Yeovil College sets out ambition for £3.2m specialist defence and engineering training in Dorset
Proposed capital investment is set to strengthen Yeovil College’s growing regional defence skills footprint and create new specialist training capacity at the heart of Dorset’s defence sector.
Yeovil College is leading plans for a proposed £3.2 million capital investment in specialist engineering and defence equipment in Dorset Innovation Park, Wool, marking another major step in the College’s ambition to develop the highly skilled workforce needed by the region’s defence, engineering and advanced manufacturing sectors.
The investment would establish significant new specialist training capability in the Wool area, giving learners and employers access to advanced, industry-relevant equipment and creating further opportunities for high-level technical training aligned directly to the needs of defence and its supply chain.
The proposed Yeovil College investment could form the first phase of a wider development at Dorset Innovation Park, with potential future investment from Dorset Council supporting an expanded regional facility for defence skills, innovation, research and employer collaboration.
For Yeovil College, the proposal is part of a much bigger ambition.
The College is building a regional defence skills footprint that reaches beyond Yeovil and South Somerset, connecting education, employers, and specialist training across Somerset, Dorset and Wessex to ensure that investment in skills is located where industry needs it most.
Yeovil College already holds Defence Technical Excellence College (DTEC) status and is a member of the National Defence College Network. Its work supports more than 100 engineering, manufacturing and defence employer partners, whilst more than 550 apprentices are currently supported across High Value Manufacturing, Engineering and Defence.
The proposed investment builds on that established capability and Yeovil College’s recently opened £2.1 million Advanced Engineering and Defence Skills Centre, which provides specialist facilities for advanced manufacturing, engineering and defence skills.
Yeovil College’s wider DTEC ambitions include strengthening links with employers working in subsea and maritime defence and developing regional specialist capability, alongside creating stronger routes from education into high-value defence careers.
Mark Bolton, Principal and CEO of Yeovil College, said:
“This represents another significant statement of intent from Yeovil College. We are not simply talking about meeting the future skills needs of the defence sector, we are actively building the infrastructure, partnerships and specialist provision needed to make it happen.
“Dorset Innovation Park is strategically important to that ambition. Our intention is to build a strong and visible presence in an area with enormous significance for defence and engineering, creating specialist training capacity that complements what we have already established in Yeovil.
“Subject to final approval, this £3.2 million investment will enable us to bring specialist equipment and high-quality technical training even closer to employers and communities in Dorset. It strengthens the connection between Somerset and Dorset and reinforces Yeovil College’s position as a leading regional partner for defence skills.
“Our ambition is clear. We want this region to be recognised nationally for the quality of its defence skills, its technical talent and the strength of the pipeline we create for industry.”
George Round, Head of Faculty for Engineering & Defence Industries, said:
“This investment will allow us to deliver technical education and training in Dorset, from full-time engineering programmes and apprenticeships, through to higher-level and specialist training.
“We see opportunities to develop provision across areas including electro-mechanical engineering, aerospace, autonomy, mechanical engineering and hybrid composites, alongside adult skills, employer training and short courses.
“Having dedicated workshop and classroom facilities will also allow us to combine practical, hands-on learning with emerging technologies, while creating opportunities for STEM and careers engagement that introduce people to the breadth of careers available across engineering and defence.”
The College’s existing defence ecosystem includes relationships with major employers including Leonardo Helicopters UK, BAE Systems, Honeywell, Thales and TKMS Atlas, alongside a substantial network of regional supply-chain businesses.
The proposal would complement this network by creating further capacity and specialist capability in Dorset and supporting a joined-up approach to developing the workforce required by one of the UK’s strategically most important sectors.