WORK has started on a new high-tech science centre at a Hampshire college.

Brockenhurst College staff, students, architects, funding representatives and builders defied the rain to take part in the ground breaking ceremony the new STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Centre.

The project is a collaboration between the college, the Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), computer giants IBM and the University of Southampton.

Principal Di Roberts picked up her spade alongside chairman of governors Dave Yates to signal the start of the building phase.

Also present were Robert Tickell from IBM, Sarah Carter from Enterprise M3 LEP, David Steel from HNW Architects and Phil Langdown from building contractor HH Drew.

The new centre will feature cloud classrooms, virtual communities, real-time video conferencing and interactive classrooms and workspaces.

It will be ready for the 2016 autumn term, complete with IBM’s technology lab, which is designed to aid collaborative learning.

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Di Roberts said: “We are pleased that the building work has started. This is a unique collaboration that is ultimately going to help develop vital skills across our region for years to come.

“We are quite literally building a better future for our learners and community.”

Geoff French, chairman of the M3 Local Enterprise Partnership, who made a grant of £3.9million towards the project, said: “We are thrilled to be able to provide funding to enable this project to be developed and further support the integration of businesses and talent development in the Enterprise M3 area.”

Robert Tickell from IBM commented: “It’s a pleasure to be supporting Brockenhurst College with this important project to build the quality of STEM skills, education and training for students.

“These skills are increasingly important in today’s society and necessary for the UK to remain competitive on the global scene.”

Enterprise M3 is a business-led Local Enterprise Partnership that is working to secure economic growth in the area along the M3 motorway from the edge of London to the New Forest.