Stansted Airport College explores plans for the UK’s first aviation education and skills campus

18 Sep Stansted Airport College explores plans for the UK’s first aviation education and skills campus

Stansted Airport College – the first purpose built further education college at a UK airport – has marked the start of the new school year by unveiling ambitious plans for the future of the facility.

As a new intake of students pass through the college’s doors, London Stansted and the College are considering options to enlarge the existing 500-student capacity building to cope with future demand as well as creating the UK’s first aviation education and skills campus at the site.

Pascall+Watson, architects of the college building, have unveiled concept designs to outline how a dedicated education zone on the existing site could be created to bring together the airport’s award winning Aerozone education centre and the Stansted Airport Employment and Skills Academy.

The Aerozone is an aviation-themed learning hub to inspire children and young adults about the key STEM subjects of science, technology, engineering, maths and careers in the aviation industry. Since opening its doors in 2015 it has so far welcomed over 15,000 visitors. The Stansted Airport Employment and Skills Academy promotes on-site job vacancies and offers tailored aviation training programmes and apprenticeship schemes to help jobs seekers gain the necessary skills to enable them to secure employment at the airport.

Opened last year by Robert Halfon MP, Chair of the Education Select Committee, Stansted Airport College is a joint venture between London Stansted and Harlow College with additional funding from the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP), Essex County Council, Uttlesford District Council and the Savoy Trust. As the only further education facility within Uttlesford, the curriculum offers students courses in a range of subjects including aviation, engineering, aircraft maintenance, cabin crew, hospitality and event management.

Ken O’ Toole, London Stansted’s CEO, said:

“We are all very proud of the College and the unique, ground-breaking partnership between education and industry that led to its creation. It enjoyed an extremely successful launch year attracting over 300 new students, and as its popularity continues to grow now is clearly the right time to look at how we can build on this success and explore opportunities to develop an educational campus here at the airport.

“Our vision is for a ‘one stop shop’ education zone that brings together a growing College, and hugely popular Aerozone and Employment and Skills Academy. This will help cement London Stansted’s position as a UK centre of excellence within aviation for skills, education and employment and create a community facility that not only delivers for young people today but creates a genuine legacy for future generations too.”