A NEW innovation centre will be built at The College at Braintree to train young people in science and technology.

The centre will be based at the college’s Church Lane campus and is being built to train young people and adults.

They will learn skills identified by the Essex Employment and Skills Board and Braintree Council in science, technology, engineering and maths.

Alison Andreas, Principal and Chief Executive at Colchester Institute, said: “We are really excited about the prospect of our new training facility opening in the Spring.

"We will have a very large open plan manufacturing facility that will replicate industrial facilities, in addition to more specific high-tech workshops and classrooms.

"Our students, apprentices, the many employers we work with and the wider community will benefit from the training opportunities within a range of engineering and technology disciplines.

"These facilities will contribute greatly to the gaining of outstanding practical skills and abilities – making our students highly employable.”

The site will be visited by The South East Local Enterprise Partnership as part of a tour.

The SELEP, which aims to drive economic growth across the region, will visit the district on Wednesday, October 12.

Christian Brodie, chairman of the SELEP, will meet local entrepreneurs, local businesses and find out more about the strengths and opportunities North Essex offers.

He will also visit Ignite House and the proposed site for the Witham Enterprise Centre to see the difference made to start-up businesses.

His other engagements include visiting the district's pinch points like Galleys Corner along the A120, visiting Witham businesses, touring business parks, touring Braintree Town Centre and finding out about train links.

The tour will finish with a visit to one of Braintree’s newest businesses- Cool Beans on Bank Street in Braintree.

Wendy Schmitt, Deputy Leader of Braintree Council, said: “This visit demonstrates that Braintree district is going places.

"We have the best entrepreneurs and small businesses in the county and I know we’ll be able to demonstrate that more of the funding the SELEP controls should be spent supporting our businesses to create new jobs here in our district, for the benefit of our district and, because of our great location, the wider region too.”