University of Wolverhampton fast-tracks £10m advanced engineering campus
THE University of Wolverhampton has fast-tracked development of its new £10m Telford Innovation Campus with appointment of contractors.
It has appointed Shropshire building contractor, Pave Aways, to build the facility, which forms part of the university’s £250m investment plan, Our Vision, Your Opportunity.
The investment is significant because it aims to address the significant skills gap in the advanced engineering and manufacturing sector regionally.
The new campus will include advanced engineering facilities, giving it the capability to offer enhanced courses to students looking to develop improved technological skills and in turn, provide the future workforce for the area’s various industries.
New courses including BEng (Hons) Motorsport Engineering, BEng (Hons) Chemical Engineering and BEng (Hons) Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering will be complemented by specialist equipment: a design and visualisation facility, wind tunnels, engine test facilities, 3D printing facilities, and laboratories dedicated to electronics and telecommunications, metrology and materials testing.
Professor Ian Oakes, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Wolverhampton, said: “In the UK, it is estimated that there will be a shortfall of around 200,000 qualified engineers by 2020. This substantial investment in enhanced provision and expanded facilities demonstrates our commitment to providing the next generation of skilled engineers.
“Our new courses combine activity based learning and live industrial project work with a real focus on creativity and employability.”
Steven Owen, managing director at Pave Aways, said: “We were delighted to win the contract to deliver such an exciting redevelopment project and we are committed, as part of the contract, to offering real work experience opportunities for apprentices and students currently studying at the university.”
Work is due to start work in early April with completion expected by November 2016.
