Further education is the UK’s engine room for economic growth
Capital City College (CCC), London’s largest further education provider, today released a report highlighting FE’s critical role in delivering the government’s skills agenda and driving social mobility.
In the recent Skills England’s recent Assessment of Priority Skills to 2030 report and the post-16 White Paper, it has been estimated that thousands of additional skilled workers are needed to meet economic and industrial strategy goals. This means that CCC’s report comes at an opportune time.
Launched at the Houses of Parliament, the report, produced in partnership with the Purpose Coalition, highlights CCC as a key driver of social mobility for Londoners, combining inclusive access with clear progression into skilled work and further study.
The College provides:
more than 50 mentoring programmes, including those focused on equity, diversity and inclusion.
Multiple routes for young people and adults, including A Levels, vocational pathways, T Levels, apprenticeships, higher education, and professional qualifications.
Its work experience programme mandates 70 hours for all 16-18 students, backed by employer partnerships so students gain real-world skills and networks.
Apprenticeships+ supports more than 2,000 apprentices annually and shapes provision around employer needs.
CCC’s adult retraining and upskilling offer includes hundreds of free short courses aligned to labour market demand, supporting large-scale reskilling across the capital.
Outcomes are strong, with over 94 percent progressing to a positive destination, including paid degree apprenticeships, higher education and employment.
Rt Hon Justine Greening, Chair of the Purpose Coalition, said: "The further education sector is integral to making progress on the skills agenda which is so central to this country's successful economic growth. Colleges can help to ensure that all their students have the tools to develop and to succeed, whatever their background.
"I am delighted to join Capital City College at the launch of their new impact report which highlights the transformative effects that Capital City College has in generating social and economic success for the diverse communities it serves and for businesses across London."
Nick Forbes CBE, Engagement Director of the Purpose Coalition, said: "It is crucial that we develop ways to improve employment outcomes throughout people's working lives and to provide employees with the skills and the expertise they need.
"Capital City College offers an inclusive and aspirational environment for lifelong learning, especially for those from disadvantaged backgrounds and from communities too often left behind."
Angela Joyce, Chief Executive Officer of Capital City College, said: “Further education is essentially the UK’s engine room for economic growth. As a college that hires industry experts to deliver the skills needed by industry sectors, we are at the forefront of training the future UK workforce. Learning doesn’t stop at any age, and it’s our role to educate, upskill and retrain generations of students who want to learn key skills which are so desperately in demand by the UK government.”
To read the Impact Report click here: https://www.purpose-coalition.org/impact-reports/capitalcitycollege
