£15.4m Air and Space Institute, on Great North Road, Newark officially opened at launch event by Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, Veronica Pickering, Mayor of East Midlands, Claire Ward, and attended by project partners including Newark and Sherwood District Council and Lincoln College Group

After years of hard work and anticipation the Air and Space Institute has officially launched, allowing the ambitions of young people to take flight.

The £15.4m state-of-the-art building is home to world class educational facilities and will help train the next generation of aviation and space professionals, making Newark a hub for industry expertise.

More than a hundred guests, including industry experts, project partners, and members of the community were invited to the opening ceremony on Friday (September 27) to learn more about the building and marvel at the cutting edge technology available to students.

Speeches were given before the Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, Veronica Pickering, officially declared the Air and Space Institute open in the shadow of its centrepiece, the incredibly impressive Airbus A318 training tool.

The former Air France passenger jet was stripped out and refitted by Lincoln-based Flight Director for use in everything from hands-on engineering works, to pilot training, and is even capable of simulating real-life emergency scenarios.

Elsewhere in the building are simulators for a number of different aircraft types, VR studios for ground crew training, fabrication and design workshops fitted with the latest equipment, as well as adaptable classrooms and seminar suites.

Mark Locking, chief executive and principle of the Lincoln College Group, said: “I can hardly contain myself, I’m buzzing with excitement that all of our hard work has paid off.

“As great as it is for the aviation and space sector more generally, what I’m really pleased about is that this building has the power to reinvigorate and reimagine the way that young people across Newark and Sherwood view education.

“For too long, too many students have been leaving Newark, but by being able to see world class facilities like this on their doorstep, it gives them an entirely unique opportunity to seek out careers that they could only have dreamt of.

“We are striving towards creating a highly skilled workforce, where the learning experience is second to none.”

The building welcomed its first students earlier this year while finishing touches were still being put in place, and with September’s intake the number has now grown to around 200.

These students led guests on tours of the facilities, showcasing the range of equipment and expertise available to them on their chosen pathways whether they are specialising in flying, space, or a support role, all the way through to travel, tourism and cabin crew training.

All courses have been developed with the help of industry employers such as the Royal Air Force, Rolls-Royce, East Midlands Airport and many more to ensure that students are equipped with the right skills and knowledge to enter the workforce.

Louise Wilkinson is a level 3 engineering student and said: “It’s actually amazing here, we have access to more resources than we ever had before.

“People thought me training to become an engineer was a little strange at first because it is such a male dominated industry, but this is what I really want to do and I feel lucky that I have that opportunity here.”

Learning to fly on the level 3 pilot programme is Caelen Wheatley, who said: “As a pilot, the simulators allow us to practice and develop our skills so that when it comes to getting into an aircraft or starting our careers we are ready for any scenario.

“They are amazing bits of kit, not just for us, but for engineers and ground crew too, who are able to get invaluable, hands-on experience and do what could only ever be done at a real, working airport.”

Also is attendance was East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward, who praised the new building and even tried her hand at landing a plane in one of the simulators.

She expressed her excitement about the opportunities now on offer to young people across the region, saying: “I am really, truly in awe of what has been achieved here.

“This site, once a symbol of Newark’s past, is now a beacon of our future. A cutting edge headquarters designed to inspire and equip the next generation.

“The scale of ambition here is absolutely undeniable and it is clear the Air and Space Institute is going to play a vital role in shaping the future of the East Midlands.

She added: “By offering world class education and training, young people in our region will have the skills they need to succeed in industries that are absolutely critical to the global economy.

“These students are set to lead the way in innovation, regeneration and progress in so many areas that we are only just beginning to discover.

“The air and space sectors, once seen as exclusive to a select few, are now open to everyone regardless of background. The Institute is giving young people from all walks of life the chance to enter historically elite professions.

“It is a profound step, not just for those individuals, or the district, but for the region as a whole — and no doubt, the sky is the limit.”

Dozens of stakeholders and partners came together to make the project possible, including Newark and Sherwood District Council, who secured millions of pounds in funding through the Newark Town Board.

Council leader Paul Peacock, said: “I am delighted. This is great for the town and it is great for the district.

“This has been many years in the making and we have always been happy to show our support because keeping students here and bringing students here is really important.

“Historically, Newark and Sherwood has had low levels of social mobility and so we’ve been working very hard to develop projects such as this which raise the expectations of what people think they can achieve.

“As well as providing excellent opportunities for young people, it is a signal to businesses that we have the expertise and the ambition needed to make this an attractive place to be and with that comes the economic benefits needed to help our district continue to grow.”