"The Solent region has good levels of entrepreneurship and small business start-up, but a disproportionally high level of small business failure. We aim to address this."

On Thursday 30th June, employers were invited to join us to celebrate the opening of our new business centre here at the Isle of Wight College, where we welcomed James Luter, Head of Operations at Vestas to cut the ribbon.

The key aim of our new Business Centre is to improve economic activity, particularly for small to medium enterprises (SMEs) and micro-businesses across the Island.

With access to business skills specialists, the new Business Centre will support SME growth, developing the region’s expanding technology sectors and creating a step-change in the capacity to improve clean growth and carbon reduction, digital futures, and marine technology.

The Isle of Wight ‘skillslabs’ Business Centre is part of the skillslabs project in partnership with five other colleges and professional partners in the Solent region, funded by the Department for Education.

It is now ready to be used and will act as a ‘hub’ providing employers with better access to the training they require, when and how they need it. For Business Centre or employer enquiries, contact: info@iwcollege.ac.uk