TATA Steel, which last month announced more than 1,000 job losses in Newport and elsewhere, is set to benefit from a share of more than £1.5 million to help staff gain valuable new skills.

The cash is being used to launch the Materials and Manufacturing Education Training and Learning – or METaL 2 – scheme, which will see more than 360 employees across more than 30 companies in Wales work towards new advanced materials and manufacturing qualifications.

Tata Steel, which last month announced it would cut 750 jobs from its plants in Llanwern and Port Talbot, will be one of the firms to take part in the three-year scheme.

The initiative is being funded by £1 million from the European Union with the remainder coming from the Welsh government.

Announcing the scheme, which is being run in conjunction with Swansea University, the Welsh government’s finance minister Jane Hutt said: “Over £350 million of EU funds are being invested over the next five years to improve skills in the workforce that will help drive business growth and create jobs in this important sector for Wales.”

The project will offer staff short, industry-accredited courses to improve their skills, with a view to benefitting their employers and ultimately the Welsh economy as a whole.

Project manager Dr David Warren of Swansea described the scheme as “a great opportunity”.

“The training will take place at the new EU and Welsh government-funded £450 million Science and Innovation Bay Campus, which will offer the very best state-of-the-art facilities to the participants,” he said.

“The courses cover a broad spectrum of materials and manufacturing topics ranging from foundation knowledge right up to post-graduate level.

“The training will benefit industry by ensuring that staff have the correct knowledge to compete in a crowded marketplace and make the transition from low skill, low productivity to more advanced manufacturing capability built on higher skills.”

Tata has also announced it will cut 200 support roles and 100 from plants in England and has launched a 45-day staff consultation.

Other firms taking part in the scheme include the Royal Mint in Llantrisant and Swansea-based engineering firm Oceaneering.

Businesses interested in participating in the METaL 2 scheme can find out more at project-metal.co.uk