he East Midlands has a rich history of engineering over the past 200 years, and even further back! The region can claim the world’s first factory, Sir Richard Arkwright’s Cromford Mill. With regions of the East Midlands producing a wide range of the worlds firsts; the simple gas turbine, the first diesel engine, and the jet engine was first initially developed in the East Midlands! Fast forward to today’s world and the East Midlands still plays an integral role in the development of new engineering technologies. Global engineering companies such as Rolls Royce are heavily based within Derby and the surrounding area – developing the new generation of engineers and renewable, planet-saving technology. The East Midlands is also at the heart of the Britain’s railway, with new trains constantly being manufactured and old trains constantly being adapted here to operate in a modern environment. Engineering is in the identity of the East Midlands, and will continue to be in an ever changing world.