MP lets fly with opening of new aviation academy

The Academy, at Robin Hood Airport, holds its first official open day for prospective students on Thursday September 6 between 3.30pm and 7.30pm, the day after it is officially opened by Doncaster MP and the new minister for Yorkshire and the Humber Caroline Flint.

The academy, called Directions, has been set up with funding from Yorkshire Forward, the Regional Development Agency and the European Union to meet the need for aircraft engineers.

Cambridge-based Marshall Aerospace will start engineering training later in the year and establish a maintenance, repair and overhaul facility aimed at business jets, with fully qualified engineers on site.

Doncaster College is running a host of different courses in the 10 million converted hangar, in travel and tourism, engineering, ICT, literacy, numeracy and much more.

The 55,000 sq ft hangar has two storeys and uses the latest high technology to educate students.

Aviation Academy Co-ordinator, Chris Smith, said: "We've got a brand new building with great training facilities, including a Boeing 727 fuselage, which provide an unbeatable real-life working environment for our students."

The open day will offer careers advice and details of courses on offer.

The Academy has been funded by Yorkshire Forward, the Regional Development Agency and the European Union to help meet the need for aviation training for the Robin Hood Airport.

To find out more about the open day or Doncaster College courses at Directions, email [email protected] or call him on 01302 623300.