Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) this week launched its brand new education centre at its UK site in Sidcup, Kent, as part of its commitment to youth development.

The new facility – the fourth of its kind in the UK – forms part of CCE’s national education programme, and is designed to help introduce young people to the world of business and enterprise. It aims to host over 200 visits per year, reaching over 4,000 students from local secondary schools, colleges and universities.

“We are committed to playing a positive role in the communities in which we operate, and one of the best ways to achieve this is by opening up our factory doors to support the work of educators,” says Simon Baldry, managing director of CCE (pictured). “Our education centres offer students a valuable insight into the world of business, allowing them to make connections between what they learn in the classroom and real-life modern manufacturing practices. Modules taught at the centre link directly to the national curriculum, and we have built excellent relationships with schools across the country.”

CCE’s fourth national education centre has been developed as part its ‘Olympic Games legacy’ programme, located at the Sidcup site which will play a pivotal role in supplying soft drinks to the Olympic park in Stratford for London 2012. It’s equipped with interactive classrooms and purpose built to deliver a subject related insight into the production process alongside a tour of the factory floor.