A SPECIALIST new facility at Petroc in Tiverton is providing supported learning students with the opportunity to learn life and employability skills.

The LiFe (Learning Independ-ence for Future Employment) Centre at the college’s Mid Devon campus is a bespoke building made up of flexible teaching space, workshop and industry-standard kitchen.

The student-run cafe, which will be open to members of the public, has ample indoor and outdoor seating and will give students the chance to hone their catering and customer service skills.

The centre is next to the college’s garden and pond, which the supported learning students also maintain as part of their course.

Petroc received funding through the Education Funding Agency and the facility has been designed to accommodate students with a wide range of requirements – it also includes adjustable workstations and has full disabled access.

Supported learning lecturer Cate Pitkin said: “It’s fantastic to have a dedicated learning area to enable us to further expand our SLDD [Students with Learning Difficulties and/or Disabilities] provision here in Tiverton.

“The students are completely lost for words and keep saying ‘is this really all for us?

“Working in these professional facilities is such a motivator for the students and gives them a real taste of how businesses operate and what it would be like to work in a similar environment in the future.

Student Tom Alsop said: “I love working in the kitchen. It’s so much bigger than our old one and makes me feel like a professional when I’m in it.”

Sue Trevelyan, who teaches catering, said: “We have waited a long time to have a purpose built facility here in Tiverton, providing the opportunity for students to embrace the catering industry and, ultimately, learn the skills needed to find employment.

“I feel very lucky to have the privilege of teaching such inspirational students in this fantastic building.”