| New £15m economic development campus planned for North and West Belfast |
|
 An artist's impression of the planned e3 economic development building. Plans for a £15m economic development project to promote employability, entrepreneurship and enterprise (e3) have been announced today. The e3 economic development building is a significant investment for the North and West Belfast area and is jointly funded by the Department for Employment and Learning, the International Fund for Ireland, and Belfast Metropolitan College. The building; which will be owned and operated by Belfast Metropolitan College will provide industry standard facilities including: an animation and digital editing suite, TV and radio production studios, a hospitality training facility and manufacturing and engineering facilities for product innovation. e3 will be a model for the innovative use of new and emerging technologies with resources for the testing and demonstration of renewable energies. The 5000 sq metre building will be located adjacent to Belfast Metropolitan College’s Millennium Community Outreach Centre on the Springfield Road and will accommodate up to 350 users per day, drawn from higher education students, school pupils, start up companies, local businesses and community organisations. Construction of the building is expected to start in September 2010 and is scheduled to open in Spring 2012. The College’s Director and Chief Executive, Marie Thérèse McGivern, stated: “The e3 economic development building is an imaginative initiative designed to support the economic and social regeneration of North and West Belfast. An integral part of the project will be the delivery of industry-led live projects by student teams who will provide innovative solutions to practical and technical projects devised and driven by business.” “We cannot ignore the difficult economic situation which we face and it is important that people seeking employment have as wide a range of skills as possible. e3 will allow students to push their potential as they develop their ability to find solutions, work collaboratively, communicate effectively and set and achieve targets whilst accessing leading edge equipment and facilities.” Welcoming the plans, Employment and Learning Minister, Sir Reg Empey, said: “The e3 project exemplifies the multi-agency approach which will be vital to addressing our skills gap. The development of STEM subjects is a key theme in my Department’s skills strategy, Success Through Skills 2, and e3 will not only provide training in a range of cutting-edge subjects which will be much sought-after in the modern workplace, but do so in an environment where business and education sectors can collaborate to meet the requirements of employer and employee alike.” Denis Rooney CBE, Chairman of the International Fund for Ireland which contributed £5m to the project, said: “It would be difficult to overestimate the very positive benefits this state-of-the-art building will have on the local North and West Belfast economy and also the wider Northern Ireland economy. “As we continue on our journey towards a more positive, peaceful and stable future, the International Fund for Ireland is keen to support communities throughout Northern Ireland and the southern border counties by focusing on projects that will deliver long-term positive impacts long after the Fund ceases to exist. By investing in our young people, they become our hope for a better and shared future – a future where we can all learn, live and work together. The International Fund for Ireland, with its ‘first money on the table’ ethos, has often taken risks to support the communities with which it works in its pursuit of peace and reconciliation. I am very pleased that a full funding package for the e3 economic development building is now in place and work can officially start on what will be a substantial project for the area.” e3 will create a vibrant partnership between the College and businesses across the city and help to drive economic regeneration and stimulate enterprise. Activities delivered at the campus will underpin the needs of small to medium businesses in industry sectors which have been identified as having growth potential. Students will be encouraged to use their learning and project experiences to identify new business opportunities and will be supported to progress into e3’s business incubation and hatchery units. These fledgling businesses will be able to utilise specialised equipment to help grow their business. |
