A MINISTER at the Department for Education visited South Gloucestershire and Stroud College last week. 

Robert Halfon MP - whose role within the Department for Education is to champion education and apprenticeships and to secure more funding for schools and colleges - visited the college with MP Siobhan Baillie on Thursday, March 16. 

The Minister’s visit enabled him to see SGS College’s training facilities and talk with staff, students and apprentices about how skills, education and training can support people into future security and sustainable employment.

Stroud News and Journal:

Staff spoke about the benefits of apprenticeships and T Levels – including the combination of hands-on work placements and college-based learning.

The Rt Hon Robert Halfon MP, Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education, said: “I was delighted to visit SGS College to see its top of the range facilities and to talk to the inspiring student and apprentices who benefit from them.

"This college is helping us to transform the skills landscape in Gloucestershire and beyond, extending the ladder of opportunity to all through high-quality skills programmes like apprenticeships and T Levels that support students into rewarding careers and future employment opportunities.”

Siobhan Baillie, MP for Stroud, added: “It was inspirational to meet apprentices with the minister at such a great college we are lucky to have right here in our constituency.

Stroud News and Journal:

"These young people gave us really candid views about how to encourage more people into the system so it can be successful and the minister’s aids were scribbling them down.

Sara-Jane Watkins, SGS College Principal, said: “We really valued the opportunity to meet with the Minister in order to share the positive impact that the college and our amazing staff have on the lives of so many learners, of all ages.

"We support the vision that this government has for skills and recognise the focus that they now have on colleges in terms of delivering their skills agenda.

"We need to be funded at a similar rate to universities if we are expected to attract and recruit the highly experienced and skilled workforce that is needed to train the workforce for the future.”