The Volkswagen Group has handed over a Golf to Tower Hamlets College in London, where it will be used to train students learning about automotive design and engineering. The second-hand Volkswagen Golf was donated from the company’s National Learning Centre in Milton Keynes where it has been used by apprentices and technicians.

Tower Hamlets College approached the Volkswagen Group for a vehicle to be used in the Automotives Area within the New Technology Centre which is being built in the converted Old Naval College Building in Canary Wharf. Their aim is to bring the current Motor Vehicle Facility up to date so that it can lead the way in automotive training in the area.

They currently have a fleet of five vehicles, most of which are too old to allow students to learn about the modern systems on today’s cars – a skill which is required by the syllabus.
Richard Welch, network learning & development manager for the Volkswagen Group, explains:

‘We were approached by Karen Dyke at Tower Hamlets College who is managing the technology centre project. We were pleased that our ex-training car could be used again for educating the technicians of the future. The passion for cars which we see in many of our young apprentices comes from tinkering with vehicles at an early age – and if we can encourage and facilitate that then we are delighted to be able to help.’

Karen Dyke, project manager at Tower Hamlets College, adds: ‘It’s really important that our students have access to the right vehicles from which to learn about automotive technology. We’re really pleased Volkswagen was able to help us and of course help our students gain the skills they need for the future.’