Armada Engineering, a marine engineering company based in Falmouth, Cornwall, has launched the first training centre for hydraulics in the South West of England. The company has been approved as an accredited training centre by the British Fluid Power Association (BFPA), the UK trade association for the fluid power industry.
The Armada Engineering Skills Academy has been developed in partnership with Cornwall Marine Network, part-funded by the European Social Fund. Armada Engineering specialises in advanced engineering and hydraulics for the marine industry. It has an engineering centre in Barcelona in Spain to service superyachts in the Mediterranean.
Managing Director Joff Collins says: “There is a skills shortage in engineering across the UK and we want to help boost engineering skills. This will help enable our region to cement a position at the forefront of marine technology, an area where we already excel. Our new training centre in Falmouth is the only place in the South West to offer this accredited foundation course in hydraulics. We are planning to continue to expand our training centre with a range of new courses, including a follow-on level in hydraulics and a new apprenticeship programme”
Paul Wickes, Chief Executive of Cornwall Marine Network says: “Hydraulics is a vital skill for marine engineering. We are delighted to see Armada launching this new BFPA training centre in Cornwall. This makes hydraulics training more accessible for people and companies wanting to develop. Unlike most other industries, the hydraulic industry has no minimum qualification requirements. So, the purpose of the course and BFPA qualification is to establish an industry standard for training. This will ultimately increase knowledge and safety, enabling the full potential of this vital technology to be realised.”
