A new University of Glasgow-led centre is setting out to close a skills gap that is preventing businesses from fully embracing robotics, in a move its lead researcher says will help strengthen Scotland’s wider innovation ecosystem and help businesses remain competitive in an increasingly automated global economy.
Robotics Training Centre Scotland (RTC Scotland) was announced on Friday 9 October by Innovate UK, which is providing £525,000 through its Robotics Adoption programme. The centre brings together experts from the university’s James Watt School of Engineering with partners from academia and industry.
In total, 12 new projects will share £2.5m from the programme to create and deliver course content and materials that support skills, talent and training in robotics. The programme aims to address the shortage of skilled workers able to specify, procure, integrate, operate and maintain robotics. The competition forms part of the £52m Robotics Adoption programme and is designed to complement and feed into the new network of Robotics Adoption Hubs.
RTC Scotland will focus on businesses in manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, logistics and energy infrastructure that could benefit from robotics but may not yet have the skills or expertise to adopt the technology at scale.
Over the next three years, the centre will run short courses to help engineers, technicians and managers learn how robotics can be applied within their own organisations, including hands-on experience with real robotic systems in environments that simulate modern industrial settings. It will be based at the university’s Intelligent Robotics Group, part of the James Watt Autonomous Systems and Connectivity (ASC) division.
Dr Olaoluwa Popoola, who will lead the university’s contribution to RTC Scotland, said: “We’re grateful to Innovate UK for backing the Robotics Training Centre Scotland, which will make a real impact on the country’s ability to deliver innovation through automation.
“Robotic technologies are advancing rapidly, and can provide businesses with significant advantages by boosting productivity, reducing costs, and making work environments safer. The Centre will help develop Scotland’s knowledge and skills base, which will in turn help strengthen the country’s wider innovation ecosystem and help businesses remain competitive in an increasingly automated global economy.”
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Professor David Flynn, Dr Euan McGookin and Dr Kevin Worrall of the James Watt School of Engineering will be co-investigators, with Dr Liyuan Qi as research assistant. Pomo Robotics will be the centre’s industry partner.
Professor Muhammad Imran, head of the James Watt School of Engineering and strategic advisor to RTC Scotland, said: “RTC Scotland will help turn our strengths in robotics into practical skills for industry, supporting safer adoption, greater productivity and stronger university–industry collaboration.”
