MP urges Government to open Defence Technical College in Swindon
MP Will Stone has said the town is a leading centre for defence and drone technology
A formal application has been lodged with the government for it to award the town one of five Defence Technical Colleges.
And if it is successful, the college should be operating on the New College Swindon campus from September at the start of the academic year.
MP for Swindon North, Will Stone, has written to the Minister for Skills, Baroness Smith – the former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith.
He said: “I’m proud to have put forward an application to get a government Defence Technical College in Swindon, working alongside New College, Swindon and industry from across the country.”
In his letter to Baroness Smith, Mr Stone said Swindon is exceptionally well-placed for one of the five colleges for a number of reasons.
He wrote: “Swindon is a rapidly growing defence and drone technology hub. It is becoming the UK’s leading centre for unmanned aerial vehicles and is now home to four UAV companies, including the largest drone hub in the country.
“Establishing a technical college here would help cultivate the skilled workforce required for this emerging and strategically important industry.”
Mr Stone said Swindon’s location, with excellent transport links in the South West and to London and the South East also makes it a good candidate and he listed 29 different companies that he said support the proposal for a college here.
Companies include drone firms Stark, Tekever, Muni and Flyby, who all have facilities in Swindon, and others such as Rayfast, Rowden Technologies, Quantum Systems and Aex Robotics.
He wrote: “The support from these companies clearly demonstrates the strong and united commitment of the defence technology sector to the establishment of a college in Swindon.
“This initiative would address critical national skills shortages and reinforce the South West’s position and a centre of excellence for advanced manufacturing, autonomy and defence innovation.”
When the possibility of asking for New College Swindon to host the Defence Technical College was first put forward, the college said it was keen.
The Vice Principal for Commercial, Skills and Partnerships, Matt Butcher, said: “It’s an exciting time for Swindon, with many innovative companies moving in, particularly in areas such as drone technology and defence.
“We welcome the opportunity to develop a centre that strengthens Swindon’s position as a hub for advanced industries.
Our focus is on developing and retaining those higher technical skills within the local workforce, through access to industry-leading facilities and training, raising aspirations of local learners to become experts and future leaders in these fast-growing sectors.”