STUDENTS’ dreams of a future in mechanics have stalled after Fife College slammed the brakes on its automotive programmes.

The college will discontinue full-time automotive programmes after 2015-16, citing the lack of qualified students and limited job opportunities among the reasons.

The college offers programmes at its campuses in Rosyth and Stenton, and student Dawnah Selfridge has now started a petition on change.org in the hope of getting the courses continued.

Dawnah, who is in her first year of the course, said: “I am 28 and so will struggle to get an apprenticeship without having a decent amount of experience behind me. A lot of people will be losing out on opportunities.”

The petition has 522 signatures to date. Ssupporter Peter Foster, from Dalgety Bay, called the college’s decision an “absolute scandal”.

“Yet more courses being cut at Fife College – which ones are next? Clearly they are more interested about numbers on spreadsheets than they are about educating students and helping them find a future.”

Andrew Kerr, of Saline, called it a “shameful act of incompetence and negligence” and a “direct contradiction of Fife College’s mandate to provide local provision for the local community”.

“The management have failed to recognise that this course (and many others like it) offer students much more than just a certificate.

“Often, students come to study vocational courses as a mean of engaging with education which wouldn’t have been a consideration otherwise. These students become confident, motivated and ambitious due to the commitment and efforts of the automotive teaching staff.”

Alex Kiloh, of Inverkeithing, wrote: “I own a local garage and think this is outrageous.

“I currently have an apprentice on a day release course and I would like to train more mechanics in the future.

“It is just such a shame that so many young people may not get the opportunity.”

One student, who did not want to be named, told the Press: “I was hoping to become a mechanic.

“I have nowhere to go. Unless we travel to Motherwell, Perth or Edinburgh, there’s nothing at all locally.”

A college spokesman said: “The difficult decision has been taken that there will be no full-time automotive programmes delivered after academic year 2015-16 at Fife College.

“As a regional college, we need to ensure that the courses we deliver meet the needs of students, employers and the local economy, offer a high quality learning experience and provide opportunities for students to progress to employment or further study once they have completed their course.

“The reducing number of appropriately qualified students applying for automotive programmes, the limited opportunities available to progress into local full-time employment within the automotive industry and the investment required to continue to offer the high-quality learning experience provided by other training providers were among the factors behind that led to the final decision being made.

“We would urge anyone who has any concerns to contact us on 0344 248 0115 so we can deal with their concerns on an individual basis and support them in helping to find suitable alternatives.”

To sign the petition, log on to the change.org website.