Dorset LEP makes new £1.5 million investment in Dorset education

Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is investing more than £1.5 million in vital equipment and facility upgrades at Weymouth College and Bournemouth and Poole College as part of its ongoing commitment to improving skills provision and supporting key business sectors across Dorset. 

Lorna Carver, Dorset LEP Director said: “This major skills investment is vital in supporting young people to achieve specialist qualifications in Dorset. Investing in skills our local businesses need is essential to economic recovery following the impact of COVID-19 and in alignment with the Local Industrial Strategy. Supporting further education is also a core component of our Dorset Skills Action Plan.”

Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government, Luke Hall MP said: “It’s vital that we provide young people across the country with the skills, knowledge and experience they need to succeed.

“A combined Local Growth and Getting Building Fund investment worth over £1.5 million will help to level-up opportunity in Dorset by improving the further education offering for its young people.

“I’m delighted that two colleges in the region will see important equipment and facility upgrades, boosting student experience, opportunities for remote learning and improving accessibility.”

£250,000 has been provided via the Getting Building Fund to Weymouth College for a complete refurbishment of the college’s Higher Education Centre which will include improving facilities and equipment. By modernising, refurbishing and further developing the Higher Education Centre, the college will significantly improve student experience. In turn, this will promote this excellent college which aims to maximise quality of education and social mobility by encouraging students to study locally and move into local employment in this historically deprived area of Dorset.

Nigel Evans, Weymouth College Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are delighted to have received this investment from Dorset LEP to refurbish our HE Centre. This is the first year of our BSc Hons in Professional Studies which provides further progression opportunities for our students, and as an HE cold-spot it is critical that our HE offer is strategically aligned with our core curriculum. Even during these challenging times, we have seen growth in our HE student numbers, and this centre will significantly enhance the student experience and continue to grow our provision.”

£1.3 million of funding has been provided via the Local Growth Fund to Bournemouth and Poole College for two projects which will benefit over 10,000 students and 600 staff. The Workstations and Remote Access projects include a major upgrade in IT equipment and the delivery of online teaching, to expand student and staff access to virtual workstations and applications which improve the standard of remote teaching. This tech upgrade will complement the delivery of digital learning and enable students to develop skills they will utilise in their future workplace. Improved virtual education will be useful for any students who may need to isolate due to COVID-19 and remote learning will also reduce the need for travel, making study more sustainable and affordable.

Finally, the Bournemouth and Poole College Network Infrastructure project includes the replacement of ageing network equipment to improve network bandwidth and throughput used by students, apprentices and staff. Improvements will further expand wireless connectivity, enabling students and staff to use their own device in college. This upgrade will support the increasing use of digital resources at the Lansdowne, North Road and Fulcrum campuses and will also support the online delivery of teaching and learning for those onsite.

Diane Grannell, Dorset LEP Board Member and Principal & Chief Executive of Bournemouth & Poole College concludes: “The recent pandemic has brought into sharp relief the importance of digital skills and digital infrastructure.  We’re incredibly grateful to Dorset LEP for this investment, which will benefit our students and staff enormously. Not only will it support the continuation of education even during lockdown periods, but it will also enhance our ability to help our students develop the digital skills they need to thrive in tomorrow’s workforce.”

[ENDS]                                                                                                          

Notes to Editors:

Dorset LEP

Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership is a business led private and public sector partnership, promoting local economic growth and prosperity. Dorset LEP deliver projects that support and develop infrastructure, housing, skills, enterprise and business growth to achieve long-term economic benefit for all in Dorset.

For more information visit the Dorset LEP website http://www.dorsetlep.co.uk/

Getting Building Fund

On 4 August 2020, the government confirmed the list of over 300 successful projects which will receive a share of £900 million from the Getting Building Fund. The full list of projects is available on GOV.UK.

The Getting Building Fund is investing in shovel-ready infrastructure projects to create jobs and support economic recovery across the country. Projects funded include:

• regeneration of town and city centres
• green infrastructure and clean energy
• transport and digital connectivity improvements
• unlocking of housing and business sites
• support for SMEs and learners

The successful projects (over 300) are expected to deliver up to 85,000 jobs, over 1,500,000 sqm of commercial floor space, unlocking 45,000 homes, almost 1,000,000 sqm of public realm or green space improved or created, over 50,000 new learners assisted, and 65 million kgs of CO2 emissions saved.

All Projects have been selected by Local Enterprise Partnerships and Mayoral Combined Authorities in each area and endorsed by the Housing Secretary.

Local Growth Fund

Local Enterprise Partnerships are playing a vital role in driving forward economic growth across the country, helping to build a country that works for everyone.

That’s why by 2021 Government will have invested over £12bn through the Local Growth Fund, allowing LEPs to use their local knowledge to get all areas of the country firing on all cylinders.

Some additional key facts:

• There are 38 LEPs covering the whole of England.
• The government has awarded £9.1bn in three rounds of Growth Deals to local areas to drive economic growth.
• LEPs are investing in a wide range of projects including transport, skills, business support, broadband, innovation and flood defences.