Member Article

Flagship training building for Gateshead

A new education facility housing seven work-based learning providers will open in Gateshead later this year. Due to open in May, the Gateshead Skills Academy will be located on the Team Valley. The site will provide vocational courses, training and conference facilities for the seven organisations – known as The Collective. The Academy will also become the base for the delivery of apprenticeships and work based qualifications for over 1,500 young people and adult employees.

The development has been supported by the Learning and Skills Council and TyneWear Partnership through £1.32 million of Single Programme Funding from One NorthEast.

George Snaith, acting executive director at TyneWear Partnership, said: “The Collective is a fantastic organisation that provides a huge range of work-based learning courses and support to local employers. The Partnership sees it as a key priority to increase the levels of participation and attainment in education, particularly 14-19 year-olds, as well as that of all employees in the region. The Collective will go a long way to helping people achieve relevant skills that increase their employability.”

The Collective is a consortium of seven work-based learning providers who have joined forces to offer a joint service to both employers and individuals. The seven providers are Access Training, ITEC North East, NEETA Ltd, Rathbone UK, General Physics, TDR Ltd and Gateshead College. The Collective partners already work with over 500 local employers, including Newcastle United Football Club, British Gas, Benfield Motors and Gateshead Council.

Malcolm Armstrong, Collective Chairman, said: “We work with employers to look at their individual training needs and design flexible solutions to meet them. We are also looking forward to being in the new Skills Academy as this is part of a regional drive to establish a world-class education and learning infrastructure to boost regional economic growth.”

For more information about The Collective, go to www.gatesheadcollective.co.uk.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .