PEOPLE in Helensburgh now have access to a huge range of further and higher education courses – right on their doorstep.

Argyll College's new learning centre in the town opened its doors last week – and college staff say they're delighted at the response from local people so far.

Courses at the learning facility, at the former Kirkmichael Centre in Buchanan Road, will get under way next week, once prospective new students have been through the induction process and all the technology is fully in place for the remote learning which is key to many of the courses offered by the college, part of the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI).

But the facilities at the centre, which boasts two large teaching rooms and several smaller rooms, are ideal for face-to-face teaching as well as remote learning.

Speaking to the Advertiser at an open day at the centre last week, Mo McKenna, the college's head of marketing and communications, said: “”Today is about listening to what the community wants in terms of access to education.

“Turnout has been excellent from the off. There's been a lot of interest from the local community – both around Kirkmichael but also from elsewhere in Helensburgh and beyond – and we've had people in putting in applications already.

“We're looking to provide more or less immediate access to some of our core provisions - HNCs in administration and business, sport and fitness, and we've had quite a few enquiries today about childcare courses at further and higher education level.

“As we get established we will be looking at rolling out a curriculum tailored to what the community is looking for.

“We're also looking to provide access to UHI degree courses. We can give students access to the majority of UHI degree courses because of the unique way the UHI is set up and delivered, but as we gain students we hope to teach more and more face to face.”

The courses which will be offered from the Kirkmichael centre will supplement the full-time dance and drama courses already delivered by Argyll College in Helensburgh, in conjunction with the town's Tower Digital Arts Centre.

The college also works with Hermitage Academy on the provision of Skills for Work courses in subjects such as cosmetology, hairdressing, childcare, maritime skills and rural skills, and is keen to help with the local provision of community education in the form of certified and leisure evening classes.

The centre's rooms could also be made available for wider community use when they're not being utilised by

Mo continued: “Wherever there is a demand for that community education we are happy to get involved. We're aware there is a thriving community in Kirkmichael and in Helensburgh and we're looking forward to fully engaging with it.

“Clearly our students come first but if there are rooms available we can help the community as well.”

Fraser Durie, Argyll College's principal, who also attended last Wednesday's open day, said: “The Argyll and Bute community planning partnership flagged up a lack of provision in Helensburgh, and we started talking to the council about potential locations in the town to meet that need.

“We've been looking at potential locations and sites for a while, through discussions with council officials and elected members, and this meets the requirements of the college perfectly – to be where there is a population we can provide a range and level of services they can't access locally.

“The number of people we've had in has been more than I thought. People have clearly come ready to learn.”

Argyll and Bute Council leader, and Helensburgh councillor, Aileen Morton told the Advertiser: “While this is something I’ve supported for quite some time, it’s slightly unbelievable that it was only a year ago that I met Fraser Durie and a representative from the Scottish Funding Council in Helensburgh.

“After that meeting, I took Fraser up to Kirkmichael to show him round the Centre and he was really enthusiastic from the moment he saw it.

“I’ve been keen to see greater access to college courses for local people so it’s fantastic to see Argyll College about to start the new term and I hope local residents will take full advantage of this so that the range of courses on offer can continue to grow.”

To find out more about the range of courses available at the Kirkmichael learning centre, call Argyll College on 0345 230 9969 or go to www.argyllcollege.ac.uk where you'll find full information about the new Helensburgh centre and the courses offered.