RAISING young people’s aspirations is one of the main aims of the new-look Braintree College.

Jim Addison, the college’s enthusiastic new interim principal has been seconded from the Colchester Institute to take charge in Braintree until the two institutions merge in January.

The new year will see a new name – A College At Braintree – and a move to offering nothing but full and part-time vocational courses.

In recent times, the college has also catered for A-level students, but from September, no new A-level courses will be offered. Students halfway through existing courses will be able to continue their studies.

Mr Addison explained: “There is going to be a move away from the breadth of the programmes offered to purely vocational ones.

“Of our 1,000 students, we will have just 50 completing A-level studies. We are moving away from what the college used to be. In the local community there is a perception about Braintree College and it seems very negative.

“We have to turn that around. That perception isn’t completely fair and we have to make sure people recognise the good which is here.”

Local employers have long complained of lack of skilled young people, something the college aimed to address in future, Mr Addision promised.

He said: “The main focus is about creating opportunities locally, because there are issues in Braintree with young people who don’t continue in education or get into employment.

“In the best interests of the community, we have to make sure there are opportunities to give young people skills which make them more employable.”

Figures from the youth organisation, Connexions, showed last year, 5.8 per cent of 16 to 19-year-olds in the Braintree district were unemployed and not in education or training.

Mr Addison is keen to change that and also create new opportunities for mature students both at Braintree and at the college’s Witham branch.

Much of the new curriculum will depend upon how much money the Government’s Learning and Skills Council puts in to fund the merger.

Mr Addison said: “The institute is committed to maintaining and enhancing provision here. Its strategy is about developing satellite sites.

“There will be money – and the expectation is within three years the merged college will be in surplus.”