For anyone working in further education, this time of year is always exciting. As Principal of Edinburgh College, it brings me great joy to see the new faces coming through our doors, as well as the familiar ones.

We’re proud to be training the next generation of talent. Our students are the country’s future coders, software engineers, music producers, chefs, nurses and renewable energy technicians.

The First Minister’s Programme for Government made for sombre listening earlier this month, with savings of half a billion needed across public services. However, it also highlighted that growth is a key priority for Scotland, and colleges are perfectly placed to support in making this a reality.

There are plenty of opportunities already under way to meet the Scottish Government’s ambitions for growth in key sectors like net zero, hydrogen, green energy and space, and major infrastructure projects like the Forth Freeport are moving at pace.

There’s one key factor behind all of these ambitions though, and that’s skills. Without the skilled workforce required to drive this progress, all efforts will ultimately falter.

At a time when the skills gap is a major concern for most businesses, colleges are well positioned to shape the next generation of the workforce, through a range of hands-on, practical training. Our curriculum is aligned to support the areas where Scottish Government and industry are striving for growth, and we can be flexible when it comes to tailoring courses to meet the needs of various sectors.

We regularly work with industry to provide key links, practical support, access to equipment or resources, and courses to upskill and reskill the existing workforce. Not only does this help businesses retain their talent, but it is often the key to growth; both for individual organisations, and for the country. Scotland is already recognised for excelling in areas like tech and space science, but it’s the talented people who make that possible.

We also collaborate with local universities, supporting the real-life applications of well-founded research. In areas such as robotics, new technologies and other innovations, we have created the simulated work environments to test out putting theory in practice.

A great example is our Digital Care Hubs, which are designed to provide greater skills and immersive training opportunities to health and social care students. The hubs contain replica medical wards; infection control and decontamination areas; a reflection room; and a care-at-home room. At our Sighthill campus, we also have a virtual reality room designed to give students an immersive experience which demonstrates how a patient with dementia experiences day-to-day life.

The potential of the Scottish college sector is often misunderstood, undervalued and, as a result, still suffers from underinvestment. The work that colleges do is vital to the Scottish education and economic landscape, especially when it comes to skills provision.

At a time of opportunity, it’s vital that businesses, government and the wider Scottish community recognise colleges for what they are: a cornerstone in the country’s future prosperity.

 Audrey Cumberford is Chief Executive and Principal of Edinburgh College

Agenda is a column for outside contributors. Contact: agenda@theherald.co.uk