Adult education provider, ACL Essex, has invested in £60,000 worth of new classroom equipment and learning at home kits through Essex County Council’s Levelling Up fund. The equipment aims to provide Essex residents with a high-quality, hands-on learning experience in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) and health related courses and qualifications.
Science at ACL Essex will be brought to life thanks to new anatomical models, electrolysis and renewable energy equipment, voltmeters, and other laboratory equipment. Healthcare learners can access mannequin heads, syringes, blood pressure machines and thermometers to practise medical procedures. Those taking family and community learning courses will have access to STEM kits, science equipment and problem-solving kits. The new equipment will also support learning in environmental and sustainability subject areas including thermal imagers to survey buildings for heat loss on retrofit courses.
The equipment will improve the learning environment in the classroom and for remote learning, with new learning from home kits. These kits will provide support for online and hybrid learners (courses that that can be accessed in both classroom and remote settings), as they are specifically designed to cater to remote education needs.
The new equipment directly supports ACL Essex’s strategic aims to provide residents with high quality learning experiences, enrich learning spaces, and improve access to hands-on learning experiences. It will also help to encourage more people to consider a fulfilling career in the health and science sectors.
Councillor Louise McKinlay, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Levelling Up, Communities and Business Engagement, Essex County Council, said: “Levelling Up is about spreading opportunity. We have provided sixty thousand pounds’ worth of funding for new science and medical training kits. These will support people in their learning and will help inspire them to go on and follow a STEM or healthcare related career path.”
ACL Essex will also use the new equipment to support non-accredited learning with workshops and taster sessions. These sessions will encourage Essex residents to have a go and get an important insight into a particular subject area that they may be inspired to pursue.
Councillor Tony Ball, Cabinet Member for Education Excellence, Lifelong Learning and Employability, Essex County Council, said: “Science can be a barrier to some people. Having these practical, hands-on taster events breaks down those barriers and gives people an opportunity to see if it actually fits with what they want to do in the future.”
Courses using the new equipment are starting all year round, including GCSEs, Community and Family Learning courses, Health and Social Care qualifications and many more.
