Ayrshire College was delighted to welcome Aeralis to its Ayr Campus on Wednesday 10 December for an inspiring day of engagement with staff and students from the Aeronautical Engineering department.
Aeralis, the pioneering British aircraft company proposing to lead the programme to develop a future replacement for the Red Arrows, is preparing to establish its UK final assembly line at Glasgow Prestwick Airport. This significant investment represents a major milestone for Scotland’s aerospace sector, with exciting opportunities for local talent and the wider regional economy. The visit highlighted the scale and potential impact of this development for learners and industry alike.
Anton Burford, Capability Director, and Callum Watson, Lead PML and Design Tools Engineer at Aeralis, delivered engaging sessions exploring the company’s revolutionary approach to fast jet design. Using a fully integrated digital process across the entire aircraft lifecycle, Aeralis applies a model-based systems engineering approach that significantly accelerates development, enabling aircraft to fly within three years and reach production within five.
The day began with discussions between Aeralis and the aeronautical lecturing team, focusing on curriculum development and opportunities to embed digital engineering into future learning. This was followed by a tour of the Aeronautical Engineering Training Centre, before students attended an inspiring presentation from the Aeralis team. Learners from PEO, NC and HNC programmes gained valuable insight into the future of aerospace engineering and explored potential career pathways, including highly skilled apprenticeships and roles within Aeralis and its supply chain. The session generated strong engagement and genuine excitement about the opportunities ahead.
Principal and Chief Executive Angela Cox, alongside senior leaders, attended the event to reaffirm the College’s commitment to supporting Scotland’s aerospace skills pipeline. Ayrshire College currently supports more than 300 aerospace apprentices through partnerships with leading employers including GE Aerospace, PAML and Prestwick AeroSystems, and is well placed to develop the skilled workforce required to support Aeralis’s ambitious programme.
To learn more about the growing demand for aviation engineering skills, read the full article by Doug Maclean, Aviation Editor at the Ayrshire Daily News: Education and training are key factors as aviation engineering jobs inch towards a record high.