A topping out ceremony has been held at the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Institute of Technology (IoT) to mark the structural completion of the scheme and the building reaching its highest point.

The ceremony involved key stakeholders laying the last brick to start the countdown to completion of the three-story, 4000 square metre building which is scheduled to be ready for internal fit out during Spring 2025.

Representatives from the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire IoT and Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group (NSCG) welcomed Adam Jogee MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme, representatives from Stafford Borough Council, the Department for Education, the Gatsby Foundation, education partners Stoke-on-Trent College, Keele University and Axia Solutions, employer partners Hitachi, Indurent and Siemens and construction partners Ellis Williams Architects, Avison Young and Speller Metcalfe to mark the occasion. 

Opening to learners in September 2025, the £22.5M IoT sits on land off Castle Street, in the heart of the Stafford Station Gateway project.  The building will be packed with industry standard equipment including; robotics, automation and control equipment, a product design and innovation hub, state-of-the-art CNC machinery, 3D printers, a mock hospital ward, surveying equipment and digital suites which include a 7-metre immersive virtual reality cylinder that will revolutionise the traditional classroom experience.

Led by NSCG, the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire IoT aims to meet the skills needs of industry by providing higher-level technical education in areas such as modern methods of construction, advanced engineering, high value manufacturing, digital and health/life sciences.

Leader of Stafford Borough Council, Aidan Godfrey, said it was another example of the huge amount of investment coming into the town.

He said: “I am really pleased we have been able to provide funding towards the project with money we secured from government.

“This will be a fantastic facility and forms an integral part of our ambitious Station Gateway regeneration scheme. The Institute of Technology will bring many benefits to the county town - not only by attracting new students, who will be able to enjoy an innovative learning environment with first class facilities, but also for our local economy.

“It is all part of ‘Project Stafford.’ We are seeing significant investment in Stafford which demonstrates the confidence the government and investors have in our ability to deliver on our ambitions.”

Commenting on the construction milestone, Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire IoT Director, Georgina Barnard, said: “We are so pleased to mark this occasion with our anchor partners and key stakeholders. It has been great to see the Institute of Technology building rise from the ground and take shape over the last few months.  We are delighted that we will soon be able to offer a much broader range of higher technical courses to address our current and future skills needs.  

“This will inspire more people in the surrounding area to develop the higher level technical skills needed to access sustainable, well paid careers.  We look forward to seeing the building buzzing with students, staff and members of the community when it opens next year.”

Press Release No 6163