MANY people have said to me over the years, often with great fervour: “We need a university in Wiltshire’, so I hope they are pleased with this exciting development for the college, the gaining of University Centre status.

But what does it actually mean?

The college already delivers over twenty university level courses across four campuses at Chippenham, Trowbridge, Lackham and Salisbury and specialist motorsport engineering degrees from a purpose-built centre at Castle Coombe race track.

This new status and name acknowledges the strength and quality of the existing provision and will enable the college to widen and grow the portfolio of higher level learning and skills on offer.

It is a huge credit to the college to get this status and comes because it is increasingly recognised for high quality provision.

The important Quality Assurance Agency, the body that sets the standard for higher education recognises this quality and further impressive endorsement has been provided by the government, in a Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) Bronze Award.

This year students graduated in a broad range of subjects including film production and cinematography, animal science and management, early years and childhood studies and computing.

From 2019 a further ten courses will be added including life sciences and engineering from the Salisbury Campus.

This is important for our community because this is where the jobs are. It is estimated that by 2020 one in four jobs will require level three and above training and the college works very closely with local employers Wiltshire Council and the Local Economic Partnership to identify and meet the skills needs of our community.

It is partnering with the NHS to deliver nursing degrees and with the military to equip army leavers with skills for civilian life.

It’s an exciting time for the college with £22m of capital investment going into the Salisbury and Lackham campuses.

Students, some of whom will be the first in their family to study at degree level, will be able to access relevant modern courses, delivered in flexible innovative ways in an inspiring fit for purpose building; and they will be highly employable.

Of course this does not promise the traditional ‘dreaming spires’ that are held in the imagination of some enthusiasts for a new university, but in my view it is much more exciting and a better investment.

With a new name, a new building and an excellent new chair of governors in Martin Clark, the college has a very bright future ahead.

I wish them every success.