COLLEGE bosses believe the new multi-million pound engineering block at the College of West Anglia will give Fenland’s young people the best skills to get top jobs.

Engineering employers are struggling to fill jobs with skilled labour and Mark Reavell, Director of Employer Engagement and Estates at the college, believes the �7.2million block at the Isle Campus, Wisbech, will help people gain the skills needed.

He said: “17 per cent of all jobs in Fenland are in engineering, nearly double the national average of 10 per cent. We need a state of the art centre to train our young people the skills needed.

“Employers are finding it hard to fill their vacancies because applicants don’t have the skills required. The new block will help fill that void and help people from the area to get top jobs in engineering.”

Less than 10 per cent of engineers are women and Jill Francis, college Executive Director Partnerships, says that it is a great career for girls.

She said: “It can be a fulfilling job for women, it pays well and there are lots of career opportunities in different types of jobs.

“There is a big gap between female and male employment and we hope the new block can tempt more women to study engineering.”

Mr Reavell said advances in engineering have meant that more high-tech skills are needed by employers and he expects the college to train new skills to people of all ages.

The high-tech block, due to be started in October, is part of a larger plan to improve the school’s aesthetics and create a better learning environment with �1.2million already spent on new roofs, double glazing and doors.

Mrs Francis praised the role of Cambridgeshire County Council and Fenland District Council. She said: “Without the their donations we wouldn’t have been able to do this.”