The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has today agreed capital funding of almost £9 million through its Local Growth Fund (which form part of the Single Investment Fund) to support skills and learning opportunities for communities across the City Region.

Subject to funding conditions, these awards will help to refurbish and re-equip colleges and training facilities including the £3.9 million conversion of the former St Winifred’s Catholic Church in Bootle to provide a state of the art centre for levels 1-6 health and social care training in partnership with Merseycare NHS Trust has been approved.

Other awards include a refurbished welding workshop at Halton’s Riverside College, a digital training suite at St Helens Chamber of Commerce and funding to improve facilities at Wirral Met College, Everton Learning Centre, Women’s Technology Training, Speke Training and Education Centre and the Greenbank Project.

The successful applicants have all satisfied criteria set out in the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s Single Investment Fund Prospectus including key objectives to support training in priority economic sectors or promote diversity and improve life-chances for disadvantaged groups, including BME communities and learners with disabilities.

The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s Portfolio Holder for Skills and Apprenticeships, Cllr Ian Maher welcomed the award, saying:

“Improving and developing skills is one of our biggest challenges as a City Region. Today we are agreeing a series of investments that will make a crucial difference, enabling people to access the skills and training they need to find rewarding work. I am pleased to be supporting these are vitally important projects and facilities delivering life-changing opportunities.”

His support was echoed by the Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor, Steve Rotheram who added:

“These awards have been targeted to support key priorities and ensure we have the spaces and facilities across the City Region to enable all our communities to access the skills and jobs we need to develop in every one of our six boroughs. I am especially delighted by the focus on groups who have traditionally been disadvantaged in terms of skills and employment. We need to nurture and develop the talents of all our people if we are to realise our full potential as a successful and inclusive City Region.”