Record set by college as numbers soar

South Staffordshire College is reporting an 11 per cent increase in students accepting a place for the upcoming academic year.

The increase has been put down to significant investment, particularly in its AgriSTEM Academy, and the tailoring of courses to match the employment needs of the local economy, according to bosses.

The £5.4m AgriSTEM Academy was launched in June, with the first intake due to start in September. Situated at the 180-hectare Rodbaston campus it will offer a new range of diplomas, apprenticeships and traineeships in subjects such as Landbased Technology, Agricultural Engineering, and Motorsport.

Chief executive Graham Morley said: “With just under a month until the new academic year more students are being attracted by both the facilities and our close employer links, putting them in the strongest possible position to embark on their chosen career.”

Alongside the AgriSTEM investment, South Staffordshire College has shifted its focus to courses that give students a direct sight of employment upon graduation.

This includes a new retail and merchandising course which has been developed to ensure that the 1,200 jobs being created at the Mill Green Designer Outlet Village in Cannock can be filled by the local workforce.

The college reported that upon completion of a course in 2015/16, over 95 per cent of its pupils progressed into employment or higher level education.

However, the good news in relation to new students comes just months after the announcement earlier this summer that the college made the decision to close its campus at The Green, Cannock in July, just four years after it completed a £6 million refurbishment of the site.

The college, which has around 20,000 students on its books, has been battling financial difficulties in recent years.

In 2015 it had to make £2m worth of cuts, with jobs being slashed in the years before that.

The department for education had suggested South Staffordshire merge with Walsall College because of the latter's 'financial strength' but this was ruled out by both colleges.

South Staffordshire College is still accepting admissions for September 2017; prospective students can register their interest online or pop into any of the campuses at Rodbaston, Lichfield or Tamworth.