New apprenticeship supports Cornwall’s £251.6 billion Minerals Market ambitions

Geo-Resource leaders have teamed up with a top local College in a bid to position Cornwall as a leader in the £251.6 billion Global Critical Minerals Market and support the UK’s transition to clean power.

The multi-award-winning Truro and Penwith College Apprenticeships team has partnered with employers and the College’s Science department to develop Cornwall’s brand-new Level 3 Laboratory Technician apprenticeship, providing the sector an answer to its critical skills challenges.

Employer’s and interested learners are encouraged to contact the College now to register their interest, with the apprenticeship commencing delivery from September, allowing Cornwall to meet a surge in demand for this specialist skilled profession across some of its most innovative sectors, including the burgeoning critical minerals industry alongside health, life sciences and engineering.

Cornwall is considered to be home to the largest lithium resource in Europe with the UK expected to need around 110,000 tonnes of critically important lithium by 2030 to manufacture electric vehicles, electricity storage and rechargeable industrial and consumer electronics.

Supported by the new apprenticeship, Cornwall’s surge in Lithium extraction will reduce the UK’s reliance on importing carbon-intensive materials, with Cornish Lithium already aiming to produce 10,000 tonnes of domestic lithium a year by 2027.

Hayley McKinstry, Director of Business Partnerships and Skills at Truro and Penwith College said: "Truro and Penwith College's mission has always been to provide the highest possible experiences and outcomes for our learners by directly responding to the opportunities and needs presented by our employer partners.

"By introducing the Laboratory Technician Apprenticeship, we will play a critical role in fuelling the workforce that will drive Cornwall's economic future in priority growth sectors and with key industry partners."

The need for skilled Laboratory Technicians is critical for Cornwall to position itself as a global leader. Apprentices will be trained to perform high-quality testing and analysis, while conforming to regulatory requirements and technical competence in the use of specialist instruments and equipment.

The launch has been warmly welcomed by industry leaders. A spokesperson from the Cornwall Mining & Geo-Resources Alliance (CMGA), a membership body that brings together worldclass mining and geothermal expertise, said: "Developing a skilled, future-ready workforce is one of the most critical challenges facing the geo-resources sector. The Laboratory Technician Level 3

Apprenticeship is a timely and much-needed initiative that will help address current skills gaps and build long-term capability across Cornwall’s mining, minerals and geothermal industries. Programmes like this, delivered in close partnership with industry, are essential to supporting sustainable growth and Cornwall’s economic future”.

Industry partners have also highlighted the programme’s role in opening new pathways into the sector.

James Strongman, Director at Redruth-based Petrolab, which supports the global mining and minerals industries with rock, mineral and ore content analysis said: "Petrolab is delighted to see Truro and Penwith College offering the lab technician apprenticeship. This provides an exciting new route into the geo-resources sector. The skills and foundation of this apprenticeship will give candidates opportunities across the industry, from mining and mineral processing to geothermal energy,"

The launch of the Level 3 Laboratory Technician comes after a string of successes for Truro and Penwith College as it was one of only five FE colleges nationwide to be awarded Expert Apprenticeship Provider status by the Department for Education (DfE) and won Apprenticeship Provider of the Year at the 2025 Apprenticeship and Training Awards (ATAs).

The new apprenticeship follows the recent news that the College has been shortlisted for four national Apprenticeship Guide Awards in 2026; Best College for Apprenticeships, Best Apprenticeship in Healthcare, Best Apprenticeship in Engineering and Best Apprenticeship in Hospitality and Tourism.

Interested employers and learners should contact the College now to ensure they can take part in the new apprenticeship in September; apprenticeships@truro-penwith.ac.uk or 01872 305500.