A £250,000 skills hub has opened in a Staffordshire town centre to help residents find work and boost their employability.
The new Innovation and Skills Hub, based in a refurbished disused building on the Cannock campus of South Staffordshire College, will offer a range of programmes, enabling people to develop sector-specific skills with the support of the college and local employers. The project has been funded by investment from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).
Residents will benefit from work experience placements, tailored employability support and guaranteed job interviews, with a dedicated interview preparation room available to help people build confidence and improve their chances of success.
Local businesses can also book a digital collaboration suite at the hub for meetings, training or professional development activities, while bespoke training services tailored to business needs can also be delivered through the hub.
Councillor Tony Johnson, Leader of Cannock Chase Council, said: “This state-of-the-art centre at South Staffordshire College’s Cannock campus has transformed a disused building into a vital resource for business training and employment support.
“This is more than a building – it’s an investment in our community’s future, and we’re proud to support the College as it goes from strength to strength.”
Claire Boliver, Chief Executive Principal of South Staffordshire College, added: “The development of the Innovation and Skills Hub has been made possible through the generous support of the Council through its UKSPF funding.
“We have been able to renovate an unused building and transform it into a modern training facility for the community. We hope it will become a central point for engagement and collaboration among residents and employers.”
