Staffordshire colleges have secured £34 million in government funding for 16 to 18 learning. The announcement includes £26.6 million specifically for building and creating new facilities at further education sites across the county.
The projects are planned across Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group (NSCG), Burton & South Derbyshire College and South Staffordshire College. Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group also recently received a separate £10 million allocation for the Advanced Manufacturing Technical Excellence Centre in Stafford.
What happens next
Staffordshire County Council and its partners will now assess whether the new facilities will accommodate the growing number of 16 to 18 students seeking further education places, and identify what funding gap remains after the government investment.
Longer-term ambitions
Robin Hall, Staffordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills, said the funding will strengthen the county's skills pipeline in construction, engineering, digital technologies and health.
The council has a longer-term ambition to secure £104 million in investment over the next five years to ensure further education provision meets future demand and supports economic growth across Staffordshire.
