Clockwise from left, Michael Spriggs of UK Land Estates, Gateshead College principal David Cheetham, Malcolm Armstrong of the Collective and Gateshead councillor Catherine Donovan.

Construction is underway on a new multi-million pound Skills Academy on Tyneside to provide employers and learners with some of the best facilities in the region.

The £6m Skills Academy, on Team Valley, is part of a regional drive to establish a world-class education and learning infrastructure to boost regional economic growth. The new Gateshead centre will offer vocational learning with facilities for a wide range of work-based courses.

Due to open in spring 2008, the new site will provide learning amenities for more than 1,500 students and is the result of a unique partnership between seven leading training providers known as the Collective together with the Gateshead Education Improvement Partnership.