Equipping students with the skills needed to access the high value jobs of the future
Last week I welcomed the opportunity to visit staff and students of Barnsley College - a valuable local resource rated outstanding by Ofsted.
During my visit I was taken on an inspiring tour of the state-of-the-art facilities by Principal Yiannis Koursis and Vice Principal David Akeroyd, and despite the snowy weather, I was given an engaging insight into the opportunities available at the College. I was interested to learn that courses cover a wide range of subjects to suit students from all walks of life and who have a wide variety of skills. Courses include A-levels, BTECs, T-Levels, Degree programmes and a range of vocational courses.
It's testament to the hard work and dedication of the leadership team that the SciTech Digital Innovation Hub, supported by The Department of Education and The Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), was transformed and ready to welcome the College’s new cohort of students for the 2020/21 academic year this September. There's little doubt that digital skills are increasingly in demand and so it's reassuring to see that the Innovation Hub focuses on digital skills, and offers such courses as cyber security, network technologies, Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality in addition to software and programming.
The immersive experience offered by the College was very impressive, providing a unique learning experience for students, facilities such as network laboratories, software development studios, and powerful, high-spec systems - are all designed to help students develop the skills they need to access the well paid, high skilled jobs they deserve.
Speaking to staff and students in the SciTech Digital Innovation Hub made clear the value of the digital skills training and associated opportunities the College offers. And with a significant catchment area it’s reassuring to know that young people across the Penistone and Stocksbridge are already capitalising on this world class learning facility.
The Innovation Hub is an essential resource in helping to equip our young people with the skills they need to access the high value jobs of the future.
Looking to the future - I was pleased to see that the College has invested in building relationships with local businesses, to the extent that they've got businesses operating on-site enabling them to provide links between students and employers who will be seeking employees with practical skills and high quality qualifications.
For more information on the SciTech Digital Innovation Hub, and Barnsley College, please do visit their website at https://www.barnsley.ac.uk/campuses/scitech-campus/.
