Yeovil College Secures Over £2 Million OfS Funding to Drive Advanced Engineering and Defence Skills
Major investment will create cutting-edge facilities to meet the UK’s growing demand for defence and advanced manufacturing expertise.
Yeovil College has been awarded £2,075,800 in capital investment from the Office for Students (OfS), making it one of only two colleges nationally to receive funding of this scale. This significant investment will transform the ground floor of our engineering building into a state-of-the-art hub for advanced manufacturing, clean energy, and defence engineering.
The redevelopment will include:
- Specialist technology and reconfigured teaching spaces to deliver high-level skills.
- State-of-the-art equipment for additive manufacturing, digital supply chains, and sustainable engineering.
- A curriculum aligned with regional employer needs and national strategies, ensuring students gain practical expertise in sectors critical to the UK economy.
This initiative directly supports the defence engineering sector, responding to growing demand for skilled professionals in aerospace, defence manufacturing, and secure supply chains. By embedding advanced technologies and sustainable practices, Yeovil College will play a pivotal role in strengthening the UK’s defence capability and innovation pipeline.
The project will be completed by March 2026, with facilities fully operational by September 2026, creating a future-ready environment for learners and employers alike.
Mark Bolton, Principal & CEO of Yeovil College, said: “This investment is transformational for Yeovil College and the wider region. It ensures our learners are equipped with the advanced skills needed for careers in defence, advanced manufacturing, engineering and emerging technologies, supporting both local industry and national priorities.”
Yeovil College plays a pivotal role in supporting the defence-sector, advanced manufacturing and engineering ecosystem. Through partnerships with major employers including Leonardo Helicopters, Thales, TKMS Atlas, Numatic and Honeywell, the college provides industry – particularly those in aerospace, subsea and high-value engineering – with access to cutting-edge facilities such as large-format additive manufacturing, digital production technologies and advanced materials testing. It also cultivates the future defence-engineering workforce: many of its engineering apprenticeships are delivered in collaboration with Leonardo Helicopters, and the college has been formally welcomed into Leonardo’s “Team AW149 UK,” strengthening skills development and early-career pathways across the sector.
The £2 million investment is a key component of Yeovil College’s ambitious Big Build programme – a sixty-plus-million-pound transformation of the entire campus. Alongside new developments such as the Institute of Sport, Construction Innovation Centre, and advanced digital learning spaces, this engineering redevelopment reinforces the college’s commitment to creating a future-ready campus that meets the needs of learners and employers across the region. Together, these projects position Yeovil College as a leading centre for innovation, skills development, and industry collaboration. It also further compliments the significant work of the West of England Institute of Technology, of which Yeovil College remains a committed and trusted partner, bringing superior digital skills, technology, facilities and innovation to the West of England.