Newly-merged Telford College 'offers university-standard facilities'
The newly merged Telford College will bring university-standard teaching and facilities to the town, its new principal has said.
Writing exclusively for the Shropshire Star, Graham Guest explained the reasons why Telford College of Arts and Technology and New College Telford decided to merge.
He said the new combined college was able to offer a full range of options, both academic and vocational, and could now offer facilities to match those in many universities.
The two colleges have been effectively acting as one since September, and the merger was officially recognised by the Government last month.
Mr Guest said it was important that the college did more to meet the needs of business, and would be seeking to target specific skills shortages in the local area.
"Education can no longer put the emphasis purely on qualifications," he said.
"It must also consider the skills which employers need, and the evolving career opportunities on our doorstep."
He said, as an example of this, the college would be working with a number of outside organisations to hold a recruitment day for the construction industry at its Haybridge Road campus next month.
Mr Guest added that while academic qualifications were important, it was become increasingly important to focus on "soft skills" such as problem-solving and being able to communicate with colleagues.
To bridge this gap, the college is investing £2.5 million in its new "7th Form" in Haybridge Road, Wellington. As well as offering traditional A-level courses like a conventional sixth form, the new venture will also provide direct links to universities and local employers.
Alongside the traditional A-level and combined vocational courses, it will also offer 10 distinct career routes in leading industries, including childcare, computing, engineering, health and social care, sport, law and politics.
Telford College of Arts and Technology can trace its history back to 1892, when it was launched as the Centre for Art and Science Classes in Oakengates.
New College has its roots in the former Wellington Girls' High School, which was relaunched as a sixth-form college in 1976.
