Nearly 2000 pupils will have the opportunity to get a better taste of vocational learning thanks to the expansion of the STEM Engagement Fund in the Black Country and Birmingham. The new financial backing is the brainchild of Michael Orlik and his sons, who have gifted £25,000 to the Training Manufacturing Group (TMG)’s charitable fund in memory of their wife and mum Susan – an advocate of giving young people the best start in education and employment. It means that In-Comm Training, an independent provider of apprenticeships and training, can increase the reach of its programme.

More information www.in-comm.co.uk

Reinforcing its commitment to fostering talent and innovation in motorsport, as well as in engineering and manufacturing generally, machine tool sales company NCMT will continue its sponsorship of the University of Wolverhampton Racing (UWR) team for the 2025 season.

Building on a successful partnership that started in 2023, NCMT will support the Morgan race car and UWR Revolution 500 EVO race car. The latter was launched in conjunction with British manufacturer Revolution Race Cars on 9 January 2015 at the Autosport International motorsport show in Birmingham. This season, the car will compete in the newly-formed Equipe Sports Prototypes series, a multi-class racing championship for lightweight prototype sports cars.

More information www.ncmt.co.uk

The WorldSkills UK Industrial Robotics competition 2025 opens for applications on 3-28 March, with industrial automation specialist FANUC UK continuing its commitment to the next generation of engineers by supporting a search to find the UK’s best young robotics talent. For the fifth year in succession, the company is partnering with WorldSkills UK for the annual industrial robotics competition.

The competition aims at giving young people the opportunity to learn how to program a robot, enhance their engineering prowess, and develop valuable workplace skills such as timekeeping and teamwork. It is open to teams of two young people, who must be within a year of completing a relevant Level 3 Apprenticeship and/or hold qualifications in an engineering-based subject (to a minimum Level 3 or equivalent).

Apply at www.bit.ly/484XXBj