With a renewed push to return Bradford’s status as a district of producers, a Keighley organisation is helping young people prepare for the industry’s future.

Located at Dalton Mills, once one of the district’s biggest employers, is the Fab Lab – a “centre for manufacturing excellence”.

Although surrounded by now-decaying signs of Keighley’s industrial past, the centre offers people the chance to get experience with some of the most up to date manufacturing technologies.

Among the facilities in the workshop is a 3D printer, which can create complex objects from a block of plastic, and machines that allow people to create a piece of furniture out of a computer design in minutes. Although the workshop is relatively small scale, it offers people the chance to try out new technology and provides entrepreneurs the chance to create prototypes without breaking the bank.

Manager and enterprise co-ordinator Rafeeq Chaudhry said: “The thinking behind Fab Lab was ‘wouldn’t it be great if people had access to all this new equipment?’ It gives them the chance to come in and create something. You can make almost anything you can think of here.”

Access to the machines and computer programmes is free, and people only need to pay for the materials.

Bradford Council announced its intention to give the district a global reputation for manufacturing earlier this month. Its ten-year plan would bring together regeneration schemes and make the most of the area’s manufacturing heritage.

The Keighley Fab Lab was started thanks to European funding, distributed through Bradford Council and Leeds City College, but now the group is looking for ways of being self sustaining.

Mr Chaudhry said: “We have local businesses and shops come in to use our machines to make products. We get college groups come to introduce students to different sides of engineering.

“When young people get to use high tech equipment like this it boosts their confidence and gives them the skills and knowledge to go into the industry.”