The Sussex & Surrey Institute of Technology (IoT) launched in September 2023, and its new learning hub is now under construction, set to open in autumn of next year
The new £15 million, four-storey, building is being built at Crawley College and will provide high-quality learning environments housing specialist, state-of-the-art learning areas in construction, engineering and digital.
The Sussex & Surrey IoT is a collaboration between universities, further education colleges, and leading industry partners across the region, working together to help build the technical skills that employers are looking for to future-proof their business.
It offers a range of flexible learning options, including apprenticeships, part-time and full-time courses, online and blended learning as well as short courses and customised training programmes. This means that students and employers can tailor their experiences to suit their specific needs.
The institute works with some of the world's leading companies, including Gatwick Airport, Roche and NatWest. These partnerships provide students with unparalleled opportunities to gain industry experience, network with professionals, and learn about the latest developments in their field. It also works closely with local businesses and organisations to ensure that its programmes are relevant and responsive to the needs of the local economy.
Faye Long, Regional Director of NatWest, says, “We are delighted to be an anchor partner of the Sussex & Surrey Institute of Technology. At NatWest, we realise how important skills are to the local economy. Our aim is to connect the businesses that we support with the IoT, to help them develop the skills and talent they need to grow their businesses for the future.”
Institutes of Technology form a key part of the Government’s policy to increase higher technical education across the country, as it aims to encourage more people to continue studying as well as attracting people of all ages to upskill or retrain.
In particular, they are designed to spearhead the delivery of higher technical education in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects, and to bring colleges and universities together with employers to equip local economies with a skilled workforce.
