Stakeholders, employers, national skills agencies, board members, staff and members of the local community were given a glimpse of what the new Forth Valley College Falkirk Campus will look like at a special event recently.
More than 100 guests attended the event in the main hall of the current FVC Falkirk Campus on the evening of Tuesday 30 January and were given an exclusive opportunity to see the new plans on display boards and an animated fly through film of how the facility will look upon completion.
Work officially began on the new £78 million Falkirk Campus on Friday 10 November 2017, when Scotland’s Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science, Shirley-Anne Somerville, used a digger to cut the first section of turf at the Middlefield site.
FVC Principal Dr Ken Thomson and Ross Martin, Chair of the Forth Valley College Board of Management were the main speakers at Tuesday’s event and they were delighted to highlight how the new campus will benefit employers by delivering the skills for their workforces.
Dr Ken Thomson, said: “When this campus is complete it will be one of the most innovative further education institutions in the country in both design and the programmes we offer. The £78million facility will provide the headquarters for the College and will offer an impressive range of state-of-the-art learning environments.
“Our innovative courses and training will be relevant to the needs of individuals, employers and the workforce of the future. There will be clear links to local employment opportunities with a strategic focus on STEM provision, Health Care and Sport with the potential for national and international delivery – indeed, we plan to be recognised as a global centre of excellence for STEM.
“We are very excited about the possibilities the new campus will offer – it will be a legacy building for Forth Valley and the people of Falkirk. The modern, iconic architecture will both enhance the local landscape and complement our neighbours, the Helix Park and world famous Kelpies.
“Our vision for a unique community campus will also increase accessibility and promote inclusiveness – widening opportunities for all and helping even more people reach their full potential.”
Ross Martin, Chair of the Forth Valley College Board of Management, said: “The new campus will benefit both people and place – from individuals looking to take their next step in education and employers looking to achieve success with the support of a highly skilled workforce to the towns of Alloa and Falkirk and the city of Stirling which host these world class facilities.
“These facilities, and their relationship to the places which Forth Valley College serves, are at the leading edge of the outcomes based aspirations of the Enterprise & Skills Review, helping us to create a Learner Journey that is truly about ‘Making Learning Work’.”
The new campus - which is earmarked for completion in November 2019 - will complete FVC’s ambitious estates programme which saw their £21 million Alloa Campus opened in 2011 and their £29 million Stirling Campus opened a year later. The Scottish Government is investing £65 million in the construction of the new campus.
The new Falkirk HQ will focus heavily on training facilities designed for science and technology, engineering, sport and healthcare, and will have state-of-the-art provision and capabilities to accommodate a wide range of FVC’s courses.
Unique facilities will include, world class laboratories, a process training rig, transmission training centre, distillation plant, virtual control room, mini rig, biotechnology centre, sports centre and front of house training salons for hairdressing and beauty – all of which will offer exceptional learning experiences.
With a progressive approach to learning and teaching there will also be state-of-the-art classrooms, flexible spaces across the campus and highly advanced technology throughout. Other facilities will include a first class learning resource centre, food outlets, conferencing and sports facilities.
FVC are encouraging both individuals and organisations to contact us for more info on how to become involved to support our future talent. Please get in touch to have a chat about the different ways you could get involved. With your support we can make a real difference.
Please call Pauline Barnaby (Development & Fundraising Manager) on: (01324) 403019 or email: pauline.barnaby@forthvalley.ac.uk