Alpha Scotland has seen a 20% growth in its business in the past year through expanding its reach within the education sector in Scotland.
Part of the Alpha Group, the company specialises in office and educational furniture and has been operating for 30 years. Alpha has been involved in a range of educational projects which span from Special Needs Primary Schools to some of the UK’s most prestigious University Campuses. The company has recently delivered a number of major contracts in the Scottish market, completing innovative refurbishment projects at University of Glasgow, University of West Scotland and Edinburgh University.
Alpha credits the surge in demand for contemporary, multifunctional educational furniture to new trends emerging within the education environment and a growing need to respond to changing needs of students in order to compete on a global playing field. Paul Black, CEO, The Alpha Group, said:
“The present climate in the education sector is that of change and development, with the aim of producing a competitively skilled workforce for the 21st century. Children and young adults are taught skills for jobs that have not yet been conceived, so this really is an exciting period for the education sector.
“As teaching styles evolve, learning experiences are enhanced by classroom configuration and furniture design. Universities in particular are increasingly modernising their facilities to attract students outside of the UK and Alpha has identified this sectoral opportunity, investing in research and development to better understand the needs of the modern student.
“Universities and schools are essentially businesses, it is their job to attract and retain the best students and with our help they can provide modern, dynamic learning spaces to help them achieve this.
“Thoughtfully designed learning spaces which include visual stimulation and flexible configurations are proven to improve student performance and teacher retention. Using an insight-led approach, we strive to create classrooms that encourage higher levels of engagement, improved attendance and better academic performance. We have a passion for understanding how learning best takes place and how smarter, active learning spaces can help.
“A perfect example of this is our ongoing work with The University Of Glasgow, over recent years we have designed and installed furniture for; The Sir Alexander Stone Building, Gilchrist Café, Joseph Black Library, West Medical Building and Adam Smith Building within the University campus. These key active learning environments are always designed with the student in mind creating inspiring spaces which fulfil the needs of students and educators. Digitalisation of traditional learning methods, and an increased emphasis on mobile technology also mean there are less need for static desks and rigid learning environments, so we opted for more opting for more informal, comfortable areas where students can use their laptops to study remotely.
“We have seen our business grow from strength to strength with the opening of our new Alpha Scotland premises in Glasgow, and we will continue to strive to set ourselves apart as specialist furniture suppliers for the education sector.”
www.alphascotland.com
