Preston College’s new technology centre is to be officially opened by technology presenter Maggie Philbin.
AdvertisementThe BBC Bang Goes the Theory host is to unveil the iSTEM building at the Fulwood campus.
Maggie will share her passion for science and tech while delivering a keynote speech on why education providers must follow in the footsteps of the college.
She said: “It’s encouraging to see Preston’s College taking steps to bridge the skills gap created by an ageing workforce. They’re enabling more young people, especially girls, to pursue STEM-related paths and helping students understand how they can shape and develop the world.
“It’s so important to give students the opportunity to not only to develop skills which are in real demand by our fast changing industries, but to recognise the personal qualities such as teamwork, creativity and attention to detail, which would make them terrific engineers, scientists or digital entrepreneurs.
“People know me from Tomorrow’s World and I’m always keen to meet like-minded colleges, schools and employers with a united vision towards championing STEM. Whilst not everyone may be as bold as Preston’s College, I hope they’re inspired in some way during the launch event.”
The multi-million pound two-storey building is 4,200 square foot.
Lis Smith, principal and chief executive of Preston’s College, said: “After more than two years of hard work it’s great to see our vision finally come to life and our official opening event is the ideal opportunity to share our focus for iSTEM delivery.
“Almost 1.3 million highly-trained scientists, engineers and technicians are needed in Britain by 2020 and it’s our mission to ensure we help towards meeting that figure. The traditional education system can let young people down by failing to equip them with the skills needed to secure a good job once they leave college or university.
“At Preston’s College we take great pride in supporting all of our learners to achieve the qualifications they need, alongside the development of the technical skills and knowledge that employers and universities are looking for, and the iSTEM Centre is a critical part in making that happen. Our new curriculum, which puts STEM skills at its core, has been designed to meet the needs of the modern workforce and will enable us to become the leading provider of STEM education in the north of England within the next three years – ultimately helping to make our learners the most employable.”
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