A number of projects to enhance and develop Further Education facilities across the Liverpool City Region and ensure future learners are equipped with the skills local employers need have been agreed inprinciple at today’s Liverpool City Region Combined Authority meeting.
In total, four projects received ‘expression of interest stage’ approval which means they can now progress to a full application. These will be considered at a future Combined Authority meeting.
In total, across the four projects, up to £7.9m of skills capital funding will be granted, subject to approval by the Combined Authority of detailed bids for each project in the coming months. The four projects are:
- City of Liverpool College -Creation of a digital academy at the College’s Myrtle Street site to meet employer demand for skills in the digital and creative sector;
- JTL with North West Training Council (NWTC)- Improved facilities for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths learners at NWTC’s site in Sefton;
- Myerscough College – An investment programme to enhance the College’s equine and animal studies course provision at Croxteth Country Park; and
- Wirral Metropolitan College –Construction of a new build project adjacent to the College’s existing Wirral Waters Enterprise Zone site to provide a University Health Campus to deliver nursing and other vocational NHS careers training in partnership with the University of Chester.
In total the Skills Capital Investment Fund has now committed to invest in over 30 projects across Liverpool City Region to a total grant value of approximately £23.6 million.
The funding is part of the Liverpool City Region’s £232 million Growth Deal that was secured from Government by the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) in 2014. Working together, the City Region is investing the Skills Capital Investment Fund, consisting of £41.1 million across 2015/16 and 2016/17 as an integral part of the overall Growth Deal.
Cllr Ian Maher, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority portfolio lead for Employment and Skills, said: “Today’s investment and the grant funding previously agreed will deliver the learning facilities our young people and job seekers need to gain industry standard skills and be able to compete for high quality employment opportunities across the Liverpool City Region.The proposed investment in facilities will ensure local people can access high quality provision and gain the skills our local employers are looking for. I look forward to receiving the full applications in due course.”
The Skills Capital Investment Fund is now closed to new applications however it is likely to open again in the Autumn.