TRAINING
Skills – students develop practical skills and get industry insight at Middlesbrough College.
Powering Teesside’ s workforce of tomorrow
Middlesbrough College is strengthening its position at the forefront of technical education by giving students access to industrystandard technology and connecting them with employers shaping the future of the UK economy.
A sizeable donation of specialist industrial equipment from SABIC, alongside a two-day green careers event delivered in partnership with engineering and infrastructure consultancy AECOM, has helped students develop the practical skills and industry insight needed to succeed in some of the region’ s fastestgrowing sectors.
The equipment, valued at more than £ 200,000 and donated to Middlesbrough College’ s TTE Centre, included SMART transmitters and control valve positioners from globally recognised manufacturers including Rosemount, Siemens, ABB and Fisher.
Widely used across sectors including petrochemicals, energy, manufacturing, water and food production, the equipment gives students and apprentices handson experience with the same technology they are likely to encounter during their careers.
John Cooke, associate director of TTE at Middlesbrough College, said:“ We’ re incredibly grateful to SABIC for this generous donation.
“ The equipment will directly benefit the next generation of students and apprentices by giving them hands-on experience with the technology they’ ll use in industry.
“ Working closely with employers allows us to shape a curriculum that equips learners with the skills, knowledge and behaviours industry needs, helping them enter the workplace with confidence.”
Lee Allcock, manager assets at SABIC, added:“ Supporting skills development and helping young people build successful careers remains an important part of SABIC’ s commitment to the communities in which we operate.
“ We’ re pleased this equipment will continue to create value by helping learners gain practical experience with industry-standard technology and develop the capabilities essential for the future workforce.”
Alongside developing technical expertise, Middlesbrough College also showcased the career opportunities emerging through the UK’ s transition to a low-carbon economy through its green careers event.
Delivered in partnership with AECOM, the two-day event brought together employers and industry specialists to introduce students to careers across renewable energy, engineering, digital technology and sustainable construction.
Students from across engineering, construction, business and teaching, training and education took part in employer-led workshops and demonstrations covering technologies including solar energy, electric vehicle infrastructure, battery storage systems, drone surveying and energy-efficient building design.
The event also featured representatives from the Department for Education, who highlighted the importance of developing the skills needed to support the UK’ s net zero ambitions.
Kathy Wilson, head of human excellence and technical director at AECOM, said:“ One of the projects AECOM is delivering is the Great British Energy Project, which involves working with 77 schools across the North-East, installing measures such as solar panels and LED lighting upgrades.
“ Middlesbrough College is already quite advanced in this space, making it a strong setting to connect students with industry and bring green careers to life.”
Together, the two initiatives highlight Middlesbrough College’ s commitment to working alongside leading employers to ensure students graduate with the technical skills, practical experience and industry connections needed to succeed in both established industries and the emerging green economy.
Purpose-built – Middlesbrough College’ s £ 12m state-of-the-art TTE Centre.
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