On Wednesday 25th June, Bolton College’s Engineering staff and students gathered to celebrate the success of their Student of the Year and to mark the closing of the Horwich Campus.
As the Horwich Centre closes, the new STEM Centre opens, to provide a dynamic new curriculum for next year’s young cohort – including courses in Motor Vehicle, Motor Sport and Engineering. STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths – must be made a priority in terms of young people’s education in Bolton, as manufacturing still provides 18% of jobs in the town. Bolton College is addressing this skills gap by providing vocational pathways to STEM-related careers through collaboration with local employers.
In addition to the many students who received awards on the day for their achievements and progress in Engineering, the ceremony was attended by all of the staff – including a number of proud tutors – who have contributed not only to the success of the learners but also to the Centre’s long-lived prosperity.
David Carr, Curriculum Leader for Motor Vehicle, said: “This is always a great occasion to recognise and celebrate our students’ excellent progress and achievements, while also reflecting on the many thousands of learners who have been educated at Horwich since its establishment.”
This year’s Student of the Year, Clifford Bromilow, was selected for the prestigious award due to his enthusiasm and dedication to engineering – one of the core subjects that the STEM Centre will be delivering in order to meet the needs of the local economy.
Clifford, 19, said: “I was really surprised to receive the award – it’ll be great for my CV. When I finish my course – Level 2 Diploma in Engineering Technology – I plan to pursue a career in engineering. I don’t want a generic job that’s the same, day in day out. I love learning new things – it’s what makes life interesting. It’d be great to get an Apprenticeship so that I can earn while learning from experts in the field.”
Peter Alstead, Head of STEM and Motor Vehicle, said: “Today’s event reflected past, present and future – this being the final Engineering prize-giving presentation to take place at Horwich due to the relocation of these courses to our new £4.3 million STEM Centre. While the ceremony has been a poignant one, it has only increased our anticipation of what we can expect from the STEM Centre this September.”
