Engineering companies have given their backing to a new technology-focused college tucked on the outskirts of Houghton Regis.
There are only 42 students currently at Central Bedfordshire University Technical College, in Parkside Drive, but principal Sarah Driscoll is confident that number will grow over the years to fill the current capacity of 600.
Companies including Nissan, in Cranfield, and MacDonald Humfrey (Automation), which employs 300 people from Bolton Road, Luton, spoke out in favour of the UTC.
John Barry, a director at MacDonald Humfrey, said: “Last year we turned away £16million in work because of the skills shortage.”
David Moss, vice president of vehicle research and development at Nissan’s huge Cranfield base in Bedfordshire, said the severe skills shortages in engineering – especially electronic engineering – was his reason for being associated with the UTC.
He said it is what the country’s industry needs.