Why a Hartlepool college is launching a new academy for the future

Based at the college’s Brinkburn site, the new academy will teach young people a range of digital skills in areas including coding, cyber security, virtual reality, games, animation and special effects.

The Tees Valley Combined Authority and the Local Enterprise Partnership have identified the digital sector as having a global significance and there is expected to be a huge demand for people to work in it.

Mark Hughes, Head of Hartlepool Sixth Form College, said: “We are delighted to be launching a new Digital Academy for the young people of Hartlepool and beyond, to support in developing digital talent for the future.

“It is a signal of our focus on providing digital technology focused skills and career routes that meet the needs of businesses and which directly contribute to the region’s economic growth ambitions.

“We have taken the new digital qualifications that have been designed with input from industry leaders such as Sony, Atom Hawk, CCP, Coatsink, Ubisoft and Tombola to ensure our young people in Hartlepool have the skills and knowledge to make a direct contribution to supporting this dynamic growth sector.”

The college will be one of only seven in the UK to also deliver Specialist NextGen digital skills qualifications.

The new digital academy is expected to be ready for September.

Sunderland College, who merged with Hartlepool Sixth Form College last September, already has strong links with the digital industry through and a reputation its digital qualifications.

It is the UK’s first college to deliver a qualification around Esports, competitive gaming at a professional level, in a growing industry said to be worth £1 billion.

The College is leading the way in digital innovation and has recently invested over £12,000 establishing a new Esports studio.

Mike Jaques, Curriculum Manager for Digital Design at Sunderland College said: “We are currently the only college in the North East involved in the inter-college British eSports tournament and are thrilled to be sharing our expertise with our colleagues at Hartlepool Sixth Form College.”

To find out more call the college on (01429) 294444.