Secretary of State for Education Visits Institute of Technology

Orchestrated with the help of the Conservative Party candidate for Stafford, Theo Clarke, the Education Minister, Gillian Keegan MP joined key stakeholders on a visit to the Institute of Technology site to review progress on the £22.5M development.

The scheme, which will be ready to welcome learners when the doors open officially in Spring 2025, will feature state-of-the-art equipment and resources to equip learners with the advanced skills needed to quickly move into exciting jobs in engineering, construction, design and digital.

The Secretary of State was keen to find out how this innovative collaboration will play a role in closing the skills gaps in important STEM-led industries and to ensure the development remains on track.  Commenting on the visit, the Secretary of State for Education, Gillian Keegan MP said: “It was wonderful to visit Stafford College with Theo Clarke, to see how the new Institute of Technology is progressing, as well as, speak to students benefiting from their fantastic facilities.

“It’s vital that young people and adults from across the region can continue to access high quality technical education and the new building will make sure that is happening for generations to come. It is a brilliant addition to Stafford town centre and will ensure learners gain the skills that are super valuable in the workplace.”

During the visit, guests also enjoyed a tour of the recently opened Skills and Innovation Centre at the NSCG Stafford College campus.   Following a tour of facilities, the Secretary of State enjoyed a lively and interactive Q&A session with students and apprentices who were keen to understand the ministers opinion on a variety of topical issues.

Craig Hodgson, Principal and Chief Executive of Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group, the lead institution behind the Institute of Technology said: “We were honoured to welcome the Secretary of State for Education, Gillian Keegan and Theo Clarke to our Stafford College campus earlier this week.  During the visit our guests had the opportunity to tour the state-of-the-art facilities, interacting with learners and staff to gain an insight in to the impactful work being undertaken here at NSCG Stafford College. We also took the opportunity to visit the construction site of the new £22.5M Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Institute of Technology, where work continues at pace to get this exciting new facility ready to welcome learners in 2025.”