A ground-breaking ceremony for an $11 million technology centre has been celebrated at Bermuda High School.

Linda Parker, head of the school, said the start of construction was an important milestone.

Ms Parker added: “This ambitious project was envisioned in response to the local and global need for more girls to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics, in combination with the arts.

“We have a responsibility to prepare our students for the jobs of today, as well as to anticipate future trends.”

The school’s new Innovation Centre will prepare pupils for careers in science and technology-based subjects.

The 15,000 sq ft centre, which will be built on part of a car park behind the school on land donated by the Bank of Butterfield, will include five new science labs, two computer science labs, and a leadership centre for girls.

The centre was designed by architectural firm Linberg & Simmons in collaboration with education architects from Gensler in the United States.

The Butterfield building next door will be renovated to house the new Arts Wing.

Construction firm BCM McAlpine will oversee building work, which is scheduled to be completed by autumn 2020.

Ms Parker said Grosvenor Tucker, the school’s founder, would have supported the construction of a “cathedral of learning”.

She added: “Were she alive today, I believe that she would find this new direction entirely in keeping with her vision to provide the very best education for girls.”

Catherine Hollingsworth, deputy head of the school, said that the school had done well to prepare pupils for higher education and the workforce.

But she added: “Times are changing.”

Ms Hollingsworth said the centre would encourage collaboration and communication skills in pupils.

She added: “They are the students that we are going to be able to develop much better with our new building.”

Ms Hollingsworth said the centre was designed to be “the heart of the school”.

Mariette Savoie, school board chairwoman, said the groundbreaking was a “very special moment” for the school.

She said that $10.7 million had already been raised to pay for the new building.

Ms Savoie told donors: “Your gifts allow BHS to keep alive its promise to help bring the very best education for girls in Bermuda.”

Diallo Rabain, the Minister of Education, said the new building was an example of “what can be achieved when the community and private sector works with education to achieve a goal on behalf of our children”.

He added: “I would very much like to see more of these types of partnerships with education across the island.”

Mr Rabain said that technology was an important part of education. He added that technical subjects were male-dominated, but insisted “that trend is rapidly changing”.

Mr Rabain said: “Young girls across the island are showing their interest in the field and taking their place in these types of industries. For this, I am extremely happy.”