The Rt Hon Anne Milton MP, Minister of State for Skills at the Department of Education will visit Gosport this week to see the innovative and unique skills training on the peninsula.
Two of the skills centres the Minister will visit are located at the multi million pound Solent Enterprise Zone, Daedalus which local MP, Caroline Dinenage, was instrumental in creating.
The OFSTED 'Outstanding' rated Centre of Excellence in Engineering, Manufacturing and Advanced Skills Training 'CEMAST' trains over 1000 students in automotive, marine and aeronautical engineering working alongside a number of international partner companies.
The exciting new CETC - Civil Engineering Training Centre (Digger School!) is an innovative collaboration between business and Fareham College. It offers practical training which means apprentices are 'work ready' after an intensive 20 week course. The college is the brainchild of local businessman Mark Wells.
Caroline Dinenage said:
"Digger School, offers a unique solution to the national shortage of the construction and groundworks skills needed to fulfil the country's infrastructure investment needs. I invited Mark to meet the Skills Minister in Westminster last year, she was so impressed by this training model that she's visiting herself to see how it could be replicated throughout the UK."
The Minister will also visit is Gomer Junior School to see their award nominated approach towards STEM and digital. STEM is fully integrated into the school's curriculum and their after-school gSTEM club is oversubscribed, with girls making up over half of the members! Gomer's innovative STEM model is increasingly inspiring primary schools near and far and Gomer's headteacher, Georgina Mulhall, is gaining recognition across the country, being nominated for Pearson's Primary Head Teacher of the Year 2017 and last year the school were a very worthy finalist at the TES Awards.
Speaking ahead of the visit, Caroline said
"It is great that the Minister has the opportunity to learn more about the exciting and unique ways we are training our workforce to address the skills shortfall.
I've been blown away by the excitement and enthusiasm from both pupils and staff during my own visits. I'm delighted the Minister will be able to see this for herself, with a view to how it can be replicated in other training programmes."
