A multi-million-pound training hub giving thousands of local people the skills they need to secure local jobs is set to receive funding from the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).
Sandwell College Representatives were invited to the site of the new Midland Metropolitan Learning Campus in Smethwick by the Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street. Approval has been given by the West Midlands Combined Authority of a further £5 million investment into the new campus co-located with the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital. Sandwell College is a founding member of the partnership to delivery the new facility and will be the anchor Further Education College on the new site.
The Mayor along with the Chief Executive of Sandwell & West Birmingham NHS Trust, Richard Beeken were joined by Rina Rahim, Sandwell Towns Fund Programme Manager; Rachel Barlow, Managing Director of Midland Metropolitan University Hospital Programme Company, Councillor Peter Hughes and chair of Sandwell College Chair of Governors, Alan Taylor, who also chairs the Smethwick Town Board along with representatives of Sandwell College, David Holden and Simon Griffiths.
Graham Pennington, Principal and Chief Executive of Sandwell College, said: “The College has been engaged with the development of the Learning Hub from its outset realising the College’s ambitions to develop a centre for excellence in health.
“The Learning Hub will become the natural home for the College’s Health & Social Care department, making the best use of the unique co-location of learning alongside the range of learning and job opportunities at the adjacent Midland Metropolitan Hospital.
“We look forward to working with the Hospital Trust and other partners, as the building takes shape, to develop and deliver an exciting curriculum that engages young people and adults to reduce healthcare inequalities by focussing upon access to education, healthcare services and employment opportunities.”
Cllr Kerrie Carmichael, leader of Sandwell Council, said: “It’s exciting to see plans moving forward on a project that will benefit the local community and the region for many years to come.
“With our partners we are set to deliver massive regeneration to the area with the new learning campus delivering jobs for local people and learning opportunities to enhance career prospects.”
The Learning Campus will pioneer an integrated approach, collaborating with local residents and offering diverse learning pathways, from entry-level job market preparation to university education. This initiative, a first for Sandwell, is made possible through partnerships with esteemed institutions including Sandwell College, Aston University, and the University of Wolverhampton.
Andy Street, emphasised the pivotal role of the new campus in addressing the region’s skill gap and fostering employment opportunities. He stated, “The new Midland Met Learning Campus will give thousands of residents the chance to train and develop skills vital to both our local NHS and wider economy.”
The learning campus and hospital are integral components of the Grove Lane masterplan, approved by Sandwell and Birmingham councils in 2022. This visionary plan aims to regenerate the Sandwell to Birmingham corridor, encompassing various key areas including the Birmingham Mainline Canal, Port Loop, Soho Loop, City Hospital, Grove Lane, and Dudley Road and Smethwick high streets.
For more information about the Midland Met Learning Campus, visit here.
