Calderdale College is undertaking a seven-figure project to create a new state-of-the-art Digital and Creative Industries Centre (DigiHub) in time for September 2018, helping to prepare students for employment in the exciting and fast-developing world of digital and creative industries.
The new DigiHub will see the College invest over £1.5million to create exciting new facilities, including: a Cyber Security Lab, Motion Capture Studio, Games and Web Design Suite, Animation Studio and Digital Media Studio. In addition, it will feature a range of services for businesses, including website and mobile applications, design and commercial print services.
John Rees, Principal and Chief Executive at Calderdale College, comments on the scheme:
“This is a significant project for our College and it highlights our commitment to embedding the digital agenda at the heart of our study programmes, higher education and apprenticeship offer. It will allow us to deliver new and innovative courses and equip our students with the skills they need for this fast-changing industry, providing a clear route into employment. It will also offer a huge benefit to employers, giving them access to high quality digital services. In our most recent Ofsted report we were recognised for our high-quality classrooms and other learning environments, so this investment further demonstrates our commitment to providing our students with some of the best learning facilities in the region.”
Current labour market analysis from the Leeds City Region highlights specific shortages in key digital skills, including coding and programming, software development, data analytics and cyber security, yet job demand for these skills is increasing rapidly.
When speaking about the courses and opportunities available to current and new students at the College, Robin Smith, Curriculum Manager for Creative, Digital and Enterprise comments:
“We have identified the need for this project due to the continuous growth seen in the creative and digital sectors, which is forecast to grow 50% faster than the rest of the economy.
“This provides excellent employment opportunities with over 102,000 people working across the digital sector in the Leeds City Region. It is a fantastic opportunity for our students to learn digital and creative skills that will form the basis of the regional economy in the future in state-of-the-art facilities.”
The College is working with local employers to shape the curriculum, to ensure they are teaching the skills needed for current and future jobs. They will also work in partnership with employers to create high value work experience opportunities for students in these sectors.
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