Stratford-upon-Avon College was pleased to welcome a range of visitors on campus recently to see a whole host of exciting upgrades and new-look facilities after completing its £13million redevelopment project.
The College has come to the end of its refurbishment with a range of renovations and improvements made across the site.
Refurbishment work has taken place in the College’s A and B Blocks to improve existing facilities and upgrade equipment. A new gym has been created, featuring a range of fitness equipment, and a new Library and Open Access Computer room have also been introduced for students.
As part of the Government’s Skills Development Fund project, the College also secured funding to update the theatres with industry-standard equipment – including making one of the theatre’s gantry areas fully accessible for wheelchair users – one of only a few in the UK to offer this inclusivity. Brand-new TV and Radio studios were also created, which have already been a big hit with Digital Media Production and TV Production Bootcamp students.
Plumbing and Electrical Installation workshops have been equipped with training bays that enable students to mount test setups for plumbing installations of domestic items such as sinks, baths and immersion heaters. These training bays feature a range of new equipment, tools and materials that would be used in the industry by professional contractors.
Here are some photos of the colleges new-look campus
Furthermore, the campus now includes a new ‘green heart’. With sustainability high on the College’s agenda, a new green space was created that students and staff can enjoy. Featuring newly planted trees and lawns, the area incorporates plenty of outdoor seating and areas for relaxation. A new café and social space can also be found at the centre of campus, ensuring students have access to a range of food and drink options throughout their day.
The College welcomed visitors to the campus on two occasions in November. On Saturday 11th November over 1500 prospective students and their families got the chance to visit the campus and see the upgraded facilities at the College’s open event.
This was followed by a showcase where a range of guests were invited to a private event to see what the College now has to offer. This comprised of local residents, employers and businesses who have worked with the College, and local dignitaries including the Mayor.
Guests were given a talk on the developments with the chance to be taken on a tour of the new facilities. They were also treated to a performance by the College’s Music students and were able to watch rehearsals of the Performing Arts students’ Christmas Show: Tinsel town-upon-Avon.
Here are some photos from the College’s Open Event and Showcase Event
Principal Dr Rebecca Gater began the showcase with a speech detailing the upgrades and improvements: “We have invested £13 million in redeveloping the campus. This project has taken four years across five phases. The buildings have been significantly refurbished, with the most recent phase being the landscaping of what we call the ‘green heart’, and this has been developed with very careful consideration to the environment, sustainability and the welfare of our college community. The campus redevelopment aligns closely with the regional skills agenda. Through diversification of the curriculum that we offer here, we are training the workforce of the future to develop skills that are in short supply throughout Warwickshire and beyond.
She continued: “Last week I led a session on strategic ambitions, our strategic plan and our college values at our student conference. During a discussion topic one of our students who is in their third year studying with us, said that they felt as if they were studying at a completely different college, and they said how proud they were to be a student at Stratford-upon-Avon College now that our estate and our facilities are so impressive. Comments like this from students make all of the investment worthwhile. We truly believe that Stratford-upon-Avon College has the wow factor in abundance.”
The College will be holding its next open event in March for those who want to experience and explore the new-look campus.
