Weymouth College has strengthened its board with a heavyweight appointment from Dorset’s business world.
It has welcomed Dorset Chamber chief executive Ian Girling as it steps up its commitment to support employers, boost skills training and help drive the local economy.
The chamber – the voice of business in Dorset – is the county’s leading business support organisation with more than 700 members representing 37,000 employees.
Weymouth College provides education and training for more than 3,000 students – including more than 1,300 young people, 500 adults and 500 apprentices – and works in partnership with 400 local employers.
Richard Noah, chair of the Weymouth College Corporation, its governing body, said: “We are extremely pleased to welcome Ian to the Weymouth College Corporation.
“Ian has been a strong supporter of the college’s ongoing employer services programme and the experience and commitment to skills training Ian brings to our corporation is much appreciated.”
Ian is a long-standing supporter and champion of further education in Dorset, working closely with providers as well as the Dorset Careers and Enterprise Company. He is also on the board of the Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership.
He said: “Building close links between education and businesses is becoming more important than ever as colleges are expected to deliver provision that is totally in line with and meets the requirements of business.
“As a chamber we are committed to helping build links between education and business. I’m delighted to join the Weymouth College Corporation.”
Weymouth College, based in Cranford Avenue, is a member of the Dorset Chamber as well as the Weymouth and Portland, and Dorchester chambers.
It offers more than 250 courses, including apprenticeships in over 20 sectors, degree level courses, adult skills learning and a wide range of vocational and corporate training for the workplace – including the development of flexible provision to meet the exact skills needs of local employers.
The college, which has a ‘good’ Ofsted rating, recently unveiled state-of-the-art centres of excellence for engineering and construction with backing from the Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).
PICTURE: ONBOARD: From left: Dorset Chamber chief executive, Weymouth College principal and chief executive Julia Howe and Richard Noah, chair of the Weymouth College Corporation