SGS College’s new Berkeley Green Campus the Gloucestershire Science and Technology Park opened its doors to the public for the very first time last Saturday.

Prospective students, supportive parents and inquisitive neighbours arrived on site to find out more information about how the site will be developed and on the courses commencing from September 2016.

There was an opportunity to view the new campus and hear about the plans to invest an initial £26m in a Green Skills Centre, a University Technical College for 14-19 year olds and an Advanced Renewables Research Centre and a Cyber Security Training Centre.

The site will be developed over the next five years into a campus which will incorporate education, training, business start-up and research facilities.

It will also will focus on the development of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

Local councillors and Stroud MP Neil Carmichael attended the event as well as many members of the local community. Fifteen employers, including Festo, Severn Trent Water, Worcester Bosch, Adey, EMCO, Keir Construction and StoneHealth, exhibited at the event to promote their training courses and the partnership they have with the college.

Group chief executive, Kevin Hamblin, said: "This is the first time we have opened the doors at Berkeley Green to members of the public.

“The aim of the event was to provide information to anyone wishing to find out more about our Engineering, Advanced Manufacturing, Cyber Security and Games Design courses that will be delivered at the new centre from September 2016.

“We have ambitious plans for the Campus which will transform the former Berkeley laboratories into a vibrant Science and Technology Park.

“With the support of the GFirst Local Enterprise Partnership and Gloucestershire County Council, these fantastic state of the art facilities will ensure Gloucestershire returns to the forefront of learning for the Nuclear, High Technology, Sustainable Energy and Advanced Manufacturing sectors within this new Institute of Technology."