Ceremony to mark construction of new technology education centre in Milton Keynes town

Work has started on the new South Central Institute of Technology (SCIoT) - heralding a new chapter for the future of education in Milton Keynes.

The ground-breaking event was witnessed by staff and students, along with the Mayor of Milton Keynes, Mo Khan and representatives from the Department for Education (DfE) and global accountancy firm KPMG, one of the anchor partners in the SCIoT.

Guests were given a tour of the part of the ground floor of the new premises in Bletchley, which is already in use in an existing building.

Dr Julie Mills, chief executive of Milton Keynes College Group, of which the SCIoT is part, said, “This is a wonderful day not just for us at the College and all our local, national and international partners, but for the future of education in Milton Keynes.

"The SCIoT will provide the kind of training and education which our region so desperately needs as part of the battle to close the skills gap in tech disciplines. It’s a day to think just how many people will walk through these doors on their way to brilliant careers, perhaps some of them even becoming household names in the tech world.”

The building, on the junction of Sherwood Drive and Selwyn Grove, close to the entrance to Bletchley rail station, will provide exceptional learning environments for people from all walks of life.

The SCIoT is committed to the principle that staff and student recruits will reflect the wider society of the city in terms of the numbers of women, people with disabilities or neurodiversity and those from ethnic minorities.

More than 500 learners have already begun courses at the SCIoT with more than 1,000 a year expected to sign up once the building is complete.