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2 SPRING 2015 SKILLS CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE Courses in hospitality and tourism, sport, care, construction and engineering will help young people develop the skills required by employers in these areas. The groundbreaking facility is responding to the Scottish Government’s Developing the Young Workforce strategy and is a shining example of how schools, colleges and businesses can work together. £400,000 was spent by the College to develop the Skills Centre, and finance was also received from the Scottish Funding Council (£350,000) and Skills Development Scotland (£50,000). We also received a £100,000 grant - the maximum amount available from the Edge Foundation Innovation and Development Fund. Ayrshire Willie Mackie, Chairman of the Board of Management Ayrshire College; Angela Constance MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning; Heather Dunk, Principal and Chief Executive Ayrshire College; Laurence Howells, Chief Executive Scottish Funding Council; Jane Samuels, Project and Operations Manager Edge Foundation