JCB Academy officially opened by royal couple
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall visit the new educational facility in Rocester
LAST week the £22 million JCB Academy was officially opened by Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall. The royal couple visited the facility in Mill Street, Rocester, where they met staff, students and supporters who have contributed to the success of The Academy.
The Prince of Wales, accompanied by JCB chairman Sir Anthony Bamford and JCB Academy principal Jim Wade, was given an insight into the hi-tech resources available to the 170 Year 10 and sixth-form students, including the only plasma cutter to be based in a UK school.
Meanwhile, the Duchess of Cornwall met community groups linked to The JCB Academy and the Grade II listed Arkwright mill building where it is housed.
The royal couple later unveiled a plaque (pictured) to mark the official opening of The Academy.
In a speech at the opening ceremony, Sir Anthony Bamford said: ‘Over 200 years after Arkwright invented the spinning frame, his mill in Rocester is now home to a transformation – a revolution, some might say – in how our young people are educated.
‘Our hope is that the engineers and business leaders of the future – that our country so desperately needs to rebalance our economy – will pass through the doors of this historic building. As a nation that seems to have fallen out of love with manufacturing, I look upon The JCB Academy as a rebirth – or at least the beginnings of a rebirth – in technical education.
‘We have high hopes for The JCB Academy. With the support of our partners, Rolls Royce, Toyota, Network Rail, Bentley and Bombardier, for example, we anticipate that the unique technical education it provides to 14–19-year-olds will be inspirational for young people, and be of great value to the national economy through the skills it will provide to our manufacturing and engineering companies.’
LAST week the £22 million JCB Academy was officially opened by Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall. The royal couple visited the facility in Mill Street, Rocester, where they met staff, students and supporters who have contributed to the success of The Academy.
The Prince of Wales, accompanied by JCB chairman Sir Anthony Bamford and JCB Academy principal Jim Wade, was given an insight into the hi-tech resources available to the 170 Year 10 and sixth-form students, including the only plasma cutter to be based in a UK school.
Meanwhile, the Duchess of Cornwall met community groups linked to The JCB Academy and the Grade II listed Arkwright mill building where it is housed.
The royal couple later unveiled a plaque (pictured) to mark the official opening of The Academy.
In a speech at the opening ceremony, Sir Anthony Bamford said: ‘Over 200 years after Arkwright invented the spinning frame, his mill in Rocester is now home to a transformation – a revolution, some might say – in how our young people are educated.
‘Our hope is that the engineers and business leaders of the future – that our country so desperately needs to rebalance our economy – will pass through the doors of this historic building. As a nation that seems to have fallen out of love with manufacturing, I look upon The JCB Academy as a rebirth – or at least the beginnings of a rebirth – in technical education.
‘We have high hopes for The JCB Academy. With the support of our partners, Rolls Royce, Toyota, Network Rail, Bentley and Bombardier, for example, we anticipate that the unique technical education it provides to 14–19-year-olds will be inspirational for young people, and be of great value to the national economy through the skills it will provide to our manufacturing and engineering companies.’
