THIS is our first glimpse inside the new state-of-the-art £17 million education facility in Swindon.
Work on the Swindon and Wiltshire Institute of Technology's main building on New College's North Star campus, which began in autumn 2020, is nearly finished.
The IoT started providing higher education T-Level courses and apprenticeships to its first cohort of students last autumn but its central hub will officially open in September.
This will come with an expansion of the courses available on-site, along with more training facilities and extra resources for learners and employers across the south west region.
New College CEO Carole Kitching hailed it as the "biggest investment in university-level skills in the region ever, with programmes co-created with industry partners".
The institute will focus on engineering, creative, digital, science, and health studies, with facilities including a media studio, science labs, a conference suite, classrooms, an e-sports gaming suite, and engineering labs.
It occupies the seven-storey Pegasus Tower and the Corvus wing next to it in the heart of the college's 10-building campus, with a grassy area outside the main entrance remade into a plaza.
Swindon Borough Council leader David Renard added: "Securing an Institute of Technology for Swindon is so important for the future of our local economy and will give our young people new aspirations and opportunities.
"Great collective effort by New College Swindon, the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership, Swindon Borough Council, Voluntary Action Swindon, Carole Kitching, and many more."
The institute has been set up to respond to the long-term needs of businesses in the area, which are increasingly becoming focused on science, technology and digital industries, as well as fill big skills gaps in these sectors.
Come with us for a sneak peek inside the IoT. We're nearly there and it's looking fantastic! This multimillion investment is bringing state-of-the-art training facilities and resources to learners and employers across the region. #iot #InstituteOfTechnology #TechSkillsRevolution pic.twitter.com/SlmxBmz8nr
— Swindon and Wiltshire Institute of Technology (@SW_IoT) August 15, 2022
Overall, the institute has cost £21 million and is one of 12 being set up around the UK.
Last year, employers who helped develop 40 courses in the Wiltshire one said it could transform the educational landscape in Swindon, with the aim of creating a new generation of innovators and visionaries who will develop and build the world of tomorrow.
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