WILTSHIRE College is planning to make a bid for a multi-million pound investment in its Salisbury campus to help drive growth in student numbers.

New principal Amanda Burnside confirmed plans are in place for a £14 million development as the college looks to double the amount of apprenticeships it offers over the next 18 months.

The college hopes cash will become available from the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership (SWLEP) which currently awards funds to further education colleges. The earliest start date for the project would be June 2017 with phase one set for opening in September 2018.

If built, it will deliver 5,700 square metres of new floorspace including a construction and engineering centre.

College bosses believe the time has come for substantial investment in the site, which is run-down and remains largely unchanged since it was built in the late 1960s.

Mrs Burnside said: “One of the priorities for the college is to look at the Salisbury campus in terms of investment in the estate because we recognise if we are offering 21st century education we need 21st century facilities. Some of the estate in Salisbury is in need of repair and renovation.

“There is some hope that funds will become available but how much is the big question. I will be looking to lobby with our local MPs to make sure the college gets some capital funding because everyone is aware the Salisbury campus has not had the same capital funding as other colleges around the country.”

Mrs Burnside was appointed as permanent principal earlier this month following a year in an acting position. She took over following the departure of Di Dale and has since improved the Ofsted rating to ‘good’.

She added: “It is a huge privilege to be heading up the college, it has got huge and exciting growth potential, my key role is to get the college to make its mark right across the county.”

One way is by working with the new University Technical College and Sixth-Form College to form part of a “vibrant” offer within the city, delivering on the “economic gaps”.

“We are very much about the work-related offer,” she added. “Giving young people skills that are very much relevant for the workplace. We are working with employers and asking them ‘what do you want your workforce to look like?’ “There is definitely a skills gap for what is traditionally post-A-level, we haven’t got enough people in the county to fill those jobs.”

The college has around 850 apprentices and aims to offer more higher education by working with universities.

In addition they hope to work with the life science sector at Porton Down.

She continued: “[At the moment] 94 per cent of our students end up at a meaningful destination, which is either employment or further study at a university. We deliver work ready people.”