A new £22.5 million Institute of Technology (IoT) being built in Stafford is to receive £1 million of government funding.
Stafford Borough Council has announced it will be handing over the sum from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), part of the government’s Levelling Up agenda.
As reported by Daily Focus, construction started on the educational centre earlier this year and the first intake of learners is due in September 2025.
The Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire IoT will specialise in higher level technical programmes, bringing together the training offer of Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group (NSCG) in collaboration with Keele University, Burton and South Derbyshire College and Axia Solutions with curriculum influenced by key employer partners including; Dell, Hitachi, MOOG, Siemens and St Modwen Logistics.
It is expected to attract more than 3,500 students.
Located off Castle Street, is it being constructed in the heart of the Stafford Station Gateway regeneration scheme with other plans for the area including a hotel, multi-storey car park and new homes and businesses.
Council Leader Aidan Godfrey said the IoT was another example of the huge amount of investment coming into the town.
He said: “This will be a fantastic facility and forms an integral part of our ambitious Station Gateway regeneration scheme. The Institute of Technology will bring many benefits to the county town – by not only attracting new students, who will be able to enjoy an innovative learning environment with first class facilities, but also for our local economy.”
He added: “We are seeing significant investment in Stafford which demonstrates the confidence the government and investors have in our ability to deliver on our ambitions.
“This is all part of our ‘Project Stafford’ and, this year and next, people will see more of the plans taking shape on the journey to have a town we can be proud of.”
Institutes of Technology are a £300 million government backed investment designed to significantly increase the number of learners participating in higher technical education and provide the skills that businesses need both now and, in the future, to support regional and national productivity.
Criag Hodgson, Principal and Chief Executive of NSCG, the lead institution behind the IoT, said: “Collaboration sits at the heart of the strategy for Institutes of Technology, and the partnership working to bring this fantastic facility to the heart of the exciting Stafford Gateway project has been nothing short of exceptional.
“We thank Stafford Borough Council for supporting our vision, and for helping us to turn it in to a reality – we can’t wait to welcome learners through our doors in 2025.”
