Scottish Cities Alliance

Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc (MSIP) shared a first look at the MSIP Skills Academy, which will welcome its first learners in January 2022.

The MSIP Skills Academy will be delivered by Dundee and Angus College, in partnership with Abertay University, the University of Dundee and the University of St Andrews, along with other supporting and industry partners, bringing skills and knowledge from the college and universities together with industry.

Through a comprehensive range of training focused on the skills needs of companies, it will offer dedicated skills training to current and future employees of companies located at MSIP and across Scotland.

The curriculum and delivery style of the MSIP Skills Academy will build on the strong legacy of Dundee and Michelin, inspiring new generations of engineers, technicians and operators to design and manufacture for the sustainable mobility and decarbonisation sectors.

By offering a broad and flexible curriculum in areas including manufacturing, renewable energy, low carbon transport and battery technology, ranging from entry-level to professional development, the MSIP Skills Academy will be a national skills centre of excellence that will inspire, educate and prepare the future workforce, to accelerate the green recovery.

Transformation of the space for the MSIP Skills Academy has started, with the curriculum underway from August this year and first learners due to arrive at the physical space in January 2022. The ambition is to have 250 learners accessing the MSIP Skills Academy each year by 2028.

MSIP took ownership of the former Michelin Dundee site in early 2021, following the Michelin Dundee closure. A £60 million funding package from Michelin and Team Scotland was announced in November 2019, and as part of that, the £20 million physical transformation of the site is now underway.

MSIP has five tenants that are creating world-leading technology in solar thermal, hydrogen, and lithium-ion batteries, bringing 74 jobs to the Innovation Parc. A further three companies have been secured, with four more expected to announce a decision to locate at MSIP by the end of this year.

Greig Coull, Chief Executive, MSIP said:

“The MSIP Skills Academy connects learners of all ages with businesses and new technologies, to inspire, educate, train and prepare for the future. 

“Delivered in partnership, it provides learners, those located at MSIP and companies across industry in Scotland with skills that are needed to support the just transition to net zero.

“A big part of our mission at MSIP is to continue the legacy that Michelin Dundee started, supporting learners to train, gain new skills and hands on industry experience, to a standard of excellence. The unique ecosystem we are creating at the MSIP Skills Academy will do that.

“Our goal is to create jobs, generate economic growth and respond to the climate emergency. The MSIP Skills Academy is a core part of ensuring we do that.”

Dundee City Council leader and Scottish Cities Alliance Chair, Councillor John Alexander, said:

“This is another hugely exciting development at MSIP, which has made tremendous progress since the closure of the tyre factory in attracting new companies and creating jobs.

“As we adapt to the economy of the future, with sustainability and the net zero carbon emissions goal at its heart, we need to ensure we have people with the right skills.

“This is an investment in the local and Scottish workforce and ultimately in the future of the planet. I’m delighted to see that, once again, creative partnership working is helping to build on the Michelin legacy.”

To find out more about MSIP, please visit their website.