EMPLOYERS in the North-East's engineering sector can now take advantage of a Centre of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) when planning their training and staff development.
The Centre for Technical and Design Engineering, at Hartlepool College of Further Education, has been granted CoVE status by the Learning and Skills Council.
It means the centre will receive additional resources of £500,000 during the next three years to fund capital improvements, staff development and the development of learning packages appropriate to employer's needs in this sector.
The centre will be integrated with the Centre for Intelligent Systems and facilities for new foundation degrees into a building to be opened in September.
It will provide a 3D design suite with 20 workstations and a business improvement suite featuring a conference table with built-in laptop computers and video conferencing.
A paper-free portfolio suite will also be created for the development of apprentice portfolios, which will have computers, digital photography equipment and video and audio capture.
Mike Bretherick, assistant principal of engineering and design, said: "Being awarded Centre of Vocational Excellence status means we ensure high quality learning opportunities for both young people and those who are retraining, and we will help students achieve respected NVQs that provide a mix of academic and practical study, preparing them for careers in technical and design engineering."
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