Their Majesties The King and Queen present North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College with national award

North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College has received a Queen Elizabeth Prize for Education from Their Majesties The King and Queen for equipping thousands of students and professional engineers with specialist new skills in demand from the UK’s automotive sector through the MIRA Technology Institute.

Today representatives from North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College (NWSLC) and the MIRA Technology Institute (MTI) were presented with a silver medal and a certificate signed by His Majesty The King at an investiture ceremony at St James’s Palace. The ceremony was followed by a Prize-winners reception and gala dinner at the Guildhall in London.

The Prizes, formerly known as the Queen’s Anniversary Prizes, are part of the UK’s national honours system and are awarded every two years by the Monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister, following a rigorous, independent review process. 

More than 100 entries were submitted for the latest round of Prizes and NWSLC was one of only four further education colleges to have been named among the 19 Prize-winners.

NWSLC Principal and Chief Executive, Marion Plant OBE, FCGI, who is Chair of the MTI Operations Board,said: “The Queen Elizabeth Prize for Education recognises UK colleges and universities whose outstanding work demonstrates excellence and innovation and delivers real benefit to the wider world.

“At MTI’s state-of-the-art facilities we offer training in new emerging technologies – such as electrification and driverless cars – to ensure the UK’s automotive sector has a sustainable supply of technical specialists and engineers.

“Our innovative curriculum is constantly evolving and includes more than 50 accredited programmes from GCSE level courses through to doctorate level qualifications as well as bespoke training and continuing professional development opportunities. 

“It was a huge honour to receive this prestigious national award for our work from The King and Queen on behalf of the staff, students and governors at NWSLC and our highly supportive partners at the MTI.”

MTI is the result of a unique collaboration led by NWSLC and its partners, HORIBA MIRA, Coventry University, the University of Leicester, and Loughborough University and was built with a £9.5m investment from the Government’s Local Growth Fund via the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership.

It was created in response to research which showed the demand for specialist technical skills across the automotive sector was rising as successful vehicle manufacturers prepared for large scale growth due to new technological advancements in areas such as electrification and driverless vehicles. However, the development of specialist skills for these new growth areas was lagging behind and faster progress was required to address critical skills gaps in the sector.

Since MTI’s launch in 2018, it has welcomed nearly 61,500 students and delegates, including almost 5,000 learners studying for accredited qualifications from Level 1 certificates to Masters’ degrees and nearly 1,200 apprentices. It has provided professional development training for 18,000 professionals from a variety of high-profile automotive and transport companies including Jaguar Land Rover, Bentley Motors, Norton, Royal Enfield, RBW Classic EVs, Aston Martin, JLR, VCA, 3C Test Ltd and Dana.”

MTI has also run science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) experiences for more than 5,000 school pupils to encourage more young people to consider a career in the automotive engineering sector.

Today’s prestigious events were also attended by NWSLC Corporation Chair Professor Ray Linforth OBE, Corporation Vice Chairs Anil Majithia and Andrew Turner, Coventry University Director of Enterprise and Innovation Paul Fairburn, Coventry University Provost Ian Dunn, HORIBA UK Group Strategy Director Declan Allen, NWSLC Deputy Principal Paul Joyce, NWSLC Chief Operating Officer and Deputy CEO David Poole, NWSLC Student Union President and Staff Governor, Simba Ncube, MTI Operations Director Lisa Bingley, Emerging Technologies Delivery Manager Craig Line, Engineering Lecturer James Rushton, NWSLC Vice Principal for Education Programmes for Young People and Apprenticeships Bryanne Mosavian and NWSLC Staff Governor Susan Adcock. 

They were joined by several former and current students, including Joseph Marston who is studying EAL Level 3 Diploma in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering.

He said: “I was incredibly honoured to have been selected to attend the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Education reception at St James’s Palace, where I had the opportunity to meet The King and Queen.

“As a learner who has been studying at North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College for the past three years, currently completing the EAL Level 3 Diploma in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering, this opportunity means a great deal to me. 

“Over that time, the College has supported my development both academically and professionally, giving me the technical knowledge and hands-on experience required within advanced manufacturing.

“I was extremely proud to represent the College and my employer at such a prestigious event. It was a privilege to showcase the value of apprenticeships and technical education at a national level, and I’m very grateful for the support and guidance I’ve received throughout my journey.”