Planning permission has been granted for a new Satellite Education Hub on Lower High Street in Cradley Heath. The new facility will be built on the site of a former car park being made available by Sandwell Council.

The hub aims to revitalise the local talent pool by offering various opportunities to build skills in subject areas including construction, hair and beauty, and health and social care.

It will also offer essential skills education and training in Maths, English and digital skills. 

The hub is one of the 16 Sandwell Towns Fund Partnership projects funded by the government’s Towns Fund programme, which plans to provide opportunities for 16-18-year-olds, 19-24-year-olds not in education, employment or training and 25+ unemployed adults.

The centre will also be used by external stakeholders such as voluntary and charity sector organisations. The hub will effectively become a multi-purpose centre attracting a diverse range of education and wider community users.

The project plans to work with local community groups to provide access to social, medical and other education advice and services – providing a ‘resource centre’ with Sandwell College as the anchor institution. 

The proposed investment aims to provide three programmes to address the barrier to economic growth caused by local skills deficiencies and access to a suitably skilled workforce in the Black Country and locally within Sandwell:

• Essential Skills – access to foundation level in English, Maths and digital skills.
• Boost – development of the pre-access Boost programme providing advanced study skills at Level 3 and access to Higher Education
• Gateway to opportunity – provide Gateway provision which will enable those looking for a new career, a career change or for promotion, to secure a set of job ready skills and access to live job opportunities

Councillor Peter Hughes, Sandwell Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and WMCA, said:

“The new facility is an excellent example of our vision to regenerate the borough. This project uses the site of a former car park to create an education hub, in partnership with Sandwell College, and is just one of our 16 Sandwell Towns Fund Partnership government-funded projects.”

Councillor Simon Hackett, Sandwell Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, added:

“We know that education really enhances life opportunities so having this new facility will be an important part of our plan to ensure everyone has the opportunity to meet their full potential and educational and employment goals.”

Construction is expected to start in October 2023.