MANUFACTURING is the backbone of East Lancashire’s economy and that means engineering skills are vital to our future.

It is also why the announcement of an £18million specialist technical college is hugely important.

Youngsters from the age of 14 will be able to study and equip themselves with the sort of knowledge and skills that are needed by employers like aerospace giants Aircelle, engine-makers Rolls-Royce and companies like Fort Vale Engineering which designs and makes ingenious tanker valves for export all over the world.

The appliance of science and technology put Britain – and Lancashire – in the driving seat of the Industrial Revolution 200 years ago.

But in recent years, many would argue that these subjects have taken a back seat in our education system and been considered unfashionable and less sexy than arts, humanities, languages and so-called ‘ologies’.

The calamitous events of the past two years in the banking and finance sectors have led to a refocus and realisation that designing and making world-beating products is key to our economic wellbeing in the 21st century.

For this reason, the college is a truly exciting project.