NCG is investing £6million into higher education facilities across three of its colleges over the next three years, after being awarded funding from the Office for Students (OfS).
The investment will be split across Newcastle, Carlisle and Kidderminster colleges to create Higher Education (HE) Hubs for construction, engineering, energy and digital technologies.
As the country’s largest provider of HE in a Further Education setting, and the only UK FE institution with indefinite degree awarding powers, these new facilities will allow the Group to increase HE learner capacity and enhance the learner experience, supporting its aspiration to become a leading provider of technical higher education.
Works are now in full swing, with Newcastle College University Centre’s cyber security and immersive technology labs set to be ready as part of phase one by the end of summer.
Following that, development will see the completion of HE Hubs for Digital Technologies at Carlisle and Newcastle Colleges. A new Digital Learning Suite will be created at Carlisle College, equipped with state-of-the-art technology. At Newcastle, the ground floor of Newcastle College University Centre will be converted to include digital learning facilities, flexible teaching spaces and bespoke digital labs.
Year two of the project will focus on the completion of Higher Education Hubs for construction, engineering and energy. Specifically, at Kidderminster College, two existing classrooms will be remodelled to create high-spec CAD/BIM suites, while at Carlisle College, the existing Learning Resource Centre will be remodelled to create a Higher Education space, classrooms, and a high-spec CAD/BIM suite.
In year three, Newcastle College University Centre will undertake a significant project to rebuild, refurbish and equip a Construction Engineering and Energy Building, and create three new high-spec CAD/BIM suites.
Jon Ridley, Deputy Principal (HE) at NCG, said: "We are incredibly excited to make this investment, it’s great news for the people of Newcastle, Carlisle and Kidderminster, giving them access to high quality higher technical education. The new facilities are built with the economic priorities of the regions and communities our colleges serve in mind, preparing individuals with the skills needed to thrive in the modern workplace.
“As a Group, we are committed to giving individuals access to a high-quality learning experience. We work closely with businesses to make sure our graduates are work ready. At NCG we believe that in order to be work ready, students must practice and experiment using the latest industry standard technology, kit and equipment available, which is exactly what we are investing in.”