Part of the £170 million pot to increase the number of people with technical skills in the UK is coming to Newham.

Newham College have partnered with Queen Mary University London to become one of the 12 new ‘Institutes of Technology’.

The new school will be called the London Institute of Transport Technology (LITT) and sit on the edge of the Thames on Albert Island in Royal Docks.

Paul Stephen is principal and chief executive of Newham College.

He said: “The mission of Newham College is to help local people get great jobs. LITT will create thousands of opportunities for local people to build the skills and experience needed to thrive in the transport industry which is key to London’s productivity and global reach.”

The LITT is part of the government’s push to fill the skills shortage affecting technical sectors like engineering.

Education Secretary Damian Hinds said the goal of the new facility is to give people from Newham access to well-paid and rewarding careers while contributing to the economy.

Mayor of Newham, Rokhsana Fiaz said the project is also meant to support the local economy.

“I see this latest achievement as a major step forward in developing a Newham talent pipeline that not only specifically prioritises local people in developing new skills, it will help raise aspirations of our young people to be at the forefront of meeting the world’s demand,” she said.

Neighbouring Barking and Dagenham has also received funding for its own ‘Institute of Technology’.