Extra funding granted to Shetland College

Shetland College is to benefit from £38,000 of government funding, it was announced today.

The money forms part of £1 million allocated to rural colleges across Scotland to provide new learning opportunities to tackle the effects of the economic downturn in their areas.

The Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council (SFC) said the funding had been targeted at island colleges or those which were classed as remote or very remote. The aims of the funding, for the 2010-11 academic year and awarded to 18 colleges, are threefold.

It will enable colleges to help small rural businesses deal with challenging economic circumstances, provide additional places to meet the increased demand from young and unemployed people as a result of the economic downturn and to support the work-focused training element of the Department for Work and Pensions youth guarantee scheme.

SFC chief executive Mark Batho said: “We are pleased to be able to provide this funding. It gives additional support to rural colleges and will help them address the effects of the economic downturn in the communities they serve by increasing their capacity to meet current demand for training and learning opportunities.”