An education minister has praised Croydon College for investing in further education with a £6million improvement programme.

Dr Kim Howells, minister for further and higher education and lifelong learning, officially opened the college's improved beauty, hairdressing and complementary therapies salons named Aura, and Chefs, the new restaurant and bar.

Touring the college last Wednesday, Dr Howells was introduced to students on the college's NVQ hairdressing course like 14-year-old Tiffany Reid.

Tiffany, a pupil at Hailing Manor School, in Kendra Hall Road, attends lessons one day a week at the college.

She said: "I'll be studying hairdressing here for two years coming to the college one day a week. The new facilities here are really good for learning about hairdressing because all the equipment we need is here.

"I hope to end up working as a hairdresser and this course will help me do that."

Frances Franklin, the programme manager for hairdressing, beauty and complimentary therapies, told the Guardian the £1.3million investment in Aura was very exciting news for the 600 students studying on those courses and the 38 members of staff.

The tour ended with food and drink in the college's newly re-opened 1,000sqm restaurant and bar.

Student Andrew Payne who is studying for a NVQ in catering, praised the new investment.

The 18-year-old said: "It's a great opportunity to learn about the business."

Dr Howells said: "It's so great to see the enthusiasm. Speaking to the students today I sense for the first time education has started to come alive for them."

Dr Howells also presented principal Mariane Cavalli with the college's renewed Investors in People standard.