LONDON, Jan. 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Enginuity has launched Enspiring Futures, a new funding programme offering up to £80,000 to help organisations establish accessible, practical training spaces for young people currently excluded from mainstream education and training.

The programme aims to strengthen UK engineering and manufacturing by tackling skills shortages and unlocking new talent by removing barriers.

New funding to create practical engineering training

Enspiring Futures will support organisations to create or enhance dedicated welding and fabrication facilities that deliver accredited learning and give learners a strong first step towards engineering careers. Successful applicants can access funding to support at least 72 learners over three years through facilities that deliver recognised qualifications such as an EAL Level 2 Diploma or equivalent.

The award is designed for organisations working with young people most at risk of becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training), including:

Primarily, alternative provision learners aged 14 to 16
NEET learners aged 16 to 24

Funding can be used for workshop fit-out and equipment, adapting facilities, trainer readiness, and preparation for the delivery of accredited or modular learning. The aim is to provide a high-quality, hands-on pathway into welding and fabrication for learners who cannot access mainstream routes.

Opening doors for more organisations

Enginuity welcomes proposals from a wide range of organisations across England, including:

Alternative provision schools
Schools with technical or vocational pathways
Independent training providers
NEET support organisations
Charities and community-based training organisations
Employers or industry-led centres with suitable facilities

Proposals are invited from the North West, Yorkshire & the Humber, East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, and South East. Other areas could be considered in England.

By enabling more places where young people can gain practical skills that local employers need, Enspiring Futures strengthens the pipeline of talent entering welding and fabrication roles. It also helps the engineering and manufacturing sector meet future demand and increase resilience by bringing more young people into careers where skills shortages are most acute.

Building a diverse and future-ready engineering workforce

Nicola Dolan, Associate Director of Charity Impact & Operations at Enginuity, said: “Enspiring Futures is a practical example of Enginuity’s mission in action. Our goal is to close the skills gap in engineering and manufacturing by opening opportunities for young people who might otherwise miss out.

"We are providing grant funding to organisations to deliver hands-on training targeted primarily for 14–16-year-old Alternative Provision learners, helping young people outside mainstream education gain the skills, confidence, and ambition to succeed, while strengthening the sector’s future talent pipeline and helping lower the number of 16–24-year-olds who are NEET.”

Enginuity is a charity dedicated to finding new ways to close skills gaps in UK engineering and manufacturing, using data, insight and collaboration to help employers, educators and policymakers plan for the future. Formerly a sector skills council, the organisation works across the whole sector to ensure it has the right skills at the right time, helping businesses innovate, adapt and thrive.

Enspiring Futures directly supports this mission by widening access to skills and tackling barriers that prevent many young people from pursuing technical careers. By creating training opportunities for those most likely to fall through gaps in current provision, the programme helps build a more productive, future-ready workforce that can drive the sector forward.

Key dates for organisations

Organisations interested in applying should note these timelines:

Expression of Interest opens: 12 January 2026
Bidder webinar: 4 February 2026
PQQ deadline: 6 February 2026
Full RFP submission deadline: 23 February 2026

Completing each stage on time is important to secure full access to programme information and maximise the chance of submitting a strong proposal.

How to get involved

If your organisation is interested in applying, please complete our short expression of interest form. This will register your interest and give you access to more information, including the pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ), and details of our upcoming bidder webinar.

Once you receive the PQQ, we encourage you to submit it as soon as possible. The earlier we receive your PQQ, the sooner you will be able to access the full request for proposal (RFP) and have time to prepare a strong bid.

Express your interest here: https://enginuity.org/enspiring-futures

Media Contact: Dan Kirkby

Email: dan@dkpr.co.uk

Phone: +44(0)7785 392735

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cd06c8ae-3ba5-4fa0-85ac-7a91a21af558

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