Project ELEVATION (Electric Lightweight Vehicle Platform and Digital Toolchain) is a six-partner collaborative R&D project led by Aston Martin Lagonda with Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), Expert Tooling & Automation, Creative Composites, Fuzzy Logic Studio and WMG, University of Warwick. Project ELEVATION will accelerate the development of a luxury battery electric vehicle platform, enabling a route to net-zero including advanced vehicle lightweighting, an enhanced digital toolchain and bespoke electrification training.

TrainAR is a digital platform that enables organisations, educational institutions and training providers to create Augmented Reality learning experiences at scale. Immersive learning tools, such as Augmented Reality, deepen learning by making it more hands-on. This helps to build competence, enhance engagement, and reduce training times. Created by Fuzzy Logic Studio, the solution will initially be targeted at the automotive electrification and renewables energy sectors. Technology is advancing at a rapid pace, which is leading to the emergence of skills gaps. By 2050 it is estimated that over 1.2 million jobs could be created within the manufacturing and construction sectors in a green economy. However, according to Make UK, less than half of manufacturers are confident that the present education and training market can deliver the skills needed now and in the future. A shortage of young people pursuing careers in STEM also presents another hurdle. Therefore, learning programmes need to have a greater emphasis on equipping both the current and future workforce with the high-demand skills they need to thrive in a new world of work. Integrating visualisation tools, such as Augmented Reality, will be vital in ensuring that learners can practise these critical skills safely and effectively. TrainAR is not designed to replace hands-on training, and nor should it. However, it will significantly add value to a learner's journey by creating a 'sandbox environment' where they can explore and fail without consequence.

The UK is drastically short of the skills needed to become net zero by 2050\. To get there we'll need to train up a workforce of 2 million. However, there's a shortage of college lecturers, and trainers who can teach industry compatible green skills, which is resulting in supply chain vulnerabilities. **uSkill360** is a disruptive Edtech platform to scale up volume delivery of net zero skills training using simulation-based AR, VR, AI and gamification solutions to deliver 'hands on' industry relevant job-ready skills at the point of need, to ensure the UK can meet its legally binding commitment to cut 68% of emission by 2030\. Offering online certification aligned to international awarding standards, uSkill360 will cut training costs, reduce staff time away from the workplace to attend training, and ensure employers have the ready pool of skilled workers. Seamlessly bridging the digital and physical world, this immersive training hub will revolutionise the way that Level 2 -- 7 skills training is delivered, using simulation-based learning to break down barriers, allowing people of all ages, races and abilities to learn future skills anytime, anyplace, ensuring that as the economy transitions to net zero people's livelihoods and well-being will be enhanced. The platform will initially focus on developing hydrogen skills training content for the manufacturing, construction, transport and energy sectors. uSkill360 will collaborate with Greater Manchester Electrochemical Innovation Accelerator's network of leading academic expertise, and industry partners to develop fit for purpose technical training to speed up mass adoption of highly efficient hydrogen technologies. The project will leverage the world class research strengths that Greater Manchester has in Sustainable Advance Materials, Artificial Intelligence, Data and Advanced Computing to improve productivity growth across the conurbation and forge a fairer more equitable economy to ensure a just transition. Universally available, uSkill360 will overcome proximity and capacity constraints of brick-and-mortar classrooms, improving relevance and quality of content. The project is a good strategic fit with Greater Manchester Strategy to build a fairer, greener and more prosperous city region. The strength in our application is the leveraging of the existing relationship between TBP, WMG and Fuzzy Logic, delivery partners for the DfE funded, Emerging Skills Project (ESP), as well as WMG's position within the HVM Catapult to bootstrap the development of the project. The outputs of this two-year project will include a well validated platform, exploitation plan and investment raise.

The project will create an accessible and innovative augmented reality (AR) app which uses gamification to train people in real world generative design and ​engineering through the building of virtual electric go karts to grow the diverse talent pipeline for the Power Electronics Machines & Drives (PEMD) sectors. Targeted at underrepresented youth, the app will extend the national reach and engagement of The Blair Project's ProtoEV STEM Challenge where schools, youth clubs and college teams (age 13-19) transform used petrol go karts into fully electric ekarts which they test and race to see which is the fastest and most energy efficient. Students gain hands on skills related to computer aided manufacturing, design for assembly, power electronics, electric motor, drives and battery technologies aligned to the needs of the PEMD manufacturing and supply chains sector. The AR app will enable diverse talent of all ages and abilities to disassemble and assemble virtual go karts, make pre-determined modifications, interact with components and receive audio-visual cues so they can learn at their own pace. This immersive learning app seeks to change the way young people learn about the PEMD skills and technologies involved in electric vehicle systems, powered by battery technologies, making learning fun and engaging. The ProtoEV app builds on an existing immersive electrification skills training app developed by Fuzzy Logic as part of an industry-led and co-designed Emerging Skills Project, funded by the Department of Education to rapidly upskill, reskill and new skill existing employees in the PEMD manufacturing and supply chains to accelerate the path to net zero. EDI will be a critical focus for the ProtoEV app. The main aim is to drive inclusivity and diversity in key areas of the UK's PEMD workforce, building on and complementing existing skills initiatives in electrification sectors. The ultimate goal is to generate higher student engagement and interest in PEMD careers and allow students to learn anywhere and anytime. Web based metrics will be used to measure user engagement and progression pathways linked to the PEMD Skills Hub, which showcases and signposts to further PEMD training courses and career opportunities across all levels. The use of gamification and immersive technologies is an innovative mechanism to engage with youth less likely to consider engineering careers, in a way that has never been done before by the PEMD sector. Adapting the existing ESP Automotive Electrification Skills training app for electric go karts is novel.