Committed to enhancing young people’s digital skills for the future, this week, Cheshire College has visited The Bishops’ Blue Coat Church of England High School to deliver exciting workshops and showcase state-of-the-art technology, including handheld scanners, iPads with the latest software and a life-size 3D robot.

As the largest provider of post-16 education in the region, Cheshire College is on a mission to support the community with their five-year project, ‘The Digital Hub’, which has been designed specifically to boost digital skills, enhance career pathways and develop confidence across communities with increased access to technology.   

The College’s School Partnership Team and expert lecturers delivered interactive and exciting digital skill workshops to 180 Year 10 pupils throughout the day, which demonstrated the versatile use of technology and extensive range of career pathways in a number of industries, including, Construction, Engineering, Media & Games, Science, Sport and Media Make-Up.  

Jordan Swift, Director of Marketing and School Partnerships at Cheshire College, commented: “The College is extremely passionate about providing young people with access to engaging educational experiences. It is inspiring watching pupils’ imagination and creativity when we visit schools to showcase a range of digital technologies and I am delighted that Cheshire College gets to play such a crucial role in empowering future generations.”  

Andrew Hardman, Careers Lead at The Bishops’ Blue Coat Church of England High School, said: “The Digital Hub was an opportunity to provide our pupils with up-to-date information about a wide variety of careers in the digital world. Pupils have developed an understanding of the exciting opportunities that are available and can now use this knowledge to inform their choices in the future.” 

‘The Digital Hub’ project has been formed as part of a £5 million programme of investment that has prioritised Cheshire College as one of the further education providers in the region best placed to deliver digital and STEM-related training and education.   

The project comprises four main strands:  

• Digital Doorstep: delivering skills and career pathways through the use of portable,  entry-level equipment in local schools, colleges and businesses 
• Project 4.0: focusing on digital skills in the workplace with an emphasis on improving Advanced Manufacturing Skills  
• Stream: facilitating access to technology within community organisations to raise awareness and develop confidence in digital applications  
• ACT: driving collaboration between colleges and employers to develop, commercialise and promote digital technologies and skills training for construction, nuclear and allied industries  

To find out more about’ The Digital Hub’ and how your school, business or local community can get involved, email employers@ccsw.ac.uk or call 01270 654638 (Crewe Campus) / 01244 656455 (Ellesmere Port and Chester Campuses).