Investment in STEM facilities launched at Gloucestershire College

Friday marked the launch of the STEMBED Construction Centre at Gloucestershire College’s Cheltenham Campus, which has been jointly funded from GFirst LEP’s Gloucestershire Growth Deal funding and the College’s own investment.

The STEMBED Construction Centre follows the opening of the Engineering Centre back in November at the College’s Gloucester campus, and has the same aims to continue to lead the way in closing the local skills gap within the construction sector, while attracting more apprentices in to local colleges.

David Owen, Chief Executive of GFirst LEP, commented: “The funding from the Growth Deal that has brought the STEMBED projects to our local colleges is a great boost for our local skills economy, as we are able to keep skills within the county, creating a significant number of local people ready to fill local jobs and close the skills gap. The new facilities will make a big difference not only to the students that go through the apprenticeship project, but also to employers in the local area.”

Alongside the Construction Centre launch Gloucestershire Media, in association with Gloucestershire College, introduced their ‘Apprentice 1000’ campaign, which aims to encourage local businesses of any size to take on local young people into apprenticeship schemes.

Matthew Burgess, Principal of Gloucestershire College and GFirst LEP Board member, said: “With 70% of employers saying they see a positive impact on their products and services when they take on apprentices, and 83% of apprentices having improved career prospects upon completion, it is clear that apprenticeships are an important part of skills creation and retention, and business development in the county.

“The government and Gloucestershire businesses are supporting apprenticeships but we need schools and parents to embrace them as a viable route to a successful career, and for schools to educate young people on all of the options available to them.”