BSDC secures £4.9 million to expand provision

Burton and South Derbyshire College (BSDC) is delighted to announce that it has successfully secured up to £4.9 million from the Department for Education's Post-16 Capacity Fund following a competitive national bidding process.

The funding has been provided through the Government's Post-16 Capacity Fund, which supports colleges and sixth forms in areas where growing student numbers are placing increasing pressure on existing accommodation and teaching space. The investment will support the expansion of BSDC’s estate, creating additional teaching facilities that will help meet the rising demand for post-16 education, while enhancing the College’s high-quality academic, technical and professional offer.

The exciting project will see the College’s former engineering workshop demolished and replaced with a modern, purpose-built learning facility, creating flexible teaching spaces, immersive digital learning environments and specialist technology-enabled classrooms, designed to support the needs of future learners and employers. The funding will help ensure BSDC can provide high-quality learning environments and offer more places to young people seeking further education and skills training.

John Beaty, Principal and Chief Executive at Burton and South Derbyshire College said: “We are thrilled to have been awarded this significant capital investment from the Department for Education. Our college focuses on technical and vocational excellence and has seen unprecedented demand from learners in recent years with future applications pointing to continued growth.

“This investment will help us build a new facility within our Burton upon Trent campus that will create additional capacity over the medium term ensuring we can continue to provide local people with the skills, competencies and qualifications that are in high demand from local employers. This is not only great news for our college and those who study with us but is a real win for local employers who can now be assured of an increased pipeline of future talent.”