Innovate UK's driving the electric revolution challenge, part of UK Research and Innovation, will invest up to £4.5 million in projects designed to build talent for the future.

The competition opening today (10 January) aims to create and deliver course content and materials across PEMD manufacturing and supply chains that will:

• support skills development
• attract talent
• deliver training.

Register to join the competition briefing on 12 January at 10:00 UK time.

A competition in two stages

The competition is being run in two stages:

1. An expression of interest (EOI) for projects seeking between £50,000 and £1 million.
2. Those successful in the EOI round will then be invited to submit a full proposal in March 2022.

EOIs must deliver a clear game-changing intervention or address a clear industrial requirement, which would realistically and significantly meet, and provide, a long-term commitment to supporting the UK PEMD industry talent need.

Any projects seeking funding under £50,000 do not need to submit an EOI.

There will be a separate competition strand opening in March for these projects.

Find out more about the competition on the Innovation Funding Service.

Tackling a skills shortage

The UK has a skills shortage in the PEMD industry.

Driving the electric revolution wants to change this by investing over £6 million across three funding competitions.

This is the third competition they've run dedicated to improving the skills, training and talent of the PEMD industry in the UK.

Driving the electric revolution challenge director Professor Will Drury said:

The UK is a world leader in the development of PEMD technology, but for years now we've lacked the skills needed to bring these ideas to reality.

By investing in skills, talent and training in this sector we aim to support the growth of not only the UK's PEMD supply chains, but its people too.