A college has been awarded millions of pounds to set up a center that will help townspeople develop their digital skills. The center at Loughborough College will help students and community members gain the skills they need to improve their employment prospects.

Construction of a new building for the centre, off Epinal Way, is due to start towards the end of the year. The Loughborough Town Deal is the organization behind the £2.6million injection into Loughborough College.

Having secured £16.9 million in government funding, the Digital Skills Hub is one of 11 projects the group is supporting in the Loughborough area. In total, the projects represent over £40m of investment for the city. The council confirmed that the new center will also work with employers to provide a wider range of placement opportunities.

READ MORE: Tender to build 150 new homes on fields near Bradgate Park

Jo Maher, Principal and CEO of Loughborough College, said: “This is great news and we are extremely grateful to Town Deal for investing in our digital vision. The funding means we can create more state-of-the-art facilities on campus that enhance the digital capacity of learners and our community so that we can better meet the needs of local and regional employers.

“Additionally, the Skills Hub perfectly complements our new T-Level Center and proposed Institute of Technology on campus, helping us create a state-of-the-art learning environment at the heart of the community.”

The Town Deal Board is co-chaired by Councilor Jonathan Morgan, Leader of Charnwood Borough Council, and Dr Nik Kotecha OBE, Chairman of Loughborough-based Morningside Pharmaceuticals. Coun Morgan said: “I am delighted that we can now confirm Town Deal funding for Loughborough College’s Digital Skills Hub.

“We live and work in an ever-changing digital world and as a result the demand for a facility like this has never been higher. The Skills Hub will not only help people but also local businesses as we continue to emerge from the impact of the pandemic and build a stronger local economy.

Dr Kotecha said: “We want the Town Deal to have a real legacy and that will definitely be an aspect of that. Thousands of local people will be trained at the Digital Skills Hub and build their careers and futures with the skills they learn there and I’m really delighted that Town Deal can invest in Loughborough College which is a great asset to the town and the borough.