We toured the state-of-the-art Sandwell skills campus that's set to boost careers and support development for young and old learners
The Sandwell College Cradley Heath Skills Campus build is almost complete - with bosses saying that 'exciting' things are coming.
The Cradley Heath Skills Campus, on Lower High Street, Cradley Heath, is almost ready to open, with education bosses setting their sights on transforming, upskilling, and developing opportunities across the Black Country.
The new dedicated skills and training centre, which is being developed as part of Sandwell College's 'Your Future Our Focus' plan, is set to open in January and will offer courses to upskill, retrain, and build the knowledge of the region's learners of all ages.
This week, with the finishing touches being applied, we got an exclusive tour of the new learning centre, and a chance to see where Sandwell's future young and adult learners will develop their ambitions.
Sandwell College principal and CEO Lisa Capper MBE said: "This building is fantastic. We were very fortunate to attract the funding from the Rowley Regis town fund board.
"This money has enabled us to put in this high-quality building for the residents of Cradley Heath.
"This building showcases some fantastic facilities, and of course, the practical skills facilities too."
The learning complex has been developed with £9.3 million from the Towns Fund, granted by the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government, with bosses saying that the investment reflects a 'wider commitment' to strengthening and developing the local workforce.
The building itself features a contemporary design, reflecting a modern, yet simplistic and welcoming environment.
Its classrooms and specialist practical learning rooms will soon be filled with eager learners looking to develop their skills and take the next steps to achieving their ambitions.
However, the facility won't only be a place for learning, but for the exchange of knowledge, and an area where locals can book to use crucial resources.
Ms Capper said: "The community cafe near the entrance will be a place where individuals can come and open up and talk about themselves and their experiences.
"It's a place where people exchange their knowledge. It will really fuel everything that we are trying to achieve here."
As well as regular classrooms, the campus will feature specialist 'practical rooms' which focus on upskilling for various trades, including painting and decorating, and caring sectors.
Julian Kirkpatrick, head of campus, said: "We have designed a curriculum aimed at our local adults, with predominantly 18- to 24-year-olds being our target groups.
"We are very much aware of what the local and regional skills gaps are, and what we are offering here mirrors that. For example, we are putting a broader offer on digital skills, which we will deliver through our digital suite here in the building.
"Alongside that, we recognise construction is an area where local people want to move forward into local jobs, so we have a fantastic space in this building to develop a range of multi-trade skills."
The centre's building practical rooms will offer courses in plastering, carpentry, joinery, plumbing and tiling and many more.
As well as building skills, students can also join courses directed at the caring sector, using a specialist room that mimics the average living room of a senior person.
Mr Kirkpatrick added: "We have noticed a rising demand for care professionals across the local area and region too.
"In response to this, we have constructed a domiciliary care training room, which enables people to come in and work in a real-life setting, working through those real-life scenarios, and they can then take that forward into their careers.
"Underpinning all of this is our essential skills; these are essentially the building blocks to any technical training. So we've got a broad offer across English, maths, and digital skills spanning from entry level and higher."
Ms Capper's vision is that the new facility will give those who want to upskill, retrain, or relearn a comfortable space where they can work towards their goals.
She said: "When individuals come to us here and make contact, it won't just be what is offered in this building. With Sandwell Colleges, we have a whole set of other opportunities that adults and young people can progress on to and benefit from.
"This means they will have a better chance of moving up the ladder at work, or getting to that dream job and finding a passion for learning.
"For our younger people, this means that being here might give them the confidence to move into the larger college setting and complete those higher-level qualifications.
"For our adult learners, maybe they have thought about continuing their education, or retraining or relearning, or even looking for another line of work; this gives them that space.
"It's not just classrooms here, it's experiences, and it's giving that taste of what the future can be."
The new facility is set to open in January, with a community open day planned on December 11, between 12am and 6pm.
More information on the Cradley Heath Skills Campus can be found at www.sandwell.ac.uk/facilities/cradley-heath-skills-campus/.
