Harrogate College has announced exciting plans for a multi-million pound campus development following funds committed by the York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).
The investment of will deliver up to 1,245 additional learners and 275 additional apprentices.
The investment at the College’s existing Hornbeam Park campus will include refurbishment and consolidation of existing facilities with the design and build of a new specialist centre providing high quality vocational education in the region. The new campus will provide expansion of existing curriculum areas and the development of new skills training in areas such as the visitor economy, health and social care, business services, creative and cultural industries and construction, manufacturing and related trades, key priorities identified by the LEP to ensure growth within the region.
The project will also extend the College’s existing higher education (HE) offer providing a local high quality HE provision in response to the LEP’s reported demand for future higher level skills.
Principal of Harrogate College, Debra Forsythe-Conroy said: I am absolutely delighted with the investment committed to Harrogate College by the York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership. This investment will support both the remodelling of the College and expansion in existing and new curriculum areas.
The investment supports our commitment to securing increased employment opportunities for North Yorkshire particularly Harrogate and district by raising skills and employability levels enhancing our ability to develop curriculum which meets the local priorities.
We will expand our offer in those subjects supporting the visitor economy, heritage crafts, cultural and business economies and Harrogate College will become a centre of excellence for the region in further and higher education building on the Groups track record as an outstanding education provider.
Harrogate College plays a lead role in skills development and up-skilling of the workforce. The College launched its innovative new “Progression Passport” in 2013/14 developing key employability skills within students and secured a contract for £500,000 to deliver the Skills Support for the Workforce (SSW) that is targeted to up-skilling the existing workforce within priority sectors identified by the Leeds City Region and York and North Yorkshire LEPs.
Harrogate MP Andrew Jones (Con) added: This investment, allowing the College to consolidate its buildings, is good news for the College, the students and for education in Harrogate. I was pleased to meet with the College prior to the bid and then meet with the Minister to highlight its importance to Harrogate and the wider region.
The investment is part of Government funding provided to the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding (YNYER) Local Enterprise Partnership. This funding amounts to more than £110million. It is anticipated that this investment in our area will lever in a further £100 million of funding from the private sector and other partners giving a £200m. It is anticipated that this investment will create 3000 jobs in York, North Yorkshire and the East Riding.
So it is good news for education and good news for jobs.
