AYRSHIRE College has received a five-figure donation from a major US aerospace firm to help purchase more tools and materials. 

GE Aerospace and the GE Aerospace Foundation are donating around $50,000 to enhance one of the college's evening classes with additional tools and materials.

The donation will also help create a training hangar and teaching centre at Prestwick Airport, giving around 100 students hands-on experience in the industry.

A spokesperson for GE Aerospace and the GE Aerospace Foundation said: "We believe it’s important to contribute to the local economy by fostering skills where jobs are based"

"The airport already serves as an aircraft maintenance, repair, and operations for aviation companies, and with local talent can go even further."

Ayrshire College said: "We are thrilled to receive a donation from GE Aerospace to provide more workforce training opportunities.

"GE Aerospace is focused on lifting up local communities, and this donation will help build a stronger manufacturing workforce. We’re excited to see what’s next for our students and proud to continue this incredible partnership"

A Glasgow Airport spokesperson added: “We continue to engage and support strategic partners focused on regional economic development and support the training and development of new aeronautical engineers.

"There is high demand for skilled engineers from our MRO tenants as well as the world class companies that make up the Aviation Campus that surrounds the Airport.

“We wish to develop a world-leading aeronautical engineering and innovation college campus on site, and we are working with our strategic educational partners as well as the aerospace cluster to create a learning environment, which will provide the skills and practical training necessary to ensure the sector continues to flourish for future generations of aeronautical engineers.

"This training hangar is the first step in this much larger vision, and we look forward to welcoming the students to the hangar in the New Year.”