Shropshire Star

Shropshire firm to lead £10m Telford university revamp

The £10 million redevelopment of Telford's university campus will be led by a Shropshire company, it has been revealed.

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Knockin-based building contractor Pave Aways has been appointed to lead the work at the University of Wolverhampton's campus at Priorslee – part of an overall £250 million investment plan.

The engineering training centre received planning permission in December and will allow the university to deliver new courses in automotive and aerospace engineering. With a contractor appointed, work is expected to begin this month and be complete by November.

Pave Aways has previously worked on the new entrance to the Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital at Oswestry, the new home of Newtown's Control Techniques and Dairy Crest's new Innovation Centre at Harper Adams University.

Managing director Steven Owen said: "We pride ourselves on being a leader in the ever changing construction industry within the surrounding counties of Shropshire and Mid & North Wales.

"We were delighted to win the contract to deliver such an exciting redevelopment project in our local area and we are committed, as part of the contract, to offering real work experience opportunities for apprentices and students currently studying at the university."

The investment in new engineering facilities and enhanced courses comes amid a regional and national shortage of qualified engineering graduates, and will focus on providing students with access to technology at the forefront of engineering developments.

Professor Ian Oakes, deputy vice-chancellor at the University of Wolverhampton, said: "In the UK, it is estimated that there will be a shortfall of around 200,000 qualified engineers by 2020.

"This substantial investment in enhanced provision and expanded facilities demonstrates our commitment to providing the next generation of skilled engineers.

"Our new courses combine activity based learning and live industrial project work with a real focus on creativity and employability."

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