JOBS may be lost at a Worcester college after it has revealed a £2 million gap in its budget.

Five to eight people may face redundancy at Worcester College of Technology in Deansway as it attempts to make savings.

The situation was revealed by college principal Stuart Laverick, who said a consultation with staff and unions was under way.

Mr Laverick said expected funding cuts meant the college was likely to have to provide the same services to a similar number of students but with a seven per cent – or £2 million – reduction its 2011-12 budget.

He said the college would take a phased approach to the savings and phase one would be a restructure of the college’s curriculum managers in March.

The team of 55 staff members at risk include heads and deputy heads of faculties and senior middle curriculum managers.

The college will also try to make savings through reducing non-staff costs.

Mr Laverick said: “There are many millions spent on non-staffing where we’d look to make these savings. We’ll look at how we use space to make sure we maximise the use of the space that’s available.

“We are talking to partners within the city to see how we can use shared services notions.”

Mr Laverick said moving backroom staff to more efficient office space in the city centre was one option.

A slight reduction in the breadth of the curriculum could also happen.

However, Rachel Gowers, the college’s head of marketing, said: “We will make sure what is on offer is what employers want.”

Mr Laverick said: “It is fair to say the public sector is facing what the private sector went through three years ago and it has arrived for all of us.

“Skills are going to be a key element in what is going to bring the economy out of recession so we have been relatively well cushioned but we are still beginning to take our hit.”

The college turns over £30 million a year. It is funded by the Young People’s Learning Agency, the Skills Funding Agency and the Higher education Funding Council for England.