South West first for out of this world apprenticeship

Truro and Penwith College recently announced the development of a brand new space apprenticeship that is a first for the South West, supporting Cornwall’s £1 billion Space and Aerospace sector. 

The development of the South West’s first Space Engineering Technician apprenticeship was announced this month at a special event attended by dignitaries and VIPs at Truro College.

The ground-breaking apprenticeship was revealed at the launch of Truro and Penwith College’s Cornwall Space and Aerospace Technology Training (CSATT), which is being delivered through the ESF part-funded SS HLS project.

CSATT is developing the apprenticeship along with new short courses that will boost Cornwall’s £1 billion Space and Aerospace sector.

Cherilyn Mackrory MP and Mayor of Truro Steven Webb joined staff and 60 employers from across Cornwall to tour Truro College’s brand-new £7 million South West Institute of Technology engineering and technology centre, ‘Valency’, over two socially distanced engagement sessions.

Truro and Penwith College aims to be the second provider in the UK to offer the new university level apprenticeship at level 4, with potential for learners to study additional qualifications that will take their training up to a level 5 HNC in Space Engineering.

With sufficient demand from employers, the first apprentices could start in September 2022 and will be involved in the design and production of satellites, components and subsystems along with the production, operation and maintenance of highly specialised ground support equipment that is used to develop and test satellites before launch.

Training development is supported by sector experts Goonhilly Earth Station, Spaceport Cornwall and Aerospace Cornwall, with further support from the University of Exeter, University of Leicester, and the Open University.

Heidi Thiemann, CSATT Project Manager at Truro and Penwith College, commented: “The apprenticeship and short courses are the first of many innovative space and aerospace training projects we are going to announce over the coming months and years.

“The Cornish space economy is growing rapidly and we need people with the right skills to maintain that growth. Through CSATT, we’re going to provide that world-class space training to ensure that businesses and individuals are supported and given exciting career opportunities”.

The £7million Valency building recently opened at Truro College as part of the College’s partnership in the South West Institute of Technology, a government-led project to equip the British workforce with skills required across key sectors and is a state-of-the-art engineering and technology hub.

Martin Tucker, Principal at Truro and Penwith College said: “This is an exciting project that will help ensure the College has the level of industry engagement to underpin our £12 million investment in two new state of the art technology buildings and associated resources at Truro and, opening in April 2022, at Bodmin. These facilities will fully support learners with the training and experience required to develop the necessary skills for Cornwall’s workforce, ensuring the success of the Space and Aerospace industry”.

For more information, visit Truro and Penwith College

Image: Mayor of Truro Steven Webb, Heidi Thiemann, Cherilyn Mackrory MP and Martin Tucker at the CSATT launch event in the College’s £7 million Valency building in July.

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