A NEW £9million college campus is on track to open in the heart of Basildon in January after bosses were handed the keys to their landmark building.

South Essex College will open its new Basildon campus in the new year and its students will have access to three storeys of state-of-the-art facilities.

Construction company Morgan Sindall has handed the keys to the college, in Market Square, as the structure was completed.

The campus is focussed on digital technology, and will teach up to 1,000 students from across south Essex a curriculum including IT networking, games design and animation.

Education bosses are delighted at the building, which will see students learn and relax in the heart of Basildon.

Angela O’Donoghue, South Essex College principal, said: “The building work is finished but now it’s time to get all the equipment, furniture and IT installed.

“We’re really excited about our upcoming relocation to Basildon, it is going to be great to have a dedicated digital technologies site.”

Basildon Council leader, Gavin Callaghan, described the latest step as a “significant milestone”.

He added: “This new state-of-the-art facility will bring an opportunity for the borough’s young people to equip themselves with the skills that are relevant to local employers.

“We want as many partners like south Essex College as possible – organisations that are willing to invest and help build a modern, ambitious town that can thrive into the future.”

The college will now install equipment ready for students to use in January.

Chris Travers, Morgan Sindall’s Essex director, said: “We are delighted to be delivering this innovative new centre for South Essex College, providing students with an enriching environment to continue their academic career.

“We have enjoyed a close working relationship with South Essex College, Homes England, Basildon Council and all our project partners throughout the design and build process, and look forward to strengthening that relationship in the future.”

It is hoped students from the new campus will go onto build the workforce in the technology industry in south Essex.

The campus will tap into an ever growing technology industry. The college will also feature break areas and a cafe, giving students the time and space to relax when necessary.

Visit www.southessex.ac.uk/new-state-of-the-art-campus-in-basildon

The college is aimed at local young people and adults who want to study and secure employment in this increasingly popular sector. When opened in January 2021, the new college will boast three floors of teaching areas suitable for students to study a rich curriculum of IT, games design and animation courses, as well as break areas and a café, to provide up to 1,000 students with a contemporary and innovative landscape to learn and relax.

We are thankful to our partners Morgan Sindall Construction for delivering this fantastic facility despite the challenges of 2020.”

The technologies sector has seen exponential growth in recent years. Vacancies for roles such as IT engineers increase year on year, making positions like this the fastest growing in the jobs market. Companies and organisations across the board need tech specialists in all kinds of roles. Students will learn key digital skills at this contemporary Centre, which will help to build the workforce of the future locally and nationally.

For more information about the campus and the tech courses on offer, please visit