Alconbury’s Innovation, Manufacturing, Engineering and Technology centre was officially topped out in November by Huntingdon MP Jonathan Djanogly at a ceremony joined by leaders from business, local government and iMET’s partners.
iMET was conceived in 2013 after research funded by Urban&Civic, local authorities and the Local Enterprise Partnership identified the need for advanced skills to support growth in engineering and high value manufacturing in the region. Alconbury’s proximity to the global innovation hub and cutting-edge industries of Cambridge makes it a great location to support that skills agenda.
Now, with £10.5 million from the Greater Cambridge and Greater Peterborough Enterprise Partnership and support from Cambridge and Peterborough’s regional colleges, iMET is being built on land donated by Urban&Civic. Our team has also been working with the colleges’ project teams on design, build, branding, business engagement and curriculum development.
When iMET opens in 2018, it will manage business engagement in skills in the region and provide the kind of training that growth in lightweight technologies, energy storage and low carbon manufacturing all depend on. By supporting that growth, iMET will extend Alconbury’s contribution to sustainability way beyond the confines of the site.
“Productivity is becoming the catchword in Westminster. A key part of that productivity is skills, and in this part of the country making the most out of the wonderful resources we have here is key. Training is a vital part of that, together with an increase in apprenticeships. iMET will enable local businesses to take that to a much higher level.”
Jonathon Djanogly MP