Street MP James Heappey opened the brand new state-of-the art Hospital Ward and Lab on Friday, which will be used by Health and Science T-Level students.
Mr Heappey met students taking part in the new courses, which equate to three A-Levels and involve industry placements to prepare them for the world of work.
Strode College has led the way in delivering T-Levels and has been awarded Government grants to provide facilities to deliver - with this the latest to help broaden the qualifications on offer.
Mr Heappey said: “I was honoured to be able to open this brand new hospital ward and laboratory at Strode College.
"I am so impressed with these fantastic facilities and great to see the excellent educational work ongoing in Somerset.
"Strode has been leading the way with the newly-introduced T-levels and the progress they have made in a short space of time is remarkable and hugely beneficial to students here in Somerset.”
As well as officially opening the new ward, the MP was able to get a sense of the practical learning tools, which include interactive mannequins which simulate different medical situations to allow for practical responses to prepare them for a clinical workplace.
Katy Quinn, Principal and CEO, said: “I am incredibly proud of what the staff and students at Strode have achieved.
"The official opening of our new T-level facilities for health and science is a key milestone in the launch of these new, high quality technical qualifications.
"We are delighted to have had such a successful start to our T-level journey, which will continue to be rolled out over the coming years.
"Strode College has a long, established reputation for outstanding academic provision - we must also ensure young people have access to the highest quality technical education too.
"It’s important that our courses prepare students for employment, leading into strong careers, as well as courses which provide excellent routes into university. Our offer of A-levels and vocational and technical courses mean our students have that choice.”
