College Learning Centres Need Your Votes!

The Shetland College UHI Learning Centres have been shortlisted for the Royal Bank of Scotland Skills and Opportunities Fund, which could see £35,000 of funding help ensure the long-time viability of rural learning activities. The public can vote online for particular projects until midday on Friday 22nd April 2016.

The college has five Learning Centres throughout Shetland, which offer learning support and facilities to a wide cross-section of individuals and businesses. If the bid is successful, the increase in users accessing the learning centres to gain confidence, skills, qualifications, WorldHost status and employment, will improve the sustainability of Shetland’s rural communities.

Specifically the project funding will enable staff to identify learning needs as well as develop, promote, deliver and review programmes of learning and support.

Details of 12 shortlisted Scottish projects can be viewed on the Skills and Opportunities Fund website, where you can also cast your vote.

The final decision on who will be awarded funding is made by a board of nine people, with a public vote counting as one vote in each region. In previous years up to 50% of the shortlisted projects have received the funding they have applied for, with the final decision being heavily influenced by the results of the public vote.

Andrew Anderson, Senior Lecturer said:

"Shetland College Learning Centres currently provide locally accessible learning, which provides students who are not able to travel to Lerwick with a chance to improve their confidence, skills, qualifications and employment prospects. Voting for Shetland College UHI will help to ensure these learning centres continue to meet local learning needs in a flexible manner that suits local requirements."