Council leader tours EKC Sheppey College extension alongside students

The leader of Swale Borough Council was welcomed to EKC Sheppey College for a tour of the site’s extension as it continues to take shape.

Cllr Tim Gibson, who has been the leader of Swale Borough Council since May 2023, said the project is a great opportunity not just for Sheppey but for the borough of Swale as a whole.

Touring the site alongside EKC Sheppey College students, the College Principal, Alexandra Syrotiuk, and EKC Group’s Deputy CEO, Victoria Copp-Crawley, Cllr Gibson said he was “in awe” of the project and the opportunities it promises for Swale.

“It seems like only five minutes ago that I was attending the groundbreaking ceremony, and if you look at what we’ve got here now, it’s an absolutely amazing space,” Cllr Gibson said.

“I’m in awe of what we’re doing for the people, and the youngsters of this Island.

“It was fantastic to see the students here today, the way they joined, the way they participated, and just to see the look of joy on their faces.

“It was for the people, of the people, and it was absolutely fantastic to be able to integrate with those youngsters and to see the joy on their faces.”

The College extension is part of Swale Borough Council’s Sheerness Revival Project, which has been funded by the UK Government. The project aims to improve health, leisure, education, and employment opportunities on the Isle of Sheppey.

Offering an additional 900 square meters of educational space for learners to explore a wider range of courses that have been aligned with local skills needs, the new programmes in creative, engineering and logistics at EKC Sheppey College will leave learners well-equipped to achieve their ambitions in the career of their choice on the Isle of Sheppey and beyond.

“I think it’s a really, really important step, and it is just the first step, so it’s the beginning, not the end,” Cllr Gibson added.

“We’ll develop and we’ll provide what those employers want locally, and I just think that is magnificent.

“It’s a great message; it’s a great opportunity and it’s great for not just Sheppey as an Island but for the borough as a whole.”

The College extension has also allowed for a brand-new Junior College provision for 14–16-year-olds to launch.

Principal of EKC Sheppey College, Alexandra Syrotiuk, said: “It was brilliant to be able to show Cllr Gibson what we’ll have in the new building in terms of workshops and facilities, and just give him an overview of how it will not only fit into our existing provision, but also grow our provision for everybody on the Island in the future.

“We’ve not had an engineering provision on the Isle of Sheppey before this year – our first cohort of engineers joined us in September, and we’ve got both 16–19-year-olds doing Level 2 Engineering, and 14–16-year-olds in our new Junior College provision focusing on engineering and digital skills.

“They’ll be able to use the new logistics and engineering workshops that are going to be housed in the extension, as well as the new Digital and Creative Skills Lab that will be up there as well.

“It really is an amazing opportunity educationally for everybody on this Island, and the surrounding areas to access.”