Sappers from Chatham’s Royal School of Military Engineering will now learn building and engineering skills at nearby Mid-Kent College, in a £680 million deal between the college and the Ministry of Defence.

It’s the biggest ever commercial contract to be secured by a college of further and higher education.

From January, Mid-Kent College, which has a new campus under construction in Gillingham, will take over responsibility for most of the non-military training of soldiers serving at Brompton Barracks in the 30-year deal.

This will make the college the first further education institution to undertake construction and engineering training on behalf of the Royal Engineers.

Vice Principal Andrew Brader will become head of training at the barracks. He said: “The Royal Engineers have been at Brompton Barracks since 1812 and are a much treasured part of Medway’s heritage.

“Mid-Kent College is one of the first to achieve Action for Business status and is delighted to have been chosen to deliver training. We are extremely proud to be affiliated with them in this exciting way.

“It’s fantastic that a local college like Mid-Kent has been able to land a contract with an institution of such national prestige, particularly one so steeped in the history and traditions of the Medway Towns.”

The College will shortly begin a recruitment drive for extra staff to carry out training, which will extend from artisan level right up to master of science degree standard.

Lieutenant General Nick Parker, Commander of Regional Forces at Land Command, said: “This will deliver improved training for the Royal Engineers that will feed directly into front line support.”

The deal is part of a much wider contract involving a 30-year £3 billion public-private partnership between the RSME and Holdfast Training Services. This special purpose company is a partnership between Carillion Construction and Babcock International, to which Mid Kent College is sub-contracted.