New Digital Learning Centre in Telford Holds Inaugural Discovery Day

A new digital learning centre, situated in central Telford, will welcome potential students on Saturday. Harper Adams University Telford (HAUT) has established its presence at The Quad, a recently constructed building central to the town’s Station Quarter development. The discovery day event will feature activities focused on robotics, engineering, automation, business, and data science. Companies seeking to employ graduates from these courses will also have a presence. Parmjit Chima, the executive academic director of HAUT, stated that it aims to “help provide companies, in the West Midlands and beyond, with students who are equipped with the digital and technology skills so many of these companies are seeking”. The event, scheduled from 10:00 to 16:00 GMT, is set to offer a variety of science, technology, engineering, and maths activities, including F1 in schools, a hackathon investigating data’s influence on contemporary industries, and robotics technology. Attendees will also have the opportunity to engage in a game of four-in-a-row with a robot. Vice-chancellor Ken Sloane stated, “They’ll be able to be welcomed by Oscar the robot, who will be helping to check people in.” He further added, “If young people want to come in and have a go at racing a racing car within the building, they can do that. “It’s designed for all age ranges, I’d be happy for my nephews to be there but I’d be equally happy for my mother to be there.” Beyond the entertainment, the primary objective of the day is to underscore the centre’s importance in cultivating future talent for technology firms within the region. Specialists will be present to clarify how automation is enhancing industrial speed and intelligence, and businesses collaborating with Harper Adams at this facility will be present. Mr Sloane commented, “We’re bringing these courses into the heart of Telford, so instead of just teaching over on the campus, we’re now part of that integrated digital hub.” He continued, “The workforce is going to need to have the skills and understanding to use digital technology, in order to improve productivity and also to advance what we can do.” He concluded, “It’s a real building of opportunity and innovation, and we’re delighted to be part of it.” Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.