TheHarpNews.com

Learning and Skills Council chief executive Mark Haysom was guest of honour at the official opening of South Birmingham College’s Digbeth Centre on 6 December.
Mr Haysom joined principal Alan Birks to officially unveil a plaque to mark the opening, before meeting staff and students. Students from the College’s specialist media and performing arts courses also performed a Pantomime in the building’s new and highly acclaimed auditorium.
The new £17.5 million centre is funded by the College and generous grants from the Government’s Learning and Skills Council, the Government-funded organisation responsible for all post-16 learning other than higher education. Its opening marks an important milestone in the regeneration of Digbeth High Street, a major gateway to the City Centre, which is rapidly transforming into a vibrant arts, media and residential quarter.
The College’s Digbeth Centre forms a key part of its £60 million strategy to renew its aging stock of buildings. When complete the College will be operating from five well equipped and attractive centres across the South of the City offering its student’s high quality learning opportunities suited to meet their needs.
Commenting on the opening of the new Digbeth Centre, South Birmingham College’s Principal Alan Birks CBE enthusiastically remarked: ”This new building provides our students with a fantastic learning environment, close to the City Centre and in Digbeth where the Custard Factory and a host of other developments are creating one of the most exciting areas in Birmingham’s regeneration.
”The facilities we have in our new building are second to none and will equip our students with the skills, confidence and qualifications to succeed both in their employment aspirations and personal lives and make a full contribution to the future their City.”
The Digbeth Centre consists of over 9,000sq metres of studios classrooms and workshops. It sympathetically incorporates two of the Cities most important listed buildings into its structure, the former St Michaels School on Floodgate Street and the Old Mill on Digbeth which had been derelict for over fifty years and now its future is secure.
The College offers more 700 further education courses, catering for a range of age groups, communities and aspirations. For many of its students it provides a second chance to gain the education and confidence needed to fulfill their aspirations and dreams.
The Digbeth Centre is one of the college’s six Centres of Excellence located throughout the city offering more than 300 qualifications, from foundation to degree level. For further information about the courses available call 0121 694 5000 or visit www.sbc.ac.uk