Member of Parliament for Berwick upon Tweed, Anne Marie Trevelyan, has visited staff and students at Northumberland College’s Berwick campus following the announcement of a multi-million pound investment programme to improve learning facilities and create better opportunities for young people.
Talking to senior leadership figures including College Principal, Nigel Harrett, Ellen Thinnesen, CEO of Education Partnership North East and Tracy Girdwood, Head of Berwick campus, Anne Marie discussed the positive impact that the investment will have not only for students, but also for the town, local employers and members of the community.
She visited the College’s construction centre to see students studying on industry-focused courses including joinery and carpentry. She also took time to discuss their individual experiences of further education and their future career aspirations.
Anne Marie Trevelyan MP commented, “This is great news for the College and the people of Berwick as the investment will bring new opportunities for the whole area.
“By providing young learners with the correct skills for future employment or further education, giving adults the means to retrain or update their skills, and engaging with local businesses to address specific skills shortages, Northumberland College can become the hub of the community and offer life-long learning for people of all ages.
“I have had a long-standing relationship with Northumberland College and was delighted to visit the campus again and speak with staff and students. I look forward to seeing the plans take shape to the benefit of the local community.”
Plans outlined for Northumberland College’s Berwick campus include the development of a new building at Ramparts Business Park with state-of-the-art learning facilities. Construction work is currently ongoing with a view to opening the new building in September 2019.
Nigel Harrett, Principal of Northumberland College, added, “This is an exciting time for the College, especially here in Berwick as we are delivering brand new facilities which will greatly benefit our students, local employers and the wider community. We were delighted to welcome Anne Marie to the campus and her continued support is much appreciated in relation to the plans we have outlined for the Berwick site.
“The investment programme will further position Northumberland College as one of the region’s leading education and training providers, and we will be working very closely with key stakeholders, businesses and local schools to deliver the very best opportunities for young people and retain their skills in the area.”
Northumberland College is one of the North East’s leading FE and HE establishments with campuses in Ashington, Berwick upon Tweed and at Kirkley Hall, Ponteland.