Pictures: Plans for £12m revamp and expansion of Telford university facilites

The scheme will allow the University of Wolverhampton to deliver new courses in automotive and aerospace engineering from new state-of-the-art facilities at Telford Innovation Campus in Priorslee, as well as boost student numbers.

A planning application has been lodged with Telford & Wrekin Council to create a large new workshop space and refurbish workshops and labs.

A new school office would also be accessed off an extended entrance foyer, which will provide space to showcase a formula one car and display work throughout the academic year.

Engineering companies have been given a first look at the potential opportunities offered by a planned £12 million investment into the University of Wolverhampton's Telford Innovation Campus.

Staff from companies including Ricoh, BAE Systems and Grainger & Worrall, were briefed at an event about the investment in advanced new engineering facilities and courses at the campus.

Plans to revamp and expand facilities have been lodged with Telford & Wrekin Council in response to the regional and national shortage of qualified engineering graduates.

Guests were welcomed to the event by Professor Ian Oakes, deputy vice-chancellor at the University of Wolverhampton.

He said: "With an estimated shortfall of 200,000 qualified engineers in the UK by 2020, the University of Wolverhampton is investing £12 million in new facilities and equipment to double the number of engineering graduates by 2020.

"To ensure that this new enhanced provision will meet the needs of employers in the region, engineering companies have given their feedback on the future provision of the university's Telford Innovation Campus.

"Engaging with the engineering sector early on is important, so our campus investment is developed around their needs.

"We value the contribution our business partners are making to ensure that our course provision and collaborative projects leaves our graduates with the skills needed in the workforce and the professional development requirements of engineering employees will continue to be met in the future."

Specialist equipment within the campus investment includes a pit lane and wind tunnel, a design and visualisation facility, engine testing, 3D printing, and laboratories dedicated to electronics, telecommunications, metrology and materials testing.

New courses have already been launched for this academic year in areas such as motorsport engineering, chemical engineering and electronics and telecommunications engineering.

They will be followed by the introduction of food engineering and aerospace engineering qualifications in 2016/17.

This latest investment in teaching and learning facilities for the study of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects follows the recent £21 million investment in the Rosalind Franklin Science Centre at City Campus in Wolverhampton.

It is a response to a regional and national shortage of qualified engineering graduates, with experts claiming there will be a shortfall of about 200,000 qualified engineers across the country by 2020.

A report submitted with the plans says: "The current facility built in the late 1990s does not provide an arrival wow factor.

"There is insufficient space to showcase the research that takes place and a lack of project workshop space.

"Due to strong connections with the motor industry, space is required to meet with partners and allow them to have involvement with research and as such a new boardroom and pitch room have been included within the design."

New courses have been launched in Telford this academic year in the areas of motorsport engineering, chemical engineering and electronic and telecommunications engineering.

It is expected to be followed by the introduction of food engineering and aerospace engineering in 2016/17.

The plans state that refurbishments to the existing building would offer the opportunity to create a new school office, along with both board and pitch rooms.

According to the plans, the spaces are intended to be used by the school for meeting and developing pitches to sponsors and industry representatives and as showcase spaces for the schools activities.

The report adds: "The pitch and board rooms are designed to provide a contrast to the pit lane aesthetic.

"Designed as high tech presentation spaces the muted interior palette contrasts against the digital displays brightness and allows for blackout for presentation purposes if required.

"They are separated from the pit lane by a glass partition system, and boast both feature lighting and large digital presentation screens, as well as digital and fixed signage."

The plans have revealed that there would also be a large display case featuring an exploded F1 car which is enhanced by spot lighting.

A 'live project' workshop would be created and used as both a workshop and display or exhibition space for students and business partners.

The new centre will help provide a skilled workforce for major employers such as JLR, which employs hundreds of people at its M54 car engine plant.