Innovative A-Levels centre in Melton will equip young job seekers with workplace skills

The aim is to provide combinations of A-Levels with technical qualifications that will suit specific career options.

The centre will be based at the SMB College Group’s Melton campus on the Asfordby Road and is a joint venture between the Mowbray Education Trust and the SMB College group.

The initiative is part of ongoing work to keep young people in the town and to help businesses recover after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Students will be able to study innovative combinations of A-Levels with an additional offering at the Brooksby or Melton sites from September next year.

Christine Stansfield, Executive Headteacher at John Ferneley College and chief executive of the Mowbray Education Trust, said: “So many students leave Melton in order to pursue post-16 study.

“Our aim is to create a route for these students, so that they can continue their study locally, if they choose.

“We want to complement the existing local offer by creating an option for students to pursue career-led qualification combinations with high quality pastoral and careers support for our young people who have had a really difficult last two academic years.”

Principal and chief executive of SMB College Group, Dawn Whitemore said: “Pushing the boundaries of what is possible with academic and technical combinations is an exciting prospect for the local community.

“The knowledge, skills and behaviours we are looking to enable will improve students’ future prospects to pursue higher level qualifications either at a university or as an apprentice as the ‘line of sight’ to employment is a key driver for this new provision.”

The Melton Campus A-Level Centre will be open from September 2022.

Year 11 students will be invited to Open Events in the Autumn term, where they will be able to hear more about the opportunities this new provision will bring.

The investment in the project is part of the SMB College Group commitment to the recovery of the local economy from the pandemic.

The plans will support recovery and growth by enabling the development of a talent-rich pool of skilled young people for the future.