Construction work has started on a new £11 million technical college at Stansted Airport.

The development is the first on-site college of its kind at any major UK airport and is due to open in Autumn next year.

Designed by Pascall+Watson, the two-storey facility is a joint venture between Harlow College and London Stansted which aims to boost the skills of students in the region and provide a pipeline of future talent for the airport as well as over 200 on-site companies.

It will welcome more than 500 students each year and offer courses designed to bridge the skills gap in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects as well as specific airport areas such as aircraft and airport engineering, business studies, logistics and supply chain management, asset management, hospitality and customer service.

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Speaking at the site today, 27 November, the Minister of State for Climate Change and Industry, Claire Perry, said the College is "prime example" of the Government's Industrial Strategy in action, which was also unveiled earlier today.

She said: "Today we have launched our new, modern Industrial Strategy which aims to help young people develop the skills to do the high-paid, high-skilled jobs of the future.

"The new college here at Stansted is a prime example of our Industrial Strategy in action. Public and private sector working together to improve the skills of young people and delivering a pipeline of talent that will boost the local economy."

Brad Miller, London Stansted's Chief Operating Officer, said: "The Stansted Airport College is a great example of the private and public sector working together on behalf of our region to try to deliver part of the solution to a very real problem."

Karen Spencer, Principal and Chief Executive of Harlow College, added: "We are delighted to be working with London Stansted on the UK’s first Airport College. Further Education Colleges are central to delivering high quality technical skills and improving the country’s economic productivity."

(LM/MH)