In September this year MTC launched their new Training Centre of Excellence in Inverness. Developed to meet the needs of small businesses, corporate users and individuals, the new centre offers a total Information Technology (IT) Training Solution. MTC discovered that many local companies were sourcing IT training outside the area, often sending staff to Edinburgh, Glasgow or even London thus paying for transport, overnight stays and inflated prices.

Others are relying on staff to pick things up as they go along, creating extra work and stress in the process. With today’s hardware, software life cycles running at 18 months or less and the devolving of administration functions within companies, staff with the latest and continuing IT skills are a necessity.

The Merkinch Training Centre (MTC2) is a logical development of Merkinch Training (financed by the European Social Fund) set up to train Merkinch residents in the latest Information Technology courses. These courses have been very successful with many of our trainees obtaining employment through these qualifications. However, through this we identified a need for company training, hence we acquired the old butchers shop (next door to Merkinch Enterprise’s Job & Information Centre) and over the past month this has been fitted out as a top of the range Training Centre.The Training Centre opened early September, and is financed by Merkinch Enterprise with support from Inverness & Nairn Enterprise.

MTC Development Officer, Mr. John Lavender said "This is the perfect location for the Training Centre, it’s only five minutes from town, there is free car parking close by, and it can work in conjuction with MTC, we can use Fliperz for Creche facilities and other local businesses will also benefit".