A new £11.3million skills centre to train people to work in the energy, engineering, maritime and offshore sectors is on schedule to open in Suffolk this autumn.
The team behind the project say the buildings are rapidly taking shape and will provide the skills needed for sectors at the heart of the region's economic growth.
The Lowestoft campus of East Coast College's new facility is being created thanks to more than £11.3m of investment in a project that being funded by the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership's (NALEP) Local Growth Fund and the college.
Commercial customers who want to upskill and develop their staff's technical and management competencies and qualifications will be able to sign up to take courses at the state-of-the-art centre.
As a regional centre of excellence - with national and international specialisms - it will support the development of higher level technical skills and professional expertise, specifically in the energy, engineering, maritime and offshore industries.
Stuart Rimmer, chief executive and principal of East Coast College, said: "It is very exciting for us to see how the building is taking shape at our Lowestoft campus and how the construction works are progressing at a pace week by week.
"This project is extremely important for our region as it will help to provide the necessary technical skills for those sectors which are at the heart of our economic growth. The new facility will be at the forefront of technological developments in a fast-moving sector and I am delighted that we are able to work in partnership with employers to deliver tailored and bespoke courses and we will continue to do so, in order to ensure that we remain ahead of the curve."
Doug Field, NALEP chairman, said: "I'm delighted to see this project take shape.
"Our all-energy coastline has a vital role to play in delivering the clean growth the UK needs. But we can't do that without a highly skilled workforce.
"This centre will provide those skills, allowing this fast-evolving sector to continue to grow and add value to our economy."
College officials visited the site to launch East Coast College's technical training programme, developed with employers, ahead of the building's completion in the autumn.
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