The Department for Education (DfE) has today announced the first Technical Excellence Colleges (TEC) across the country – and Exeter College has been named as the South West’s lead.
Colleges across the country will lead on new hubs in order to train 40,000 workers by 2029 to support the high demand for construction skills. Located in every region of England they will deliver the workforce needed to turbocharge the building of new homes, schools and hospitals.
The colleges / regions confirmed are:
- Derby College Group, East Midlands
- West Suffolk College, East of England
- New City College, Greater London
- City of Sunderland College, North East
- Wigan and Leigh College, North West
- North Kent College, South East
- Exeter College, South West
- Bedford College, cross-regional
- Dudley College of Technology, West Midlands
- Leeds College of Building, Yorkshire and the Humber
The move will allow the construction sector to draw on homegrown, British talent in the years to come rather than relying on overseas workers, backing the British working class with well-paid, high skilled job opportunities.
Technical excellence colleges are a new government designation for FE colleges that will receive extra funding to deliver training in sectors where there are shortages. Each will receive a share of £80 million in capital and £20 million in revenue over the next four years.
John Laramy CBE, Principal and CEO of Exeter College, said: “Exeter College are absolutely delighted to be selected as the South West Construction TEC. We look forward to working with our college, stakeholder and employer partners across the region to turbo charge construction training.
“It is a particular personal privilege, as an education leader who began their career in construction, to be part of a national initiative to ensure our region benefits from the career opportunities that excellent technical education enables.
“We are excited about working with colleagues in the DfE and wider Government to ensure this national policy has meaningful impact and benefits for the South West and beyond.”
