Skills providers promise to “open doors” for learners in York and North Yorkshire, having secured funding for new courses.

Four schemes will receive a share of £200,900 from Mayor David Skaith’s Skills Innovation Fund. Investment marks the second phase of the fund, which has now seen a total of £2.5m committed for skills development in the region.

Phase two projects support independent training providers to build their capacity and capability to purchase equipment, provide training for staff and develop new courses in AI, 3D printing, electronics and plant machinery simulation.

David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said:

"We’re giving people the tools they deserve to access the quality careers that our businesses need.

“My Skills Innovation Fund is backing more than 1,000 people to gain the skills they need to get an edge in ways that work for them.

“Working in partnership, we’re making our county a fairer, more resilient, and more productive place to live, work and do business.”

The new projects are all provided by York and North Yorkshire-based independent training providers. They were selected from six applications to the fund, which is managed by York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority.

• Enterprise CUBE CIC’s LX Foundry offers training, support, tech demonstrations and loans studio equipment to enhance training offers.
• HYEN and AI in Schools are building AI, electronics and 3D-Printing training capacity in North Yorkshire through investment in specialist equipment and staff training for future high-level skills provision.
• Plant and Safety Training have purchased a plant simulator to support and enhance plant operations training for new entrants and upskill existing operators in a controlled environment.
• Legacy Skills Group is focussing on upgrading registered qualifications digitally, through learning management systems, virtual classrooms, compliant assessment systems, data analytics, and employer integration—enabling scalable, fundable, technology-led training delivery nationwide.

Richard Lanning, co-founder, Enterprise CUBE CIC, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Mayor David Skaith and the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority for this investment in the LX Foundry. This support is vital in helping us bridge the digital divide for local training providers across our region.

“It will really support our mission to empower micro-enterprises by removing the barriers to creating high calibre content. Through a unique mix of equipment hire, bespoke technical support, and training the fund will enable small providers to deliver the flexible, bitesize training that modern businesses and learners demand."

Thomas Mason, from HYEN, and Dr Beth Lane, from AI in Schools, said: “HYEN and AI in Schools came together because we share a belief that the people of York and North Yorkshire should not have to leave the region to learn the skills that will define the next decade. As two York based EdTech businesses, we share a hands-on and accessible approach to teaching technology. Together we want to open doors that have, for too many people, stayed shut.

“The Skills Innovation Fund gives us the capacity and capability to deliver high-quality adult education across the deep tech skills our region needs, from electronics and hardware interfacing through to 3D printing, programming and artificial intelligence, equipping our communities with the practical know-how that today's economy demands and the confidence to put it to work.”

Mark Goldstraw, owner of Plant and Safety Training, said: “Our simulator provides highly realistic training exercises and operating scenarios, enabling learners to develop essential skills in a safe and controlled environment. Students can practice a wide range of operations, including challenging and extreme situations, without the risk of injury, damage to equipment, or costly downtime.

“At present, trainees can experience operating an excavator, dozer, telehandler and rear dumper. Additional machine programmes can be added in the future, allowing the training centre to expand its offering as industry needs evolve.”

Wendy Ruston, Workplace Development at Legacy Skills Group, said: “With the support of the Skills Innovation Fund Legacy Skills are excited about the future and moving forward with the company. We are looking forward to supporting learners on The Work & Wellbeing courses, which will enable them the skills and confidence to feel more prepared for the task of seeking and gaining employment.”

For the first phase of the Skills Innovation Fund, three programmes were announced in May 2025. Led by a consortium of further education colleges, not-for-profit organisation Better Connect, and University of York and York Creatives, these programmes will support more than 1,000 learners and tutors across the region.

For further information about the Skills Innovation Fund, visit our programme page here.