Innovate UK, a part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), has announced a new £4.5 million funding competition to further develop talent pipelines across power electronics, machines and drives (PEMD) − the technology that underpins electrification.
The Building Talent for the Future 2 competition will support the creation and delivery of course content and materials to support skills and training across PEMD manufacturing and the wider supply chain, with grants up to £1 million available to organisations within the rail sector.
The competition will be run in two stages. Opening on Monday 10 January, organisations interested in applying for a grant valued between £50,000 and £1,000,000 will be required to submit an expression of interest (EOI) by Wednesday 2 March.
Organisations submitting an EOI must deliver a clear game-changing intervention or address a clear industrial requirement whilst providing a long-term commitment to supporting the UK PEMD industry talent need. Upon receipt of an EOI, successful organisations will then be invited to apply for funding in March 2022.
Organisations looking for a funding grant of less than £50,000 will not be required to submit at EOI, but will be required to submit their full proposal in March.
“If we are to meet our Net Zero commitments by 2050, industry needs to move to clean technologies and electrification,” said Professor Will Drury, Challenge Director for Driving the Electric Revolution. “PEMD technologies underpin electrification in all sectors and the UK is a world leader in the development of PEMD technology. But for years now we’ve lacked the skills needed to bring these ideas to reality.
“Without a skilled workforce we cannot create a strong PEMD manufacturing supply chain in the UK, forcing us to import these technologies from around the world.
“By investing in skills, talent and training in this sector we aim to support the growth of not only the UK’s PEMD supply chains, but its people too.”
Innovate UK will host an online briefing on Wednesday 12 January to help organisations in the sector find out more about the competition, including scope and eligibility alongside tips of how to apply for funding.
For further information or to register your interest in the Building Talent for the Future 2 – Expression of Interest Briefing at 10am on Wednesday 12th January, please visit: https://ktn-uk.org/events/building-talent-for-the-future-2-expression-of-interest-briefing/.
