The South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP) have awarded Northampton College £2.25 million of funding from their Local Growth Fund Skills Capital Investment Programme.
The financial injection 
will allow the college to press ahead with their plans to provide a new employer-led Advanced Construction Engineering Centre at their Booth Lane Campus.
This state-of-the-art facility will support learners to develop the skills needed for the most up-to-date construction and engineering technologies.
With the planning now approved, works on-site are expected to start this summer. It is expected to be completed by July 2019.
Northampton College Principal, Pat Brennan-Barrett said:
“We are delighted that SEMLEP have supported our bid to build an Advanced Construction Engineering Centre. It is a great resource for Northamptonshire and will meet the needs of employers and students.“We are very excited about the opportunity this will afford our community.”
Judith Barker, director of programmes and governance at SEMLEP said:
“The construction sector is hugely important for our area and employers confirm major skills shortages.“The level of employer engagement from the college in developing the centre’s offer is very strong. This project forecasts 600-700 new learners each year by 2025/26 and we expect that this new facility will provide high quality and a relevant training environment that meets the needs of the construction sector.“The funding approval follows a very competitive funding competition and detailed due-diligence and appraisal process and I will be working very closely with the college to help them deliver this.”
Cllr Tim Hadland, Northampton Borough Council Cabinet member for regeneration and enterprise, said:
“Northampton continues to be internationally recognised as a centre for advanced engineering, particularly within its Enterprise Zone, supported by courses and apprenticeships provided by Northampton College.“The College also has a well-established selection of courses which help support the area’s strong industry presence, and this development will help cement the town’s place as a centre of excellence for civil engineering expertise.“These skills are vital to ensure that the region’s necessary infrastructure projects can be realised using a pool of local talent.”