Serving the Teesside Business Community | 15
EMPLOYERS AND EDUCATION WORKING
IN PARTNERSHIP IS KEY TO PROSPERITY
I
f new and emerging businesses are to
flourish and new inward investment is
to continue, then opportunities must
be matched by a world class skills
and competency base, says Zoe Lewis,
Middlesbrough College principal and chief
executive.
“Middlesbrough College is perfectly placed
to help the region achieve that thanks to
its commitment to local industry and local
communities,” she added.
When the new Middlesbrough College
at Middlehaven was first designed in 2005,
construction and engineering facilities were
planned to be reduced significantly.
Zoe explained: “Middlesbrough College
did not feel that this planned reduction fit
with the local needs and instead set about
restoring the skills base that built Teesside,
by updating college facilities and equipment
to replicate those required by industry.
“That investment continued with
£100m being ploughed into developing the
Middlehaven campus in 2008 – which is
now, according to City and Guilds, the largest
engineering training provider in the country.
“Our commitment remains as strong as
ever. We’ve just invested £20m into a new
purpose-built STEM Centre focused on
providing world class training in science,
technology, engineering and maths.
“The centre has been designed and
specified entirely by industry with an
advisory board of more than 40 leading
employers making sure we invest in facilities,
equipment, staff and courses that will give
them the best chance of employing world
class staff and successfully expanding their
businesses.”
It’s an ethos Middlesbrough College
has remained faithful to, despite previous
government strategy shifting focus away
from manufacturing and exports and
instead growing a knowledge economy and
expanding financial and professional services.
Zoe said: “When Longlands College (a
former campus of Teesside Tertiary College
and then Middlesbrough College) was
opened in 1958 it soon became the largest
engineering training provider in the North
East.
“Over time, those large employers
were replaced by small and medium sized
enterprises. Education establishments were
encouraged to shift to educating full time
students.
“Middlesbrough College responded
by continuing to support those service
industries whilst remaining firmly committed
to listening and responding to employers
from construction, engineering, healthcare as
well as new digital industries which is why
we are in such a strong position today.
“While the current government’s austerity
measures are significantly reducing the
amount of money invested in skills training,
we’re determined to ‘add value’ to courses
wherever possible so our students not only
leave with a qualification, they leave with
skills, behaviours and competencies sought
after by our employers.”
Employers wanting to find out more
about working with Middlesbrough
College are asked to contact Employer
Services on 01642 333322 or email
[email protected]
WORLD CLASS STEM CENTRE OpEN NOW
DELIvERING SpECIALIST INDuSTRY TRAINING
AND AppRENTICESHIpS
This unique facility delivers a large volume of specialist training courses
for employers/employees. These commercial courses offer significant value and utilise
the latest training equipment, set in a world class facility.
Industry Training Courses available:
C & G 2382 17th Edition Wiring Regulations
C & G 2377 PAT Testing
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