Blackburn College chosen for Strategic Command bursary scheme

Blackburn College has been chosen to pilot a new bursary scheme which aims to encourage more 16 to 18-year-olds to pursue STEM and Digital qualifications.

The Strategic Command scheme, coordinated through the Lancashire Skills and Employment Hub, is designed to increase the number of school leavers studying science, technology, engineering and maths.

It comes as the National Cyber Force headquarters are being relocated to Samlesbury.

The bursary scheme begins this academic year and successful applicants receive a two-year bursary and a high-performance laptop, plus a range of mentoring and development opportunities to best prepare them for their future career.

Fazal Dad, principal and chief executive of Blackburn College, said:

“We are extremely excited to be able to offer this fantastic opportunity for our students to develop their skills and take on the important jobs of tomorrow.

“We continue to invest in our campus and facilities to ensure that we are arming our students with the right skills, knowledge and experience needed by employers.

“The College has made a significant £1.2 million investment in computer sciences, networking and cyber security, data science and software development, exposing students to cutting-edge technologies.”