Milton Keynes College has won a £3.5 million bid for government funding to set up a new skills centre to improve links with business.
The money will pay for the centre to be built at the Chaffron Way campus where companies and educators will collaborate in digital skills and artificial intelligence. If the trial is a success it could be rolled out across the country.
The centre will be operated in partnership with the South Central Institute for Technology (SCIoT), MK Chamber, the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP) and MK Council, along with the city-wide artificial intelligence group, MKAI.
Dr Julie Mills OBE, CEO and Group Principal of MK College Group says, “The success of this bid means we can set up a new service which will be employer-driven to help make sure learners are being taught the digital skills local business really needs. Being asked to pilot what could become a really significant national scheme shows that the Department for Education has real confidence in the Milton Keynes College Group. Levelling-up is a central pillar of government policy which aligns perfectly with the group strategy to provide fairer futures for all. The Skills Match which this funding will support will allow companies to tell us directly what their needs are and for us to use that knowledge to shape the digital curriculum.”
MK Council Leader, Cllr Pete Marland said: “We’re delighted that Milton Keynes College’s impressive bid has been successful in securing this significant level of investment, and we look forward to seeing their plans for an exciting new College Business Centre become a reality.
“MK Council has been working closely with the College to deliver a number of projects through our own Economic Recovery Fund, and this latest news is a further boost to the specialist education and employability support MK College can provide to local people.”
CEO and Group Principal
MK College Group
