Following Fareham College’s successful application to the government’s Skills Accelerator programme, ten Further Education and Sixth Form Colleges in the Solent region are set to benefit from significant funding to upgrade equipment and enhance teachers’ skills and knowledge for the benefit of training in the digital, marine and carbon reduction sectors.
Working collaboratively to support the project’s aims are Fareham College, The Isle of Wight College, HSDC, Eastleigh College, City of Portsmouth College, City College Southampton, Brockenhurst College, The Lighthouse Learning Trust, Itchen College, and Barton Peveril College.
The project aims to accelerate the colleges’ abilities to provide training and skills development for local people interested in pursuing careers in industries where there is future demand for skilled workers, such as in the digital, marine and carbon reduction sectors.
This new Skills Accelerator Programme is a key policy initiative in the Department for Education’s White Paper ‘Skills for Jobs: Lifelong Learning for Opportunity and Growth’. The funding of £2.2million for equipment and resources will provide learners with access to modern, industry-standard apparatus to support their progression into employment and facilitate career development. Funding will also support the colleges to deepen links with the region’s employers, ensuring that the content of courses and the skills developed in colleges are in line with the latest industry standards.
Fareham College Principal and Chief Executive Andrew Kaye said, “We are really excited to be working with other colleges in the region to deliver the new Skills Accelerator programme. The investment in this project will not only further enhance equipment and facilities, but will also enrich course content for students ensuring that it is relevant and up-to-date, ensuring that they are gaining valuable work-ready skills. As well as this, it will also enable teachers to improve their professional and technical knowledge, while improving career opportunities for local people.”
If you are an employer interested in knowing more or supporting the work of this project please contact info@fareham.ac.uk for further information.