Partnership sees new training centre open in Bury St Edmunds
Eastern Education Group opened a unique manufacturing centre for the Eastern Region thanks to a link up with the Gene Haas Foundation this week.
The building is situated inside the University Professional Development Centre in Bury St Edmunds thanks to a £550k investment from the foundation.
The facility is housed on the former site of Vintens and pays homage to this manufacturing giant by showcasing their history on the walls of the new building.
The aim of the investment is to train new talent to fill skill shortages in this industry.
According to Barclays in 2024, the UK had 61,000 vacancies in manufacturing roles.
The new facility will be training thousands of engineering and manufacturing students – and apprentices – across all levels of education and it is called The Gene Haas Centre for Advanced Manufacturing.
This is only the third UK centre of its kind and the first and only one that will be housed in the East of England. (The original was opened in Nottinghamshire three years ago).
Kathy Looman the Executive Director of Gene Hass Foundation flew in from America to officially open the building. And the Lord Lieutenant, Clare, Countess of Euston was also in attendance.
This event took place during a campaign called National Apprenticeship Week.
West Suffolk Council has also helped fund some of the new machinery. Engineering is the second largest area of study at University Professional Development Centre and as a result of the new facility, Eastern Education Group wants to initially train an additional 150 people every year.
Laraine Moody is the Group Principal of Eastern Education Group’s University & Professional Development Centre (UPDC). Laraine said: “The Gene Haas Foundation Centre builds on our long history of delivering engineering and advanced manufacturing qualifications in partnership with employers across Suffolk and Norfolk. National Industrial Strategy priorities, Local Growth Plans and Local Skills Improvement Plans all point to the same conclusion; there is an urgent need for new entrants into engineering and manufacturing, alongside opportunities for existing workers to upskill.
“It also means preparing people for the future. Thanks to the investment behind the new Centre, we have been able to purchase cutting-edge CNC equipment, state-of-the-art computer-operated machinery and a suite of simulators that allow learners to build confidence before stepping onto the factory floor. These facilities will open doors for young people taking their first steps into industry, along with adults retraining for new careers, and employers looking to grow their workforce locally rather than recruiting from further afield.
“We are enormously grateful to the Gene Haas Foundation for their generosity. Their donation has enabled us to create the Centre, and we are only the third education partner in the UK they have chosen to invest in. Their commitment goes further still, with ongoing funding to support disadvantaged learners, allowing us to run outreach events that widen access to training for people who might otherwise feel education is out of reach.”
Kathy Looman, Executive Director, Gene Haas Foundation said: “We are so happy to be opening the third Gene Haas Centre in the UK at Eastern Education Group. Haas has partnered with over many schools in the UK over the past two years and have ongoing plans to continue supporting the expansion of manufacturing and engineering training facilities. The Gene Haas Foundation provides scholarships for students, training opportunities for teachers as well as this capital grant to provide funds to expand and improve the facility for CNC training.”
Richard Bridgman works for Warren Services and he said: “There is a massive shortage of machinists – this is the third centre in the country – it looks fantastic – and this is great news for the college and the region.”
