A £6.8m scheme to build a University Technical College (UTC) in Lillyhall, West Cumbria has officially opened.

Built by Eric Wright Construction and designed by ADP, the Energy Coast UTC specialises in energy, and the curriculum has a strong emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM), sustainability, clean technologies and construction.

Providing high quality and cutting-edge technical education for 14 to 19-year-olds, Energy Coast UTC is sponsored and supported by Gen2 Training, Lakes College and the University of Cumbria.

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Situated on a site next to ENERGUS, a training and conference centre which students will have access to, Energy Coast UTC has been designed and built to provide a professional and motivational environment that encourages entrepreneurship.

Gary Jones, principal of Energy Coast UTC, said: "The Energy Coast UTC is the first brand new educational institution to be built in West Cumbria for 50 years. As such its appearance on the landscape is a significant milestone for the local communities that it serves, not just in terms of its role in educating our young people for their future careers, but also because it represents an investment in West Cumbria's long term future. It was therefore essential that the building made an impact both visually and functionally."

(CD/JP)