Bradford College opens high-tech STEM building

Bradford College CEO and principal, Chris Webb, leads the ribbon-cutting ceremony

Dean Dunning, ABDO deputy head of professional qualifications and education, and chief contact lens examiner, was among guests invited to the official opening of Bradford College’s new Garden Mills building following completion of its £6.9m refurbishment. 

The 1900s five-storey building opened after months of construction work supported by £5.8m in funding from the Office for Students Higher Education Capital Fund and a £1.1m Bradford College contribution.

The site is now Bradford College’s dedicated building for HNC, HND, and degree programmes in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), including digital and ophthalmic courses.

Contractors Tilbury Douglas led the Garden Mills project and installation of industry-standard equipment, including six digital IT labs, an ophthalmic dispensing suite, a prep room, a clinical suite, a real-life work environment with consulting and testing booths, a collaboration area, and academic teaching spaces.

Bradford College director of people services, Sarah Cooper, addressed invited guests, which also included employers from Specsavers and representatives from Bradford Council and the West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce.

She said: “We’re delighted that Garden Mills is now ready for staff and students. It is an essential part of our estates strategy and perfectly demonstrates our ambition of opening up pioneering student careers that support regional growth.”

Dean Dunning told DO Online: “It was a pleasure to be invited to the opening of this exceptional new learning environment. It is an ideal space for the teaching of both ophthalmic dispensing and contact lens students, allowing for large groups in the open learning areas, as well as smaller groups in the clinical bays.

“I was fortunate enough to speak with some students while I was at the event, and they were all really impressed by the new learning environment. ABDO looks forward to continuing our work with Bradford College in this extremely exciting time for the institution.”

Read more about Bradford College’s other ongoing capital projects.