A Cutting Edge: Crawley College Preparing Tomorrow’s Workforce With Today’s State-of-the-Art Industry Technology   

Crawley College students are stepping into the factory of the future after a major investment in the latest state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment. 

Designed specifically for technical education, the Festo Didactic Industry 4.0 equipment recreates many processes found in a modern automated manufacturing environment.    

Installed in the Sussex & Surrey Institute of Technology (SSIoT) building, the automated production line will give students access to advanced industrial technology as part of their studies.  

Funded by the Crawley Town Skills Fund, the equipment is designed to develop students’ technical skills, preparing them for the experience needed in an increasingly automated workplace.  

This is achieved by allowing students to learn how the different elements of automation interact and investigating their faults and change process, rather than simply observing.  

In turn, this supports employers in the local area with a supply of people trained to use the type of technology used in the industry currently.  

Paul Rolfe, Director of the Sussex & Surrey Institute of Technology, said:  
“Our investment in Festo manufacturing training equipment gives our learners hands-on experience with genuine, industry-standard equipment, so the skills they develop are the ones employers actually need today – and that’s central to SSIoT’s vision of shaping the workforce of the future.”  

Mohamed Khan, Lecturer in Electrical Electronic Engineering at Crawley College, who helped select and install the equipment, added:  

“We selected the Festo equipment because it reflects the technologies students will encounter in modern automated and smart manufacturing environments.  

“It gives them hands-on experience with areas such as PLC control, sensors, pneumatics, robotics and Industry 4.0 systems, allowing us to move beyond simulation and theory and provide practical, industry-relevant learning using equipment that closely reflects real industrial applications.”  

To learn more about all the Engineering and Welding courses available at the college, please click here. To find out more about the Sussex & Surrey Institute of Technology, please click here.