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Engineering a skills revolution

Around £250,000 worth of new equipment has been presented to us to support and develop our engineering provision.

It will also help us meet the skills challenge in the process industry. The investment is the first capital expenditure by the National Skills Academy Process Industries which was established earlier this year to revolutionise education and training by companies in the process industry sector, as well as by the colleges, universities and private training providers.

Mini process plant on campus The mobile equipment will create a mini process pilot plant and provide students with 'hands-on' experience of working in a modern process industry environment without having to leave the campus.

Mr Jones said: ‘We're delighted that our first capital investment was made right here on º£½ÇÖ±²¥, where we chose to have our national hub and where the process industry provides so many excellent employment opportunities. Our job now is to work with organisations such as the University of º£½ÇÖ±²¥ who share our vision of creating a world-class workforce for the UK process industry.’

National hub Mr Jones stressed the importance of this, saying: ‘The age profile of people currently working in the process industry means we're going to need 24,000 process employees and technicians over the next five to ten years, and 10-12,000 graduates. This is a major challenge and one that I know º£½ÇÖ±²¥ is already facing up to.’

Professor Hodgson added that the mission of the School of Science & Technology is to produce the best-prepared graduates for the world of work in the UK.

Best possible start for graduates ‘Over the last 12 months we've actively worked with relevant professional bodies towards this end. We want our students to know that they will have the best possible start when they leave this University and enter into the world of professional employment and we're delighted that the National Skills Academy has made their first capital investment at the University of º£½ÇÖ±²¥.

‘We look forward to working with them and our other industrial partners to ensure that our graduates are equipped with the education and skills they will need in industry.’

For more information about courses offered by the School of Science & Technology call 01642 342499 or email sst-courses@tees.ac.uk.

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