A NEWLY built innovation centre hosted its first taster day before its official opening.

Colchester Institute held the event at the Braintree Campus, showcasing their new STEM Innovation Centre.

The event, at the campus in Church Lane, was organised with Essex County Council, the Essex Employment Skills Board and Braintree Council.

A construction taster day was organised as Cadman Construction Ltd was responsible for the creation of the Innovation Centre.

Adam Ward, director of the Faculty for Construction and Engineering Technologies at Colchester Institute, said: “The STEM Innovation Centre is a much needed response to both the urgent growth in skills required to meet planned construction projects for the region and the growing ageing workforce and skills shortage issues within a thriving manufacturing and engineering sector”.

Workshops took place and Year 9 students from Tabor Academy, Alec Hunter Academy and Maltings Academy enjoyed an exclusive visit, ahead of its official launch, which is due to take place in June.

James Wilkinson, Skills Manager at Essex County Council said: “On behalf of the Essex Employment and Skills Board, I’d like to say a huge thank you to the team at Colchester Institute and to the employers on the day for not only giving local students a great insight into the Construction sector, but also for hosting us all out of the amazing new STEM Innovation Centre at Braintree.

"Students will have learned a lot about future careers, including Apprenticeships, in construction from both the interactive workshops and employer marketplace.”