IGEM CEO visits Riverside College

Last week IGEM CEO Oliver Lancaster paid a visit to the North West and visited Craig Scott, Hydrogen & Welding Tutor, and Andy James, Head of Engineering & Construction, at Riverside College in Widnes.

The college is a prime learning environment that is teaching the next generation of engineers and upskilling those looking to have a change in career.

In 2024, the college will be opening its hydrogen piping rig that is being set up in a brand-new building to train engineering students to gain the skills required for future jobs within the hydrogen sector. This adds to their hydrogen awareness course, which has proven to be popular.

Oliver's interest was piqued at the chance to use one of the college's virtual reality welding machines.

He said: " Having never welded before, this was a fresh experience for me – but it clearly showed how students can learn much more quickly with live feedback from a machine and not having to wait for 1-2-1 tutoring.

"Their Quest headset also give an experience of undertaking tasks in stressful environments – and was apparently quite scary, even when you know you’re safe at ground level in a room."