Make it yourself: funded 3D printing and CAD training for Lancashire

If you have an idea for a product but no easy or low cost way to make it, a part breaks and nobody stocks it, or a simple jig would save you or your team hours every week.

With 3D printing and design skills you can make the things you need or create products to sell.

A funded skills bootcamp can get you there in 10 training days, and every learner gets their own free 3D printer.

Delivered in partnership with Lancashire Skills & Employment Hub, the 3D Printing, 3D CAD and Industry 4.0 Skills Bootcamp is built around practical results.

Many learners make products and parts to use or sell, from one off items and their own designs to replacements for things they would otherwise buy. Others build rapid prototypes to test ideas without waiting weeks for suppliers, or produce custom jigs, brackets, mounts, tool holders and guards.

Product developers tweak and test designs before committing to production. Marketing and sales teams make demo models, mock ups and event giveaways, and maintenance teams print hard-to-source parts to cut downtime.

Schools and community groups use 3D printing for STEM learning, creative builds and items to sell for fundraising. Elsewhere, learners create scale models and site specific components for construction and property, or simple assistive tools and ergonomic aids for health and wellbeing.

Paul Bullock, managing director of 3D 360 Skills Training, said: “Some learners arrive having never touched a 3D printer and a little unsure what to expect. Alongside them might be someone with years of experience in industry who wants to put new skills to work.

"That mix is a real strength, because everyone brings a different perspective and picks things up from each other. By the end, every one of them has built their own printer and knows how to design for it. Because the places are limited, I would encourage anyone who is curious to register their interest sooner rather than later.”

The course is made up of 10 training days, taken one at a time on a flexible hop-on hop-off schedule that fits around work and home. Six days are live online and four are hands on practical days in person.

On the practical days you build the 3D printer you will keep, learn to run and maintain it and design your own parts on a computer using free software. The online days build your understanding of Industry 4.0, AI, robotics and automation, cyber security and more.

You can start when it suits you and evening and weekend sessions are available. Learners have 16 weeks to complete, but many choose to finish in just eight. You also receive a course completion certificate alongside your printer.

The programme has trained more than 2,500 learners. More than 80 per cent report career progression and it has more than 100 five-star Google reviews.

The course is funded by the government for people aged 19 or over on 31 August 2026 who work in Lancashire.

Employers can fund places for their staff at heavily subsidised rates, per learner + VAT: £360 for organisations with under 250 employees and £1,080 for those with 250 or more.

Schools, community groups, CICs and charities may qualify for a free place, subject to eligibility.

Funded places are limited, so register now.

Every place is government funded and the number available is capped. Once they are allocated, they are gone, and with a rolling start you can begin almost as soon as you are registered. If you have a product idea, a repair problem or a team that could use these skills, do not wait. Register your interest today to secure your place.

https://3d360printer.co.uk/training-courses/funded-3d-printing-cad-training/