Up-and-coming tradesmen received a royal accolade recently when, in the final engagement of a one-day visit, the Princess Royal attended the official opening of Belfast Metropolitan College, at the Titanic Quarter, Belfast.

Princess Anne was at the new facility, which is now the largest provider of further and higher education in Northern Ireland and the fourth largest in the UK, with approximately 36,000 student enrolments per year, and employs 1,000 full-time equivalent staff.

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In the Central Hall, the royal VIP met a number of groups representing the World Skills Competition Bricklaying Gold Medal Winner, Philip Green as well as members of the College Governing Body and employers involved in the College Knowledge Transfer Programme and training clients.

Thérèse McGivern, Principal and Chief Executive, of the Metropolitan College, who accompanied HRH throughout the visit, then said a few words of thanks and invited HRH to unveil a plaque, designed and produced by staff from the College’s Foundry, to commemorate the official opening of the College.

The College, founded in 1906, opened its new flagship Titanic Quarter headquarters in September 2011 and has been described as an 'Iconic Centre of Learning', offering an extensive range of courses.

The new £44m state-of-the art College campus will cater for up to 5,000 full and part-time students.

(BMcC/GK)