St Helens College recently unveiled its new £1million Centre for Precision Engineering at the STEM Centre on the college’s Technology Campus.
The £1m investment, which was part-funded by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, supported the installation of industry-standard machinery and equipment, including wi-fi-enabled Haas CNC machines, axis lathes, milling machines and Haas simulators, to provide students and apprentices with the opportunity to develop their skills and learn all aspects of modern precision engineering, from design and testing to manufacturing and operations.
‘The Centre for Precision Engineering is a great asset for the college and our community. It will enhance our students’ learning and career prospects, support local businesses to grow and expand and support the growth of our local economy,’ said Simon Pierce, CEO and Principal at St Helens College. ‘In collaboration with our employer partners, we have developed a responsive curriculum, encompassing technical, vocational engineering provision and apprenticeship standards, which we are looking to shape and build upon in the future to address the changing engineering landscape and our Centre for Precision Engineering is an exciting starting point.’
‘As someone who is especially passionate about skills and technical subjects, it’s fantastic to see our £1million investment in the college paying off,’ said Steve Rotheram, mayor of the Liverpool City Region. ‘The new equipment is absolutely world class; I’m sure that our young people will benefit from it. Hopefully they will develop a passion for STEAM subjects and go on to be the engineers of tomorrow.’
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‘It’s an incredible environment to learn in – you are learning to use real machinery and equipment that meets the training and knowledge requirements expected by your employer, so it means that I’m able to train effectively in my role and hopefully, progress forward in my career,’ said Rebecca, a mechanical engineering apprentice at Cheshire Seals and Components.