Two Scottish colleges are teaming up to deliver a package of educational courses aimed at helping the region recover from the impact of COVID-19.
Borders College and Dumfries and Galloway College have announced a range of courses that they will deliver together to help people to upskill, reskill, and get back to work.
The suite of courses will also focus on tackling and addressing the issue of youth unemployment in the region.
The South of Scotland Economic Recovery Promotion will engage specifically with business, mature learners, those who have been made redundant, and individuals who want to return to education after taking a break.
Courses will be delivered both online and in person, and will cover digital, construction, food and drink, agriculture, health and social care, and early years education to give learners an extensive range of options to choose from.
Scotland’s colleges have been at the forefront of making sure the nation had the resources, skills and vision it needed to make it through lockdown period.
Now, further education institutions, led by the two south of Scotland colleges, will play a key role in boosting the economies of their own regions and of Scotland as a whole, with courses being offered from Stranraer to Eyemouth.
Commenting on the joint initiative, Angela Cox, Borders College Principal, went on to say:
“We’re delighted to be working in partnership with Dumfries and Galloway in providing a range of flexible training solutions, which will support the economic recovery across the south of Scotland.
“Both colleges are well placed to respond to the needs of our local communities, and we will continue to work together to provide innovative learning solutions.”
Dumfries and Galloway College Principal Joanna Campbell said:
“I am delighted to welcome the announcement of this programme that we intend to deliver by working with our valued and trusted partners at Borders College.
“Scotland’s colleges have performed in an exemplary way during the lockdown period, and now we’re uniquely placed to strap a rocket to the Scottish economy and help it blast off towards recovery.”
The new range of learning opportunities will be launched at the end of September, and will have a range of flexible study options and funding methods to ensure that participants gain the maximum benefit from this economic recovery programme.