Work is due to start on the development of the campus for Derby Manufacturing University Technical College (UTC) following the granting of planning permission by Derby City Council.
BAM Construct UK will build the £8 million centre which has been designed by Maber Architects.
The UTC will open in September 2015 for the first intake of students in years 10 and 12 - providing young people with the skills needed in engineering and manufacturing, including the rail industry.
The UTC will have capacity for up to 600 young people aged 14 to 19. They will study core GCSE's, A levels and engineering qualifications enhanced by project based learning, work placements, employer site visits and industry expert lectures.
Derby Manufacturing UTC is a partnership between Derby College, the University of Derby, Rolls-Royce Plc, Bombardier, Toyota Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd, Derby City Council and a wide range of supply chain employers working in local manufacturing and engineering.
It is one of 50 new UTCs being developed across the country which are being developed to fill the skills gap in industry by training young engineers who have the talent and skills that employers need now and in the future.
Employers at a wide range of local businesses, including Rolls-Royce plc and Toyota UK, have been heavily involved in setting up Derby Manufacturing UTC and will continue to work alongside the organisation to provide work experience opportunities and projects for the learners.
Work placement opportunities will be core elements of the work programmes where learners will be able to put into practice the skills they have learnt in the classroom into work activity, supported by mentors from local companies.
Derby Manufacturing UTC Principal Designate Philip Morris said: “With planning permission agreed, we are looking forward to seeing the building develop.
“We already have a number of young people who have submitted expressions of interest for joining Derby Manufacturing UTC next September and applications are now being taken and formalised for our first cohort of students in year 10 and year 12.”
BAM has a strong track record of work in the East Midlands. It is carrying out a major redevelopment of East Midlands Airport and won awards for building Derby Council’s new civic office HQ. The contractor is working on the £10.5 million Nottingham University Academy of Science and Technology and recently completed the highly sustainable 202-bed Orchard Hotel for the University of Nottingham. BAM is also behind two buildings for sponsor Rolls-Royce, one in Rotherham (the Advance Blade Casting Facility) and one under construction in Birmingham (Rolls-Royce Control and Data Services). It is also behind several other UTCs across the UK.
For more information please visit the website http://www.derbymanufacturingutc.co.uk/ ; facebook page http://www.derbymanufacturingutc.co.uk/ and twitter https://twitter.com/UTCDerby
