Karen Phillips Deputy Principal & Project Director for the Taf Ely Learning Campus
Nantgarw Campus
21 st century learning
Who are we? • Formerly Coleg Morgannwg & Ystrad Mynach College – merged August 2013 • Further education college in Rhondda Cynon Taff and Caerphilly • 1081 staff • 20,000 students
Background to the Project • Strategic Aim to reduce from 5 to 3 campuses since 2006 • 2008 sold one campus to the University of Glamorgan • 2012 moved to the Nantgarw Campus and sold one campus to Persimmon • 2013 merger and back to 5 campuses!
Getting project approval • “An education facility appropriate for learners in the 21 st century” • Aligning our strategy to the Welsh Government and WEFO – Being ambitious – Follow the rules of funding and priorities – Being positive about the difference it would make to the learners of RCT • Delivered to the right people
The good…
The bad…
The ugly…
Funding • £6.7m WEFO • £27.8 Welsh Government (incl. £12m SCIF) • £5.5m Coleg Morgannwg • Clash of rules!
Why share the building? • Funding requirement to provide space for 4 x SMEs • It creates a community space • Work experience for learners • Permits us to concentrate on our core business
Shared Use
Selection process • Advertising • Open evenings • Tender process • Interviews • 29 businesses expressed an interest
Challenges / benefits • The academic cycle • Managing expectations • WEFO target met • We are really a part of the community • Income generation • Students and staff love it!
Early successes • 300 A level learners (year 1) • Women in Science and Maths increasing from 30 to 130 • 20 newly created jobs • Significant interest in the building • Employer investment
Evaluation of the Project
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