It’s the beginning of Colleges Week 2025, and HSDC is eager to celebrate! This week is all about the vital role that colleges around the UK play in shaping the future of their students, staff, and the wider community.
Today, HSDC is focusing on the government’s mission to kickstart the economy, and all the amazing things that the College is doing to help prepare students for a life in the modern workplace.
One of the most important ways to help students smoothly transition from education to work is through investment in cutting-edge facilities, and HSDC is certainly committed to this objective.
Last October, Alton College unveiled its brand-new Space and Satellite Hub, made possible with a significant investment of over £500,000 from the North Hampshire and Surrey Local Skills Improvement Fund. This Hub has transformed the Beacon Science Building into an unrivalled learning environment, offering exceptional facilities for students who wish to pursue a career in the space industry, one of the fastest growing sectors in the UK economy.
Alton College’s Space and Satellite Hub.
Ashley Grute, Assistant Principal for A Levels and Vocational Curriculum at Alton, spoke about his enthusiasm for the Space Hub:
“This Hub is the perfect way for Alton to be a leader in filling a significant skills gap in the UK. It offers our students an incredible learning environment whilst also building upon HSDC’s strong relationships with key stakeholders in the UK space industry such as the National Space Academy.”
Alton College has also been the recipient of over £1.25 million in funding from Enterprise M3 to invest in its Esports facilities, creating 10 classrooms and featuring 64 high-spec PCs. These facilities are some of the first of their kind in the UK, allowing Alton students to access specialist digital support and education right on campus!
HSDC South Downs is home to a wide range of vocational and technical courses, and recently used a £250,000 investment from the Solent Local Skills Improvement Fund to sustain its leading role in developing employability skills for its students. This funding was used to upgrade its excellent theatre setup to prepare for the next generation of LED lighting and multi-channel sound systems, creating a fully immersive and practical performance space for its students.
There also continues to be significant investment in Havant Campus, HSDC’s A Level Centre of Excellence, with the College using £3.5 million in funding from the Post-16 Capacity Fund to create a new teaching building on campus. The new building is due to open in Spring 2025, and will ensure that Havant continues to be an incredible location to study A Levels in the future.
Ultimately, it is this continuous investment in the College that makes HSDC such a special place to study and prepare for the world of work. Using these sophisticated facilities means that the needs of all students will be met, equipping them with the necessary skills to enter a rapidly changing workplace.