West Nottinghamshire College has launched the Mansfield Ambition Exchange, a £8.8m facility designed to support skills development, business engagement, and innovation in Mansfield. The centre provides teaching up to level 3 for more than 350 students across business and T Level professional construction programmes.
The two-level building spans 1,343 sq. m., featuring classrooms, IT suites, a Learning Resource Centre, and flexible spaces for independent study, meetings, and conferences. T Level construction students access high-spec computers, computer-aided design software, and dedicated learning spaces.
The centre serves as a hub for collaboration between students, local businesses, and Nottingham Trent University. It hosts employer-focused events, workshops, and masterclasses covering growth capital, artificial intelligence, social media marketing, and Making Tax Digital. The facility also aims to address skills gaps, provide a pipeline of talent, and support local businesses in improving efficiency and competitiveness.
Mansfield Ambition Exchange was funded through £4.3m from the UK Government’s Towns Fund, £3.8m from the Education and Skills Funding Agency, and £734,000 from the college and Nottingham Trent University. Clegg Construction completed the 16-month build, which included student industry placements.
Andrew Cropley, principal and chief executive of West Nottinghamshire College, said, “This excellent facility also gives us a great venue to offer technical courses to adults wishing to take their career forward or in a new direction, and to support businesses to prosper and grow.” Executive Mayor Andy Abrahams added, “Our goal is simple: equip people with the capabilities our economy needs and energise the town centre while we do it.”
The centre aligns with Mansfield’s broader development strategy, linking education, enterprise, and community initiatives to support workforce development and economic growth in the region.
