First look at Middlesbrough College expansion

@ProfBrianCox will open the new @MBroCollege #STEM centre next year 

A FIRST LOOK behind the scenes of a £2m expansion of Middlesbrough College’s STEM training centre has been revealed.

Construction is already underway to prepare a new Higher Education department that will support the College’s delivery of higher level technical training through the Institute of Technology, announced in June.

And the College will welcome back Professor Brian Cox to lead the opening.

Computer generated images show how 11,800 sq ft of teaching space, IT facilities, learning resource centre and staff offices will be added to the STEM centre at the College’s Middlehaven campus.

The new facilities are expected to be completed next year, ready to welcome learners studying programmes that will prepare them for careers in the engineering, manufacturing and the digital sectors.

Zoe Lewis, principal and chief executive of Middlesbrough College, said:

“Investment in our industry-leading campus means we can provide the best learning experiences for students.

“We’re excited to open this latest extension to the STEM training centre in preparation for our delivery of even more technical courses.

“Our role in the Institute of Technology, and as the only further education provider in the Tees Valley to deliver cutting edge T Levels, is all about providing high quality routes into work for young people and delivering the skills that employers need for the future.

“Come September, we’ll be inviting Tees Valley businesses to tour our facilities, talk with our expert staff and learn more about the opportunities available to them.”

The STEM centre, which was opened in September 2015 by celebrity physicist and science champion Professor Brian Cox, already hosts a range of real-life industry environments including a process hall, advanced manufacturing space and logistics centre.

Students benefit from these simulated industry sites – preparing them for jobs beyond college.