Swindon's new £21 million Institute of Technology officially opened
Swindon's new £21 million Institute of Technology has officially opened at New College.
The government-funded college brings to Swindon degree-level education and skills training with world-class high-tech equipment, which include engineering workshops, science laboratories, a film studio, recording studio, conference area and an e-sports lab.
The IoT began teaching its first cohort of students in September 2021. It specialises in degree-level courses and apprenticeships across engineering, manufacturing, science, health, creative and media, digital and computer science, and business management sectors.
The IoT curriculum has been selected and developed with employers to ensure that courses fully meet their current and future needs and fill skills gaps.
At an opening ceremony on Thursday (November 3) a ribbon was cut by South Swindon MP Robert Buckland. This North Swindon counterpart Justin Tomlinson MP was also in attendance, as were David Renard, leader of Swindon Borough Council, and Paul Moorby, chairman of the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership.
Tech journalist and Gadget Show presenter Georgie Barratt gave the keynote speech.
Carole Kitching, Principal and CEO of New College Swindon said: “This marks the biggest ever investment in skills training in the region and one that others have termed ‘a revolution in skills training.”
"We know that Swindon is a higher education cold-spot, with no university and a lower percentage of young people progressing into higher education than nationally, and we also know that our employers need a pipeline of highly-skilled young people and adults to drive economic prosperity.
"The IoT is the solution to meeting workforce skills needs now and into the future and to help forge the development of a high-skill high-paid future knowledge economy.”
Robert Buckland said: "We need to inspire our young people, and indeed those at a later stage in life, to get those all-important higher education qualifications that lead to higher wages and higher-skilled jobs and make our economy a resilient economy for the future. I am genuinely excited to be here at this opening today.”
Visitors, prospective students and partners can view the new facilities and find out more at the College’s university-level open evening at its North Star campus on Thursday, November 17 from 5pm to 7pm.
