A multi-million pound college refurbishment programme has continued with the opening of a brand £500,000 new facility.
Works at Burton and South Derbyshire College include a new hairdressing salon, the installation of electronic white boards in classrooms, new IT equipment and a refurbished study centre, with new flooring, upgraded décor and furniture.
The new hair and beauty salon, Innovations, has now opened to the public and offers a range of treatments, which are carried out by students who are being assessed for the practical elements of their courses.
More than £14m has been invested in facilities at the college in the last six years including a Design and Creative Industries Centre (£3.6m), Sports Centre (£1.5m), Automotive and Engineering Skills Academy (£2m) and a University Centre (£5.2m).
The most recent refurbishments also included the development of a new Microsoft IT Academy, hailed as “the future of education” by Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Iain Duncan-Smith MP, during a visit to the college last month.
Dawn Ward OBE, chief executive and principal, said: “We pride ourselves on providing a professional, comfortable and supportive environment for our students to study in, together with investing in the very best technical facilities to ensure students are equipped with the latest skills and knowledge that employers need, in any given sector.”