Two Somerset colleges first in England to receive specialist support from Open University
The scheme has been backed by £10 million of funding from UK Government
Last updated 9th Jun 2024
Two colleges in Somerset are the first in England to get support from the Open University to expand the range of higher educational courses they offer.
Today, it's been announced Strode College and Yeovil College University Centre are to get three years of support from the OU, thanks to the backing of £10 million of Government funding.
The colleges will be working with the Open University as they look to improve provision to higher education - linked to local employer requirements.
It's hoped the scheme will then help people across the region to secure jobs with higher wages - and ultimately grow the local economy.
Courses will be shorter than the 'traditional' three year degree, thanks to a mix of blended, face-to-face and online learning - to be as accessible to as many people as possible.
At Strode College, some of the provisions hoped to be in place include qualifications in creative arts leadership; business; analytics and intelligence; as well as conservation and green sciences.
Sarah Probert, Head of Higher Education at Strode College said: "This enables us to develop our qualifications with our community. That's really important for the people we serve, and we've done a lot of research to find out where the skills gaps really lie.
"We're in a unique position in Strode, because we engage with our community, and continue to do so - we've made a commitment to have a 'year of conversation' with them to make sure that any provision that we develop falls in line with what's needed.
"One of those is about conservation - we live in a fantastic environment here in Somerset, but what we're looking at is that bridge between conservation and new technology in green sciences.
"At Strode, we don't do provision that's 'solely soleless' - it's all about having that local support, and we bring learners in who perhaps never would have thought of studying at a higher level, or have faced barriers to access it - that's really important to us.
"I'd really like to thank the support we've had from our community so far who've helped work with us to develop the successful - and it's lovely to have two colleges in Somerset who are now leading the way across the country."
Sian Deasy, Head of Higher Education and Adult Learning, Yeovil College University Centre, said: “At Yeovil College University Centre, we are passionate about providing opportunities for real people juggling busy lives to be able to gain a university-level qualification in a local setting.
“This exciting new partnership with The Open University will allow us to continue to provide opportunities for people to upskill and retrain in order to secure high-value employment in our region, in particular, focussing on the essential field of Digital Health.”
Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education Robert Halfon said: “I am committed to ensuring everyone can reach their career aspirations without having to leave their communities, and to ensure that local employers have access to the skills they need to grow and thrive.
“The incredible work which the Open University has done for decades to extend the ladder of opportunity across the country by opening up higher education will be boosted by the £10 million we are providing to colleges, stimulating growth and driving forward social mobility.”
Professor Tim Blackman, Vice-Chancellor at The Open University, said: ““Further education colleges are a critical part of their local communities. We are delighted to be working with both Yeovil College and Strode College to develop their higher education offer through new advanced technical courses.
“With Government-backed support from the OU we can help provide advanced skills that can attract new businesses and help others grow, creating sustainable and highly skilled jobs.”
You can find more details about the scheme for the next wave of colleges in England to receive support from the Open University here.
You can find out more about the Open University's offering here.