Vulcan XH558: Team behind restoration of historic plane to launch skills hub on Gulliver's Valley theme park site

The Vulcan to the Sky Trust (VTST) is set to create an engineering and STEM hub at Skills Street, which is based at Gulliver’s Valley theme park in South Yorkshire.

Skills Street is set to help ensure future generations have skills to work in aviation and engineering - and the team behind the restoration of the iconic Vulcan XH558 are set to be involved.

VTST is known across the industry for having restored to flight XH558 in 2007 and displaying it at airshows until 2015. It is the latest organisation to sign up to have a dedicated space on Skills Street.

Marc Walters, chief executive of Vulcan to the Sky Trust, said: "VTST has a proud history of inspiring young people through engineering and aviation through our work with the iconic Vulcan XH558.

“Following the fantastic news that XH558 can remain at Doncaster Sheffield Airport, we are thrilled to extend our work with education and skills and to be part of this important project for the region.

"Working with the young people from an early age will help us to explore the variety of careers available in engineering and STEM fields, using the legacy of XH558, and the impressive technical innovations of the Vulcan that helped place Britain at the forefront of aircraft design in the 1950s and 60s, to inspire the next generation of engineers and technicians.

"We are excited to be working with the partners behind Skills Street, Gulliver's Valley, Work-wise Foundation and South Yorkshire Teaching Hub to make this a game changer for our region."

Skills Street is an interactive centre that will be space for people to learn about the world of work across all sectors and industries.

John Barber, from Work-wise Foundation, said: "It is wonderful to see that the Vulcan to the Sky Trust has recognised the impact that Skills Street will have on the region.

"We are extremely pleased to be working with them to make sure they have a strong presence on Skills Street and that people from across South Yorkshire gain the necessary skills to take on great careers in engineering and aviation on their doorstep.

"Skills Street will be a fully immersive street where organisations can have a presence and input into the skills needed to work in their sector. It is a place where we'll be working with children from the ages of five upwards and with adults looking to return to work.

"South Yorkshire is home to some amazing organisations, and we are looking forward to working with them as we showcase this new engaging, innovative experience developed to inspire and inform children, young people, and adults from across the region."

The project is part of a £20 million pound investment secured by Rotherham Council to help improve the leisure economy and skills in Rotherham. Other attractions also benefiting from the Leveling Up funding include Wentworth Woodhouse, Thrybergh Country Park, Rother Valley Country Park, Magna and Maltby Learning Trust.