14 December 2016

The First Minister officially opened the £53 million revamp of the Kilmarnock campus of Ayrshire College on Monday, 12 December 2016.

The Scottish Government contributed £48.5 million towards the redevelopment, making it the single largest public sector investment the town has ever seen.

The Kilmarnock campus site was donated to the college by Diageo following the closure of their bottling plant.

The campus – accommodating 5,500 students, 338 staff and more than 100 courses – encompasses all curriculum areas, with a strong emphasis on science, technology, engineering and apprenticeship programmes. It also houses a health and wellbeing centre, hair and beauty training salon, training restaurant and café and lecture theatre.

The First Minister toured the campus, meeting students in engineering and IT and science laboratories before unveiling the Ayrshire College plaque at the official opening ceremony.

The First Minister said:

Students are clearly thriving in this brand new campus, and they will soon form part of a highly skilled workforce that is tailored for the regional economy.”

I met with students and Modern Apprentices who have been in the campus since October, and their enthusiasm for their chosen field is palpable. This demonstrates how a modern, fit-for-purpose campus and its facilities can truly inspire learning.”