Birmingham Metropolitan College (BMet)

Birmingham Metropolitan College (BMet) has been delivering a specialist portfolio of engineering and manufacturing programmes designed to meet the skills needs of the food and drink manufacturing sector since 2016, from its James Watt College campus.

The campus is equipped with modern engineering workshops, featuring industry-standard machinery, automation systems, PLCs, motor control, and fluid power technologies that closely reflect contemporary food manufacturing environments. Engineering provision focuses on mechanical and electrical engineering disciplines essential to food and drink production, including planned and reactive maintenance, automation and control, fault diagnosis, continuous improvement, and safe systems of work. Learners benefit from hands-on, practical training that mirrors real production settings, with a strong emphasis on efficiency, reliability, food safety awareness, and compliance with regulated industry standards.

Delivery is underpinned by a highly skilled and industry-experienced teaching team. Engineering staff bring extensive backgrounds in food manufacturing, maintenance engineering, automation, and production environments, ensuring learning is industry-informed, current, and applied. Staff hold relevant professional and teaching qualifications, maintain ongoing  industry skills,  and embed industry best practice, including health and safety, quality systems, and problem-solving methodologies used within food and drink manufacturing operations.

Programmes are delivered from Level 1 through to higher technical qualifications and apprenticeships, supporting clear progression into roles such as maintenance engineer, multi-skilled engineer, automation technician, and engineering supervisor within the food and drink sector.

BMet works in close partnership with regional and national food and drink manufacturers to ensure provision remains employer-led and responsive to workforce demand. These collaborations support co-designed curriculum, high-quality apprenticeships, and meaningful work-based learning, ensuring learners develop the technical competence, professional behaviours, and workplace readiness required for successful careers in food and drink manufacturing.