District Focus | 

Investing in skills 
To the south of Sittingbourne, Kent Science Park offers a business location of regional significance specialising in biopharmaceuticals and life sciences. Over 1,000 people are currently employed at the park, working in over 80 companies in a secure campus location. A new training facility at Kent Science Park provides new training opportunities in the science sector (see page 110). 
The new facility at Kent Science Park is one of many education and training initiatives taking place in Swale. Swale Forward has long recognised education and skills development as a means to regeneration. Therefore a high priority is ensuring that Swale has the skills that businesses and investors need. Recent major investments in the borough include the £50m development of the new Isle of Sheppey Academy and the Skills Centre in Sittingbourne. 
The Isle of Sheppey Academy launches in September 2009 specialising in Business enterprise and sport, it will provide brand new facilities for the island, and deliver a step change in the range and quality of education on Sheppey. Swale Skills Centre in Sittingbourne opened in September 2008 and focuses on providing courses in construction and engineering. These developments are in addition to major investments local schools have made in new training facilities over the past few years, which is showing results in rapidly improving school attainment. 



Tel. 01795 417398 www.swale.gov.uk 

A gatewayto Britain The Port of Sheerness is one of the UKs
most significant ports in the fresh produce, forest produce and automobile import sectors.A deepwater port with no lock restrictions, in 1990 Sheerness became the first UK port to build quayside cool storage for fresh
produce. Automotive clients include Porsche, Volkswagen Audi Group, Honda and Peugeot-Citroen.Sheerness itself has the potential for significant regeneration by building on its extensive maritime heritage, in which the Port will play a major role.