A NEW £5.6 million STEM innovation centre has been opened in Braintree.

Colchester Institute unveiled the new facility at The College at Braintree.

The centre was opened to focus on Stem subjects, which stands for science, technology, engineering and maths.

It is designed to be used to meet the needs of local employers offering students practical as well as academic training.

College Principal Alison Andreas said: “To be truly responsive to local need, we had to turn our attention to another of the Essex skills priority areas.

“It may surprise you to hear that, until now, there were no engineering or technology training facilities in the Braintree district other than those found in schools.

“There were therefore no local opportunities for 16 -19 year olds, adults or employers to access such facilities and gain the skills required to support local businesses to succeed and grow.

“It will be new, innovative and exciting making sure that students fulfil their potential in key industries.”

The College will cater for both students who would like to enrol on full time Stem courses and employers choosing to train apprentices at the centre.

It has a capacity of 2,000 students and its opening on Friday attracted investors and businesses.

Halstead business Premaberg Manufacturing Ltd said they were delighted with the new centre.

Production manager Bob Whiting said: “We are very impressed with the new centre and its amazing facilities.

“Premaberg are confident that it will equip trainees we send here with the skills needed in our organisation.

“The company is specialist and new innovative students are welcome, but they must be trained to the highest quality to do the job.

“We have full confidence in the Colchester Institute’s Stem campus to do that.”

James Cleverly, MP for Braintree, said the College Stem centre was “a very impressive building”.

He said: “The Colchester Institute have designed the Stem centre on the Braintree campus so students are skilled in what employers need for the future.

“The College itself is an amazing building and I’m confident that, talking to employers here, what a fantastic opportunity it will give young people.”

The centre was being built to train young people and adults to directly support skills needs identified by the Essex Employment and Skills Board and Braintree District Council.

With an estimated 44,000 new recruits likely to be needed in construction-related roles across Essex by 2021 and more specifically, 14,000 new houses to be built in Braintree by 2033 there are an estimated 20,000 new jobs being created.