JCB chairman Sir Anthony Bamford (far right) pictured with (far left) JCB Academy Principal Jim Wade and some of the new students.

The first 120 pupils have arrived at the new GBP22 million (USD34.4 million) JCB Academy in Rocester, Staffordshire, four years after the construction company conceived the vision for a dedicated engineering school.

Sir Anthony Bamford, who is in his 35 years as JCB chairman, has championed the cause of British manufacturing and long voiced his concern over its decline and the dearth of young people with engineering skills emerging from the education system.

"The JCB Academy is one small step to achieving the aim [that the UK continues to be a nation of innovation]. The facilities here are second to none and offers students the opportunity to learn about manufacturing and engineering in away that is exciting and practical and aligned to the needs of employers," Bamford says.

The Year 10 students who come from Staffordshire and Derbyshire will study a curriculum designed to produce the engineers and business leaders of the future. While the idea for the academy began in the summer 2006 with a Government feasibility study, it has been created in the Arkwright Mill dating from 1781 and has been equipped with over GBP1 million (USD1.5 million) of modern engineering equipment. The equipment includes the only plasma cutter (a common industry machine tool), to be based in a UK school.

Students will complete tasks set by the academy's partners that include JCB, Toyota, Zytek Automotive, Rolls Royce, Bentley, Bombardier, Rexroth Bosch Group, Network Rail, National Grid, IET, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Parker Vansco, The Royal Academy of Engineering and Harper Adams University College.

James Davies of Newcastle, Staffordshire in the JCB Academy's machine shop which is home to GBP1 million worth of engineering equipment at the new school.

The JCB Academy is the first school of its kind in the UK, educating 14- to 19-year-olds with a core focus on engineering. It is funded by the Department of Education but JCB, as main sponsor, contributed 10% of the capital and donated the mill in which it is based (Forkliftaction.com News #430).

Principal Jim Wade says demand for places has been high and urges those wishing to apply to attend open evenings at the academy on either 5,7 or 13 October.

Julie Pegg of Meir, Stoke-on-Trent, whose 14-year-old daughter Amy is part of the inaugural intake, says they attended an open evening early in the year. "We saw this as an excellent opportunity ... The curriculum is imaginative, the location and the building is fantastic and it gives the students the chance to be really hands-on and practical in lessons."

Pegg works in the Technical Publications at JCB Service.

"Amy is both excited and nervous. She has already made friends with other students who are starting [with her] via email and Facebook," she adds.

Separately, JCB employee Alan Stanley has retired after 50 years with the company. Stanley joined JCB straight from school in August 1960, at age 15, and beats the previous record of 49 years and two months to become the JCB's longest serving employee. Alan followed in his father Bertram's footsteps when he joined JCB and was taken on as an apprentice electrician, staying with the company as it expanded from one factory in a former cheese factory in Rocester to 18 global plants. When he retired, he was a site engineer, part of the site services team responsible for the maintenance of JCB's factories and premises.