Education provider signs up to deliver courses at Worksop's new £3.5million skills hub

RNN Group will deliver educational courses at The Bridge – Skills Hub, currently being developed at Bridge Court, in the town centre.

The Bridge will welcome students, businesses and learners in April this year through courses that will provide access to Higher Education and meet the emerging needs of local and regional employers.

As well as initially offering opportunities across a range of subjects including health and social care and leadership and management, it is anticipated that more diverse subjects in the fields of digital transformation; green technologies and low carbon and construction will be offered as the provision of skills providers is expanded.

When completed, Bassetlaw District Council officials say that it will create 50 jobs and support 300 learners.

The year-long build has seen a long-term vacant building transformed into a state-of-the-art skills hub, which was formerly called the Worksop Access to Skills Hub.

The council’s cabinet member for regeneration, councillor Jo White, said: “The focus of The Bridge – Skills Hub is to change lives, provide new opportunities, raise aspirations and increase local prosperity.

“This state-of-the-art skills hub is being created with modern high-class facilities for its future students to develop and I welcome the RNN Group taking the lead and using The Bridge to increase their range of courses for local people.

“Worksop town centre is desperate for a place like The Bridge; a catalyst that will increase the number of visitors to our high street, support local businesses, shops and cafes, which is really needed in these current, difficult times .”

As part of a phased opening, RNN Group will expand the current level of provision provided by its North Notts College campus and will offer Access to Higher Education Diplomas from levels four, five and six including: level four lead practitioner in adult care, level five leader in adult care and level six chartered manager degree apprenticeship.

Other courses starting as part of the new academic year in September include foundation degree early childhood studies, foundation degree in professional practice in health and social care, access to Higher Education (health) Diploma health science professional level three and higher apprenticeship assistant practitioner

Chief executive and principal of RNN Group, Jason Austin, said: “We are delighted to provide access to Higher Education in Bassetlaw alongside our already established Further Education provision at North Notts College.

"This is a fantastic opportunity for the community to have wider access to study higher-level skills locally, providing career enhancing opportunities.”

Creation of ‘The Bridge’ has been supported by the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership with funding of £3.5million from their allocation of the Government’s Getting Building Fund.

D2N2 interim chief executive, Will Morlidge, said: “I'm delighted with the progress of this project and the impact our funding is having to increase skills and career opportunities within Worksop and North Nottinghamshire.

“This transformational regeneration scheme will provide a range of opportunities for learners who might never have considered Higher or Further Education, helping to address skills shortages and meet new and emerging needs within the local community.”

Details on how to apply for the courses provided by the RNN Group at ‘The Bridge’ can be found at https://www.nnc.ac.uk/higher-education/how-to-apply/ or by emailing [email protected]