Opening of our new £2.2m Eco-Friendly Learning Centre

An innovative new learning centre based at the Connahs Quay Campus of Deeside College was opened on 18th September 2009 by Carl Sargeant, Assembly Member for Alyn and Deeside.

The brand new centre, which has been funded through a £1.7m Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) grant and a £0.5m contribution from Deeside College, will be available for use by 14-19 year old students from High Schools in Flintshire and students from the college. The centre will provide the focus for the innovative curriculum developments and learning programmes co-ordinated by Flintshire County Council on behalf of the Flintshire 14 19 Learning Pathways.

The main aim of the centre is to promote extended learning opportunities to all students in schools and colleges across Flintshire. It will support the work that all educational settings in Flintshire are doing to ensure that 14 19 year olds have access to a wider variety of learning opportunities, which will aid their personal development and employability, in order to open up career options they may not have previously considered. Flintshire schools and colleges are working in partnership to offer new courses to students at the Learning Core Centre, including Digital Photography, Spanish, Business Administration, Principal Learning in Engineering and the Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification.

The Flintshire Learning Core Centre will also promote shared training and professional development between schools and colleges, focussing on further improving the teaching and learning provision for 14 19 year olds across Flintshire. This will further enhance the collaboration which has been developed between Secondary Schools in Flintshire, private training providers and Deeside College. It is also anticipated that the centre will provide students with access to the shared Flintshire E-Learning Zone and other e-learning opportunities that could lead to interactive ways of delivering learning core subjects including Entrepreneurship and Basic Skills.

In line with Deeside Colleges Environmental Policy, which is the only college in Wales to have achieved the highest possible Level 5 Green Dragon accreditation, the centre has been built with sustainable issues in mind. The building boasts a rainwater harvesting system and natural light has been maximised wherever possible.

Deeside Colleges Principal and Chief Executive David Jones, said: This is a unique project for Wales and highlights the collaboration between Flintshire County Council, local high schools, colleges and other training providers. It also demonstrates the partnerships innovative approach to learning.

Deputy Minister for Skills John Griffiths said: "The new Learning Centre is an excellent example of the Welsh Assembly Government's commitment and support to help deliver projects that contribute to the Government's sustainability agenda and to improving the learning environment for the young people of Flintshire".

Director of Lifelong Learning at Flintshire County Council, Ian Budd, said: This is an exciting milestone in improving the facilities for young peoples learning in Flintshire. It is right that we celebrate the partnership working between all bodies involved in education in Flintshire.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• deeside college
• carl sargeant AM
• welsh assembly
• eco friendly
• sustainable
• flintshire
• network
• youths
• schools
• learning
• education

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