‘State-of-the-art’ business centre ‘to bring opportunities’
Fareham College leads exciting ‘Skillslab’ project
A ‘STATE-OF-THE-ART’ business centre due to be completed in March is set to ‘inspire’ and ‘bring opportunities’ to young people working towards their future careers.
Fareham College’s Bishopsfield Road campus will be home to the new business ‘Skillslab’ centre, in which a new skills accelerator programme will launch.
Funding for this centre – as well as its sister business centre set to be developed on the Isle of Wight – came from the Department for Education’s Strategic Development Fund.
Fareham College is leading the Skillslab project, working in partnership with 10 other colleges: Isle of Wight College, HSDC, Eastleigh College, Brockenhurst College, Southampton City College, City of Portsmouth College, Itchen College, Barton Peveril College and the Lighthouse Learning Trust.
Andrew Kaye, principal and chief executive, said: ‘Working in collaboration with the other colleges to deliver this new college business centre is an integral element to improving access for businesses to further education and skills training across the Solent region.
‘Research demonstrates that there is a huge need for effective engagement between training providers and employers, and greater support for businesses to develop their own tailored learning and development programmes, in order to deliver the skills solutions that SMEs (small to medium enterprises) require to be successful.’
As the Solent region’s first such business centre, the project aims to improve employers’ access to the region’s future skills training.
Working with businesses, the centre will act as a hub, providing them with better access to the training they require, and aims to improve economic activity, particularly for small to medium enterprises and micro-businesses.
The college and employers will be working in partnership with Hampshire Chamber of Commerce.
Ross McNally, chief executive officer at Hampshire Chamber of Commerce, said: ‘The business community will gain great benefit from this valuable initiative.
‘Hampshire Chamber recognises the skills gaps and uncertainty being experienced across many sectors, and this strong partnership of colleges, the Chamber and businesses at the heart of this new exciting project will support local SMEs throughout the Solent region.’