PCB Design School visited by Sir Bernard Jenkin MP

Sir Bernard Jenkin MP visited PCB Design School at Parkside on the University of Essex’s Knowledge Gateway Research and Technology Park to find out more about how the business has built a global reputation.

He met with PCB Design School Director Roger Benfield, along with representatives from the Innovation Centre, Knowledge Gateway and other businesses located at Parkside.

They had a chance to raise issues about the issues they face, talk about plans for their businesses and highlight possible future cooperation. Mr Benfield gave Sir Bernard a tour of his facilities on Parkside Office Village and explained how PCB Design School offered courses in printed circuit board design which responds to shortage of specialist design skills within the electronics industry.

Sir Bernard said: “It is striking how the short courses in printed circuit board design offered by PCB Design School could be so useful to many electrical engineering students graduating from the University.  And it is impressive how this and other start-up businesses are drawn to the University campus because of synergies between business and academia.”

Mr Benfield said: “I would like to thank Sir Bernard for visiting Knowledge Gateway and The PCB Design School and also his immediate grasp of the situation recognising the importance of the School not only to Students here at the University of Essex but also to the UK Electronics industry as this locally based School is the only School of its kind in the UK and Europe.“