Tridonic Academy launches to impart valuable skills

Lighting connectivity experts Tridonic is sharing the success story of the Tridonic Academy; an education scheme designed to deliver vital skills across the electronics industry.

The Academy is a partnership between Tridonic and New College Durham, aimed at ensuring a pipeline of skilled talent for the future. Tridonic is the only electronics manufacturing business in the North East of England working on a partnership of this kind.

Since September 2024, students have been able to access a Tridonic Academy designed level 2 electronics course at New College. The course is specifically a Level 2 Engineering operations (Electrical) Course. This provides learners with the skills and knowledge necessary for a career in the electronics Manufacturing industry.

The course was designed and led through a collaboration between Ben Kennard, Manufacturing and Supply Chain manager at Tridonic and the College. The collaboration started in 2023 with Tridonic, Business Durham, The North East Institute of Technology and New College working together to support education and industry.

Run over the duration of one year, the course combines theoretical principles with hands-on, practical training. Key for Tridonic is the opportunity to teach skills that the manufacturer needs going forward, including surface mount soldering and use of the placement machine. The trained students can then be recruited from the college; providing employment opportunities for local young people and ensuring Tridonic can build a team of individuals with the right skills.

In preparation of the course starting, Tridonic upskilled two members of staff and two lecturers from New College to become IPC CIT trained. A Certified IPC Trainer (CIT) is a professional who trains and certifies others to become Certified IPC Specialists (CIS). CITs are experts in IPC standards, which are globally recognised benchmarks for electronics manufacturing.

Tina Taylor, Ideas and Training Coordinator, received this training, led the teaching at the College and has become the face of Tridonic with students.

Ben Kennard has also been a guest speaker on the course. Ben has been able to showcase his role in the electronics sector, and the benefits of a job in this industry.

Cementing the partnership further, in February Tridonic invited 2 students from the class that were interested in a role at the manufacturer for a ‘Trial a Job’ day. This gave the students a taster of what working at Tridonic would be like, and also for the company to see what their newly acquired skills could bring into the team.

One of the students was so impressive that he has already been offered a job at Tridonic, which will begin at the start of April. He will initially work at Tridonic for 2 days a week while he finishes his course, with a view to moving to a full-time role on completion of his training.

At the start of this month, a Placement machine was delivered to New College, provided by Tridonic who secured a grant from Business Durham enabling the manufacturer to gift the machine to the college. Tridonic is supporting the college in the set-up of the machine, and passing on the knowledge and expertise needed.

Once the machine is live, a member of the Tridonic team will train the students on a one-to-one basis on the machine, while Tina continues with the knowledge training and workbooks on the machine. This ensures that all students are trained on the machine and operations.

Ben Kennard, Manufacturing and Supply Chain Manager at Tridonic, said that the company is actively involved in designing training programmes that equip students with the necessary skills to thrive in the lighting industry.

“It’s about offering opportunities for young people and giving them the skills they need to succeed,” he explained. “We believe in supporting the local community, and these Level 2 courses, in addition to the Level 3 and 4 apprentices that we currently offer with New College Durham are a way for us to contribute to the future of County Durham.”

Tina Taylor, Training and Ideas Co-Ordinator at Tridonic added: “I am extremely proud of my class and how they accept me and Tridonic; they love to learn and are full of energy to solder. I am also very proud to be a part of the whole process and show that even though Tridonic is classed as a SME, we are committed to working with young people and the college to secure future talent.”

Through the partnership, learners can also benefit from educational visits to Tridonic’s Spennymoor facility, giving them first-hand experience of real-world engineering and manufacturing environments.

Reflecting on this, Karl Johnson, Head of School Mechanical, Electrical and the Built Environment at New College Durham said: “At New College Durham, we’re all about closing the skills gap in engineering and manufacturing through fantastic industry partnerships.

“Our collaboration with Tridonic is a wonderful example of how education and industry can come together to provide learners with the knowledge, skills, and hands-on experience they need for bright and successful careers.

Our transformational partnership not only provides learners with industry-led training but also showcases Tridonic’s proactive approach in tackling workforce challenges and attracting future talent. By working together, we’re ensuring that learners leave New College Durham with the skills, confidence, and experience they need to thrive in the engineering and manufacturing sectors.”

The collaboration with New College Durham is a vital component of Tridonic’s long-term workforce strategy. The hope is that in June 2025, Tridonic will be able to identify additional students that want to join their team.