Stansted Airport College is the UK's first on site professional training and skills centre, making our constituency a unique place to study.
Principal Karen Spencer gave me a tour of the site before I met with some apprentices studying at the college. As an engineer myself, it was interesting to see some of the practical work they are doing as part of their courses.
The college is a purpose-built facility with state-of-the-art resources, meaning that students can gain experience working in a professional environment and offering an alternative to university.
The relationship between the college and the airport also means that, when students have finished their studies, they can get straight onto the first rung of the career ladder and apply their skills within the airport.
Stansted Airport College provides the opportunity to study science, technology, engineering and maths, all of which are areas that need more people to take up if we are going to take advantage of the evolving jobs market. It also means that students can study and work locally in highly-skilled, highly paid jobs, something which will benefit the local economy considerably in the years to come.
Thank you to Ms Spencer for inviting me.
