Nearly £9m is to be invested in three projects aimed at boosting practical skills across the West of England, including in two new centres for construction and health.
Some £3.3m will go towards a new Infrastructure Construction Skills Centre and £5.4m for a new Health and Active Living Skills Centre, both at Weston College in Weston-super-Mare. 
Meanwhile the British Engineering Manufacturing Association training centre in Yate will receive £75,000.
Many firms in the engineering, construction and health sectors are battling skills shortages. Major construction projects such as the massive Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant are expected to make matters worse.
The funding is being made by the Joint Committee, the decision-making body for issues relating to the region’s four unitary authorities and the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), which met for the first time this week.
The money is coming from the local growth fund, which goes to the LEP from the government to spend on new infrastructure aimed at stimulating economic growth.
West of England Mayor Tim Bowles said: “Through the Local Growth Fund the Joint Committee can approve projects that will deliver much needed infrastructure. North Somerset, South Gloucestershire and the wider region will benefit from these projects approved to improve skills in engineering, construction and health.”
LEP interim chair Prof Steve West added: “Approval for these projects show that we can work together to make the West an attractive option for business and industry. These are important steps in ensuring that we have the right skills in the right sectors coming through for the long term.”
The LEP considers competitive bids for projects that demonstrate they will create new infrastructure to encourage growth, support business investment and create jobs. Any additional funding required has been found from other local and government sources.
The West of England secured £52.8m local growth funding to cover individual projects until 2020/21 in February.
