Brock to benefit from £281k extra funding aimed at filling local and regional skills gaps identified by employers

Brockenhurst College will receive a funding boost of £281,135 over two years from March 2024, senior leaders at the College have announced.

The money has been earmarked for equipping students from a range of curriculum areas to fill skills gaps identified by local and regional employers.

It represents a share of £2.5m awarded by the government’s Local Skills Improvement Fund (LSIF) to a consortium of colleges in the south.

Health and Social Care students at Brock will now benefit from an extra £136,625 over the two years.

This will buy 30 VR headsets, a human simulator mannequin, a fully equipped hospital bed, 15 screens for immersive learning and software licences.

Meanwhile, on Brock’s creative programmes, £135,000 extra will be spent on equipment to enhance technical arts courses.

This will include a music studio refurbishment, which will see a new sound desk and PA system installed.

Some of the new learning assets will be shared with other curriculum areas to maximise benefits.

The College will also receive an extra £2,210 to maintain the Tech:Truck outreach resource, which it shares with other colleges in the consortium.

Brockenhurst College Principal, Helen Odhams, said:

“We are delighted to be part of the group of colleges that has received this additional funding.

“It will help us to further develop our provision in areas of local and regional skills need, and it will have a significant impact on student learning.”

LSIF was created to enable Further Education providers across a specified geographic area respond collectively and effectively to specific skills shortfalls.

Led by South Hampshire College Group, the successful LSIF bid outlined initiatives to strengthen teaching and learning across a range of curriculum areas in accordance with industry priorities.

These priorities were specified in the Local Skills Improvement Plan, which was developed alongside local and regional employers.

The ultimate goal is to secure improved educational outcomes that correspond more directly with the needs of local and regional industry, boosting productivity and economic development.