A SOUTHAMPTON university has been awarded a share of £18m to spend on expanding higher technical training.

Worth just over £1m, the funding from the Government is now set to be used to develop eight programmes across Digital, Health and Science, and Construction subject areas into Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs).

These are set to be delivered for the first time in 2023 and are expected to provide a natural progression route for both young people taking T Levels or A levels, and adults looking to upskill or retrain – enabling students to step up and gain higher technical skills in key subjects.

Susan Patrick, Solent University's Head of Apprenticeships, says: "We are an employment-focused University, committed to providing our students with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the increasingly competitive world of work.

"Based in the heart of our city, we also have strong relationships with our Local Enterprise Partnership, FE providers and region's employers to help fulfil their workforce demands.

"This is an exciting opportunity for Solent and we plan to set up a ‘learning factory’ that will align our curriculum offering with the socio-economic needs of the Solent LEP area."

Solent University already offers over 200 qualifications, from HNDs to PhDs, in areas including business, sport, technology, and the creative industries, and is home to one of the world's leading maritime schools.

Every year it is joined by around 10,000 additional students on short professional courses.