HEFCE to provide £11 million to support workforce development

The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) has donated a total of more than £11 million to Anglia Ruskin University and Harper Adams University College, enabling them to provide new services to businesses.
The support from HEFCE will enable the universities to develop higher level work-based learning, training and continuing professional development (CPD) activities in a wide range of businesses including the land-based sector.
Anglia Ruskin University is to receive £5.6 million over the next three years to enable the creation of the Higher Skills @ Work programme that aims to address the need for degree-level skills training for people in workplaces that are local to the university and nationwide.
Harper Adam University is to receive £4 million to set up the Rural Employer Engagement Development Network (REEDNET), a scheme that provides CPD courses for employers in the land-based sector, in collaboration with the Royal Agricultural College and the Landex group of specialist land-based colleges. The university will also receive a further £1.4 million to help consolidate the university’s student support services to assist with the wider implementation of its employer engagement strategy and related growth plans.
According to Professor David Eastwood, Chief Executive of HEFCE, “we are committed to supporting universities in their increasingly successful endeavours to strengthen their links with employers. We will provide at least £105 million over the next three years to expand provision at a number of universities, leading to higher skills in the workforce.” He proceeded to add that, “we believe this funding will enable these institutions to build on their achievements to the considerable benefit of employers and their staff as well as the wider economy and services.”