MIRA Technology celebrates 5th birthday
Innovative new programmes, partnerships with industry, and successful school outreach activities are on the list of its greatest achievements as the MIRA Technology Institute (MTI) marks its fifth anniversary.
The MTI is helping to create specialist skills in emerging technology areas in the automotive sector including electrification, connected and autonomous vehicles, functional safety, and cybersecurity, as part of its mission to ensure a sustainable supply of future technical specialists and engineers. Since it first opened its doors, the Institute has welcomed over 42,500 students and delegates. This includes over 3,000 studying for accredited qualifications from a Level 1 Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) certificate up to Masters’ degrees, and over 850 apprenticeships at all levels. More than 17,000 automotive professionals have taken part in professional development activities.
Lisa Bingley, Operations Director at the MTI said, “We’re very proud of what we have achieved over the last five years and, reflecting on our successes, I am pleased that we can include:
- New postgraduate and short courses in connected and autonomous vehicles.
- Innovative training programmes in hydrogen fuel cell technology.
- Responsive electrification programme for Jaguar Land Rover employees.
- Dynamic and popular schools outreach activities including TeenTech and Speed Networking.
- Huge and consistent demand for our services from over 42,000 students and delegates.”
The MTI, which opened its doors in September 2018, is a unique partnership between North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College (NWSLC), as the lead partner, HORIBA MIRA Ltd, Coventry University, Loughborough University, and the University of Leicester. It was built with £9.5M investment from the Government’s Local Growth Fund via the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) after research showed rising demand for specialist technical skills across the automotive sector.
Marion Plant, OBE FCGI, Chair of the MTI Operations Board, and Principal and Chief Executive of NWSLC said, “We are delighted to celebrate the first five years of the MTI and I am very proud of all that it has achieved so far. This has been a remarkable period of disruption, change and growth for the automotive industry and we are pleased to be able to support the sector, especially with one its key challenges - the increasing need for skilled individuals who are able to adapt to the changes and embrace new technologies. I would like to thank all our partners and clients with whom we have worked for the last five years and look forward to seeing the continued success of the MTI in the future.”
Declan Allen, Managing Director of HORIBA MIRA Ltd said, “It has been an incredible period during which our partners have worked together to bring MTI’s vision to fruition. You can feel the energy and enthusiasm at this amazing facility which has demonstrated its potential brilliantly over the last five years. This unique collaboration between industry and higher and further education is successfully delivering the high-end technical skills for the mobility sector that are essential to boosting our growth and supporting the prosperity of the region.”