LEADING THE WAY IN THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION
College’s new VR suite officially opens
A NEW virtual reality suite which will help to train more than 1,000 people has been officially opened at Stoke-on-trent College.
The new facility will help students gain industry-standard qualifications and train them in vital digital skills such as 3D and 4D mapping, game development technology and virtual drone mapping.
The virtual reality and visualisation suite is part of the college’s recently launched £350,000 digital and creative industries hub. It has been backed by £120,000 from Stoke-on-trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).
College principal Lisa Capper said: “This is such an exciting development for our prospective students, both young people and adults. These new facilities mean they will be bang up to date on digital technologies in industries such as construction.
“This will make them an asset to any business. In turn this will strengthen our local economy and help put Stoke-on-trent on the map for digital excellence, working alongside our industry partners.”
Simon Clarke MP, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, officially opened the new suite during a visit to the college last week. It came as part of a series of ministerial visits to various locations in the city after Prime Minister Boris Johnson held a cabinet meeting at Middleport Pottery on Thursday.
Mr Clarke said: “This cuttingedge virtual reality suite will give the people of Stoke-on-trent exactly the opportunities they need to lead the way in the digital revolution. We’re backing the people of Stoke-on-trent to get the qualifications they need to get ahead.
“Giving people the opportunity to get the skills they need, where they live, is a vital part of how we level up this country and it’s great to see this happening in the city.”
Alun Rogers, chair of Stokeon-trent and Staffordshire LEP, added: “This project poses massive potential to attract businesses, boost skills and grow existing talent across Stokeon-trent and Staffordshire, and will help our area to lead thinking and delivery across the construction sector for years to come – a great opportunity for our region.”