Dignitaries help to open college’s new IDEA centre
AWIDNES college’s brand new facility has been opened with a spectacular ceremony. Guests at the launch event for Cronton Sixth Form College’s IDEA Centre included new Liverpool City Region metro mayor Steve Rotheram and Halton mayor Ged Philbin.
The new IDEA Centre introduces a unique facility offering students and employers innovative training facilities which will prepare students for automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies.
The centre has been designed to enable students from different curriculum areas to collaborate on projects to develop a multiskilled workforce meeting employers’ needs.
New IT and computing facilities will allow students to develop virtual reality environments using HTC Vive technology, opening a host of career paths in all types of industry.
A host of high profile industry employers also attended the launch.
Simon Reid, sector manager at the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, spoke at the event.
Afterwards he said: “This is truly a UK first, the idea of a cross-pollination of IT, digital, engineering and design skills to meet industrial & technical challenges under one roof; I think it’s truly ground breaking.”
The mayor officially signalled the opening of the IDEA Centre with a ‘digital ribbon cutting’ in keeping with the centre’s futuristic technology.
Guests were then able to tour the buildings facilities which include an advanced manufacturing workshop, a digital and electronics suite, a metrology suite, a process control workshop, a health and fitness suite, a project management suite, meeting rooms, a 3D modelling suite and an Industry 4.0 suite.
After the tour Lesley Martin Wright from Knowsley Chamber Of Commerce said: “I have been absolutely bowled over by what I have seen today at the IDEA Centre, this is modern technology at its best.
“I think you have a cutting edge and leading edge facility here that will be both attractive for employers and the students.”
Collaboration between IT and engineering students will also be encouraged through the development of artificial intelligence driven systems to operate robotic buggies.
The health and fitness sports suite contains the latest performance analysis software and a range of advanced fitness equipment.
Engineering students will be able to study and develop realistic robotic solutions with industry standard technology from FANUC.
There are two fully integrated SMC manufacturing process systems in the workshop that will enable students to solve real manufacturing issues.
Students will also be able to develop skills in programmable logic controllers, pneumatics and hydraulic engineering using FESTO bespoke training rigs.
Keynote speaker Dr Phil Carroll from LPW Technology Ltd said: “If I were a student again, this is a place where I would like to be.
“One of the greatest challenges we face in the business is the recruitment and retention of skilled people, a centre like this is very useful and will be one of the catalysts for our company growth.”
The college is also looking forward to welcoming more than 4,000 Year 9, 10 and 11 pupils from nearby schools to experience the centre at taster days in the summer term.
Cronton’s head of engineering and construction John Sankey said: “The equipment at the IDEA Centre has enabled a complete revamp of the curriculum to ensure our students leave us with extremely marketable skills to progress within industry.”