JOBS look set to go at Stourbridge College - just weeks after bosses trumpeted the completion of a £5million makeover at the Hagley Road campus.

College chiefs confirmed today (Wednesday) that up to 250 posts are to be made redundant across Birmingham Metropolitan College's campuses in a bid to cut costs.

It is not yet known how many staff are likely to be affected at Stourbridge's new-look Hagley Road site or at Brierley Hill's Art and Design Centre and Advanced Technology Centre.

Andrew Cleaves, principal and CEO at Birmingham Metropolitan College, said: “We have informed staff that we need to reduce costs significantly, and regrettably, around 200 to 250 positions across our colleges could be made redundant by the end of the academic year."

He said it is hoped that any redundancies can be achieved voluntarily and he said students would not be affected. The college also aims to protect its course offering in the future.

Mr Cleaves continued: “These are challenging times for the education sector and Birmingham Metropolitan College has not been unaffected.

"Government funding has reduced by a third in recent years and greater competition in the sector, combined with demographic factors, has put pressure on student numbers.

"These conditions have highlighted the need to focus on efficiency, by reducing costs where we can and improving the way we do things.

“Like other FE colleges, we need to reduce our operating costs and ensure the college is on a firm financial footing from which to grow in the future."