North West Regional College (NWRC) and Hawthorn Heights of Eglinton have announced details of a successful funding bid that will see them recruit a design graduate to help design a new range of inclusive play parks.
The £150k InnovateUK and Invest NI funding via the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) programme will see Hawthorn Heights collaborate with the NWRC to incorporate the latest design and digital manufacturing technologies to cement their place as leaders in design and installation of playparks in the UK and Ireland.
This 2-year project, worth over £150k, aims to develop new inclusive play park products utilising BIM technologies, process improvement and new XR technologies.
The project funding was unlocked with the support of the Connected programme which provided funding for NWRC to scope the business and market needs and collaborate with Hawthorn Heights to develop a business case and funding application which has now been successful.
Dr Fergal Tuffy, NWRC Business Support Centre Manager said: “Hawthorn Heights have been in business for over 25 years and has built an excellent track record in the bespoke design and installation of a range of facilities such as play parks, exercise facilities and soft and hard landscaping projects, within the commercial and public sectors. We connected with Hawthorn Heights and made them aware of the knowledge and facilities that exist at the College and the expertise housed in our innovation centres, such as the XR (extended reality), Product Design and DIAL (Design Innovation for Assisted Living) Centres. We discussed various technologies such as drones, augmented and virtual reality, 3D printing, inclusive design and digital manufacturing, and developed a funding bid and project plan to explore these in partnership with Hawthorn Heights. We are now looking to recruit an enthusiastic Design Development Consultant for the 2-year project, based in Eglinton, to support the company and academic partnership to deliver this exciting project.”
Dr. Tuffy continued: ‘’Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) are the UK's leading programme helping businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills that reside within the UK knowledge base. It also enables businesses to access highly qualified people to spearhead new projects and experts to take their business forward with innovative solutions to help them business grow, and Hawthorn Heights is a prime example of this.”
Commenting on the successful funding application, Steven McGuinness, Director at Hawthorn Heights said: “It is important that all children have the opportunity to play, no matter if they have physical or mental disabilities. We are grateful to the funding of InnovateUK and Invest NI that will allow us to tap into the knowledge and facilities at the NWRC and incorporate innovation and new technologies into the business to keep us at the forefront of our industry. We are excited about the opportunities and project that lies ahead.”
Details of the KTP Design Development Consultant role can be viewed on the Get Got Jobs website on https://nwrc.getgotjobs.co.uk/registerJob/f0aa3b3d-40fe-45b7-a9a6-f51d49a3553c (applications close August 6) and for further details on how the BSC can help your business contact the NWRC BSC on businesssupport@nwrc.ac.uk or visit https://bsc.nwrc.ac.uk/
Ciaran Farren, Design & Communications Manager at Hawthorn Heights pictured with Steven McGuinness Director at Hawthorn Heights and Jim Murray, NWRC XR Hub Manager at the launch of the project.
