Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Dr Vince Cable MP visited Liverpool Life Sciences UTC to celebrate Make It Britain; an event supporting the manufacture of great British products.
The UTC’s focus on enhancing the talent of young people whilst partnering with some of Merseyside’s biggest industry leaders from the sector, made Liverpool’s first University Technical College the ideal setting to host a celebration of British innovation.
Dr Cable received a tour of the innovation labs and health suite and was impressed with the industry standard facilities available to students. In the health suite, students invited the Secretary of State to observe an airway management demonstration on SimMan, the school’s advanced patient simulator.
Organised by the manufacturer’s organisation EEF, the event surrounded the publication of their recent report titled ‘Pioneering Great British Products’.
The showcase featured a wide range of displays, ranging from the heavy duty surveillance vehicles manufactured by Hybrid Air Vehicles, to robotic limbs designed by prosthetic specialists Touch Bionics, to the £30 mini computer the Raspberry Pi.
Chief Executive of EEF Terry Scuoler opened the celebration of great British products and spoke about the report and its links to education.
It is important to understand the links between innovative ideas and business strategy, and we should be proud of our heritage as an industrial nation whilst being inspired by the next generation of products. For this reason we are sending a copy of the report to every school in the UK to create business links and to inspire both staff and students alike.
Dr Vince Cable addressed exhibitors and students, and discussed the importance of British innovation, and touched on the image of manufacturing in Britain.
This report serves as a very good reminder of the UK’s considerable strengths in manufacturing, and the current revival that we’re seeing in the sector is highly encouraging. The Government is working closely with manufacturing businesses to give them the confidence to invest, securing highly-skilled jobs, a stronger economy, and more world-shaping inventions in the future.
He went on to discuss the introduction of UTC’s across the country.
University Technical Colleges are brilliant, and great for the economy. We have some of the best designers in the world being highly innovative and creative, and the report emphasises what Britain is really good at.