The Isle of Wight College is set to receive £749,298 for repairs and upgrades as part of a £307million investment in colleges across England.
Students at the Island’s further education college are set to benefit from major improvements to existing facilities, alongside the ongoing construction of the new college building.
The funding forms part of a wider package aimed at repairing and maintaining college estates nationwide, with 175 colleges due to benefit. Colleges will be able to decide how the money is spent locally, allowing works to be targeted where they are needed most.
Richard Quigley, MP for Isle of Wight West, has claimed the investment will help improve the learning environment for students and support the next generation into apprenticeships, work and higher education.
Richard Quigley MP said:
“I’m really pleased to have worked with the government to secure vital investment for the Isle of Wight College – the heart of further education across the Island.
“This government has set a bold target to get two-thirds of young people to be taking a gold standard apprenticeship or heading to university by the age of 25. So, I’m really delighted that the bold talk has been matched by this funding.
“I’ll be working with constituents and speaking with the college about where this money will be best spent, so we can unlock opportunity for young people across the Island.”
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The government says the national £307million package will be used to tackle issues such as leaking roofs, broken windows and worn-out facilities, with the aim of modernising ageing college buildings.
Skills Minister Jacqui Smith added:
“The young people in these colleges are the engineers, bricklayers and designers of the future, and they and the dedicated staff teaching them deserve the best possible environment to learn and succeed.
“This £307million investment will repair and modernise facilities across all 175 colleges in England, giving young people the spaces they need to build the skills they need for good careers, helping to drive economic growth.”
The funding pot has increased by £5million since last year and forms part of a wider £1.7billion commitment to modernise college buildings by 2030.
The announcement also builds on Richard Quigley’s existing links with the Isle of Wight College. He was the first MP in the country to offer a T-Level placement to students, having hosted 3 Isle of Wight College students for work experience.
More broadly, Labour says its post-16 education plans are designed to improve further education standards, including more professional development for teachers and more face-to-face English and maths teaching for students who have not passed their GCSEs.
