A £300,000 grant could turn Yeovil College into a Centre of Vocational Excellence (advanced engineering) over the next twelve months.
The CoVE initiative was announced by the government in November 2000, aiming to encourage further education colleges to develop vocational specialisation.
A total of £100 million was made available nationally to set up a network of CoVEs over a three-year period. The network is administered by the Learning and Skills Council, whose executive director for Somerset, Dugald Sandeman, praised the college for its forward-thinking.
"They deserve congratulations. CoVEs will underpin a modern further education sector, contributing fully to the nation's skills and the drive to boost competitiveness," he said.
The grant can be used for new buildings, new equipment and staff development, with accreditation being given at the end of the twelve-month period should inspectors be satisfied criteria is fulfilled.
Mr Sandeman said that SCAT and Bridgwater College had also received the grant - for construction and automotive engineering respectively.
A Yeovil College spokesperson said the college was under obligation not to comment on the grant or release further details until May 7th.