Peter Kyle, the Shadow Secretary of State for Science and Technology, described the new green technology centre at Peterborough College as “cutting edge” and said he couldn’t wait to return later this year as Secretary of State “to see the learning in action”. Mr Kyle visited the college on Friday accompanied by Andrew Pakes, the Labour Parliamentary candidate for Peterborough.
The visit showcased the college’s ongoing projects, emphasising its commitment to innovation and educational excellence in the East of England.
“What I have seen today at Peterborough College and the green technology centre is an educational establishment that is cutting edge,” he told CambsNews.
Asked if there was a city he had visited from which Peterborough could learn to grow and develop, Mr Kyle said “rather than Peterborough going out there and learning from others I would like to bring people here to learn from what you are doing here because it is that impressive.
“As it goes live in December I want to start coming back here, hopefully as Secretary of State so that I can see the learning in action and bring people here to see what you’re doing because this is the way forward”.
Mr Kyle and Mr Pakes were welcomed to the college by Louise Perry, chief financial officer of Inspire Education Group.
The visit began with an introduction to the college’s recent developments and strategic initiatives, providing insights into the new building projects and recent investments in innovative teaching and learning resources and technologies.
Following the meeting, the visitors looked in on the new Centre for Green Technology’s construction site.
Friday 31 May 2024. Picture by Terry Harris.
Roger Bancroft, site manager of Cleggs Construction, guided them around the development work on the cladding and insulation.
Ms Perry elaborated on the curriculum planned for the new centre, designed to deliver green technology skills to students preparing to enter the construction industry.
One of the visit’s highlights was a demonstration of the college’s future classrooms developed in collaboration with Google.
As a newly designated Google Reference College, Peterborough College has integrated state-of-the-art conferencing facilities that enable one teacher to instruct multiple classes simultaneously.
The college believes this immersive technology room stands as a testament to their forward-thinking approach to education.
Ms Perry said: “Our dedication to innovation and sustainability drives us to spearhead transformative projects like the Centre for Green Technology.
“This initiative not only reflects our commitment to environmental stewardship but also showcases our belief in integrating cutting-edge technology with education for the benefit of our students and the communities we serve.
“By embracing green technology, we not only prepare our students for the future job market but also contribute to building a more sustainable society.”
Mr Pakes said the green technology centre at Peterborough College “means that we will be able to get our fair share of skilled green jobs which will give not just young people but people retraining the opportunity to get on.
“We have sat up for too long and have accepted that Peterborough is always second best – the new technology centre, and working with Peter and the Labour government, means we can get to the top of the league table of good high skill jobs and prosperity.”
Talking about the forthcoming General Election, Mr Kyle said there is “nothing inevitable about winning or losing in politics.
“You win when you address the priorities of a local community that you seek to represent and that’s what we’re seeing up and down the country since Keir Starmer became leader and changed the Labour Party.
“He got us fit for service, and you found us moving forward in every set of local elections and as we move towards a general election, the Labour party is ready to serve, and you’ve seen that with fantastic quality candidates such as Andrew.
“Labour we will be focused on the priorities of the country, and we will offer a decade of national renewal based on putting the country first.”
