Sheffield’s advanced manufacturing facility to support local jobs in Western Sydney

One of the UK’s leading research facilities will help establish a world-class advanced manufacturing centre at the new Western Sydney Aerotropolis, creating high-quality local jobs.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian today signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Sheffield's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), which will become a Foundation Partner at the Aerotropolis.

Ms Berejiklian said the new facility would create thousands of highly skilled job opportunities for young people in Western Sydney.

"This facility has transformed Sheffield's job market and trained more than 1300 highly-skilled technical apprentices who are now working with Rolls-Royce, Boeing and BAE Systems," Ms Berejiklian said.

"With the support of AMRC young people in Western Sydney will soon have the same opportunity to work with 130 leading industrial companies to develop skills in advanced manufacturing, aerospace and medical devices."

Ms Berejiklian and the Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres, toured the AMRC Training Centre today and met with young people, 16 to 18 years old, working on artificial intelligence products, robotics and new medical devices.

Mr Ayres said the MoU was another giant step towards making Western Sydney the centre for manufacturing, research and technology in the Asia Pacific.

"The Aerotropolis will make Western Sydney the Australian capital for advanced manufacturing and at the same time delivering future jobs closer to where people live," Mr Ayres said.

Built on the site of an old coking plant, the AMRC, and the cluster of hi-tech companies growing around it, have transformed industrial decline into high quality jobs.

AMRC founder Professor Keith Ridgway said he looked forward to helping the NSW Government establish the Aerotropolis as a modern research and skills hub.

"It's been wonderful to tell Premier Berejiklian how a small group of passionate and committed people, backed by a visionary partner in Boeing, are using science, technology and skills training to transform a region that seemed locked into a spiral of terminal decline," Professor Ridgway said.

"It's truly an honour that our economic and social experiment in Sheffield and Rotherham has attracted the attention of such a dynamic and ambitious government on the other side of the world.

"We are delighted to be invited to help Premier Berejiklian turn her vision for a Western Sydney Aerotropolis into a reality. This is also a massive opportunity for the Sheffield City Region to learn and benefit from the partnership with NSW, as this inspirational project takes wings."

The MOU is part of the NSW Government's commitment to create 200,000 jobs in and around the Western Sydney Aerotropolis, with a significant proportion to be located within 30 minutes of where workers live.

The Premier and Mr Ayres are on a trade mission to the UK and Germany from August 11 to 16.