NSCG’S SKILLS AND INNOVATION CENTRE SET TO OPEN

[NEWCASTLE AND STAFFORD COLLEGES GROUP (NSCG) is looking forward to welcoming students to their brand new Skills and Innovation Centre at Stafford College this September.

Work on the £28m facility (above left) will complete at the end of June in time to welcome new and existing students to the state-of-the-art facility located in the heart of Stafford town centre.

Learners will benefit from a variety of pathways in construction and engineering with courses including bricklaying, carpentry, design, surveying & planning for construction, electrical installation, hybrid motor vehicle technology, engineering in motorsports and HNC/HND’s in engineering with practical, technical and academic qualifications up to levels 4 and 5.

Learners at NSCG can choose from A Levels, T Levels, BTEC’s and apprenticeships – and from September 2023 a number of Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) at levels 4 and 5 will also be launching in the specialisms of digital technology.

With NSCG celebrating record-breaking student recruitment numbers, the college’s new facility will ensure all learners are equipped with futurefacing skills with students benefitting from high-specification classrooms and teaching spaces.

The 7,500m2, three-storey facility will include a 300-seat auditorium, a four-court sports hall and fully-equipped gym.

A significant investment has also been made in installing the facility with leading-edge technology including augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) classroom kits to provide high-quality learning experiences that mimic real-life situations in construction.

The modern, cutting-edge facilities and technology will provide a flexible means of learning in an ever-demanding world in an effort to bridge the STEM skills gap. Adding to this, the college are pleased to announce plans are moving at pace with the development of the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Institute of Technology (IoT).

Along with a consortium of partners, led by NSCG, the £18m IoT (above right) will bring together key industry, education and research opportunities to the county and will see employers and academia working together to widen participation in targeted STEM areas.

All construction and skills programmes which are currently run from the Palmbourne campus will move to the brand new Skills and Innovation Centre to make way for the IoT which is predicted to open in December 2024. q

• Places are still available for the September intake. To apply or to find out more visit www.nscg.ac.uk or call 01785 223 800.