provide individuals with the skills and knowledge related to industrial robotics and their applications. The objectives of the OCN NI Level 3 Award in Industrial Robotics are to enable the learner to safely perform procedures relating to robots including configuring and integrating robotic systems. The learner will also use an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for industrial applications. This qualification is targeted at learners who currently work or wish to work in the area of industrial robotics.  

    Register your Interest
  • Project Management Skills

    OCN NI Level 4 Industry Project Management Skills: Unit 1 Solution Based Project Planning (Unit Accreditation) (Online) 

    Entry Requirements

    Learners must be at least 18 years of age.

    Sessions per Week

    Friday 9th Oct - 8th Jan (9am - 4.30pm)

    Number of Weeks

    20

    This qualification has been developed to provide individuals with the skills and knowledge to understand how to implement a detailed project plan. Individuals will be able to Review a given detailed project plan identifying resources, team and associated elements required before initiating the project. Implement the project in line with project plan identified in AC 1.1. Maintain accurate progress records in line with project plan identified in AC 1.1. Complete the project in line with project plan analysing if any deviations occurred and how they were addressed. 

    Register your Interest

    OCN NI Level 4 Industry Project Management Skills: Unit 2 Project Implementation (Unit Accreditation) (Online)

    Entry Requirements

    Learners must be at least 18 years of age. Learners must also complete the OCN NI Level 4 Industry Project Management Skills: Unit 1 Solution Based Project Planning course.

    Sessions per Week

    Friday 15th January - 19th March (9am - 4.30pm)

    Number of Weeks

    20

    This unit will enable the learner to understand how to develop a solution based project plan for a defined workplace problem. Learning Outcomes are as follows: Be able to research and develop possible solutions to a workplace problem and Be able to develop a detailed solution based project plan.

    Register your Interest
  • Software & Digital

    OCN NI Level 4 Certificate in Object-Oriented Programming

    Entry Requirements

    Learners must be at least 18 years of age and have a level three qualification in information technology or related subjects or have relevant information technology, experience equivalent to at least a level three qualification in information technology.

    Sessions per Week

    1 full day

    Number of Weeks

    17

    This qualification has been developed to provide individuals with skills in developing unified modeling language (uml) diagrams for different systems, use object-oriented software design tools and techniques, use object-oriented programming tools and techniques to develop object- oriented computer programmes, develop and implement a test plan and record test outcomes. 

    Register your Interest

    OCN Level 4 Certificate in Software Programming 

    Entry Requirements

    Learners must be at least 18 years of age and have a level three qualification in information technology or related subjects or have relevant information technology, experience equivalent to at least a level three qualification in information technology.

    Sessions per Week

    1 full day

    Number of Weeks

    17

    This qualification has been developed to provide individuals with skills in software programming. The objectives of the OCN NI Level 4 Certificate in Software Programming are to enable learners to be able to develop algorithms and understand data structures, use software design tools and techniques, use computer programming tools and techniques, develop and implement a test plan and record test outcomes. 

    Register your Interest

    OCN Level 4 Certificate in Data Analytics (Online)

    Entry Requirements

    Learners must be at least 18 years of age and have a level three qualification in information technology or related subjects or have relevant information technology, experience equivalent to at least a level three qualification in information technology.

    Sessions per Week

    1 full day

    Number of Weeks

    19

    This qualification has been developed to provide individuals with the knowledge and skills to apply the principles of data analytics. The objectives of the OCN NI Level 4 Certificate in Data Analytics are to enable learners to carry out the following on data sets such as hypothesis testing, predicative analytics, regression analysis, data assessing and cleansing.          

    Register your Interest

    Level 3 Certificate in AI – Concepts, Ethics and Applications (Online) 

    Entry Requirements

    Learners must be at least 18 years of age.

    Sessions per Week

    2½ hours

    Number of Weeks

    8

    This qualification has been developed to equip learners with a critical understanding of artificial intelligence technologies, including their underlying principles, practical applications, and societal implications. Learners will evaluate AI systems, consider ethical and legal issues, and gain hands-on experience with accessible AI tools and datasets.

    This qualification supports progression into higher education or employment in technology, ethics, public policy, and innovation-related fields. The qualification aims to equip learners with practical knowledge and skills to understand the fundamentals of artificial intelligence systems, understand real-world AI applications and impacts, be able to apply AI tools to investigate and solve problems, understand the ethical, legal and social dimensions of AI. 

    Register your Interest

Eligibility

The Advance ME Further Programme will be accessible to all groups, those in employment and those unemployed. The programme will seek to encourage participants from various socio-economic, academic and non-academic backgrounds to study fully funded skills provision at Levels 3– 5. This will enable individuals to upskill and reskill in areas directly linked to productivity improvement in Advanced Manufacturing.

Applicants must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Applicants to be 18 years or older at point of enrolment.
  • Applicants must have a right to work and undertake training in the UK at the point of application and for the duration of the course and must not be disqualified from doing either by reason of their immigration status. Proof of this will be required to progress application.
  • Individuals will be available to register in person at provider campus as required.
  • Individual courses may have enhanced eligibility, details of which will be provided by The Provider.