Government-funded professional development programme appoints regional excellence hubs

Nine education providers across the country have been announced as Technical and Vocational Excellence Hubs today.  

The hubs will form a national network that will drive high-quality professional development for the further education workforce through the Technical and Vocational Professional Development (TVPD) Programme.  

Working with colleges, employers and other partners, the hubs will help improve teaching, develop the workforce and ensure learners receive high-quality technical and vocational education.

Each hub will lead activity in its region, bringing organisations together to share good practice and deliver training that meets local skills needs and employer demand.

The newly appointed TVE Hubs are:  

• East: Harlow College  
• East Midlands: Leicester College  
• London: Twyford CofE Academies Trust
• North East: Middlesbrough College  
• North West: Wigan and Leigh College  
• South East: East Kent College (EKC Group)  
• South West: Weston College  
• West Midlands: Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group (NSCG)  
• Yorkshire and Humber: Heart of Yorkshire Education Group  

The TVPD Programme is funded by the Department for Education, and delivered by the Association of Colleges, and is designed to support technical and vocational educators to develop the specialist skills, knowledge and confidence needed to deliver high-quality teaching and training, helping learners progress into skilled employment and further study.  

David Hughes, Chief Executive of the Association of Colleges, said: “I am so pleased to see the launch of the Technical and Vocational Professional Development programmes today.  Developed by the sector, for the sector, I know that TVPD will provide invaluable professional for everyone involved in the new post-16 pathways.

"The Technical and Vocational Excellence (TVE) hubs sit at the heart of TVPD, helping to build capacity from within the sector and supporting providers to deliver high-quality technical education. We had such a range of applications from right across the education sector, and I want to say a huge congratulations to those who were successful. These hubs will bring together education providers and employers in every region to make sure that the programme supports high quality teaching and strengthens skills development in the subjects and sectors that matter.”

Supporting high-quality professional development

Kelly Edwards, Executive Director for Quality, Harlow College, said: "Being selected as a Technical and Vocational Excellence Hub is a proud moment for Harlow College. We're looking forward to working alongside colleagues from across the sector to strengthen technical and vocational teaching and make a genuine difference for learners."  

Neil Challinor, Quality and Performance Manager, Leicester College, said: "Leicester College is delighted to have been selected to lead the Technical and Vocational Professional Development programme across the East Midlands. This is an important opportunity to bring providers, employers and sector specialists together to develop high-quality professional development that responds to the needs of our region. By sharing expertise and learning from one another, we can strengthen the confidence and capability of our workforce and ensure that learners benefit from consistently excellent technical and vocational education."  

Jessica Barwell, Assistant Principal for Curriculum (Health, Care and Business), Middlesbrough College, said: "We are proud to have been selected as a TVE Hub and look forward to working with partners across the region to share best practice, strengthen technical education, and support high-quality professional development that benefits both educators and learners."  

Anne-Marie Francis, Vice Principal Curriculum, Wigan and Leigh College, said:  "We are absolutely delighted to have been selected as Technical and Vocational Excellence Hub for the North West. This is a fantastic opportunity to build on our proven track record of supporting technical and vocational education alongside an outstanding partnership of providers, employers and sector organisations, whose collective expertise will be central to the success of the Hub. Together, we look forward to strengthening the further education workforce by developing the skills, knowledge and confidence of teachers and trainers, helping to deliver outstanding technical education that benefits learners, employers and communities across the region."  

Nick Holbrook-Sutcliffe, Assistant CEO, Education at EKC Group, said: "We are delighted to be part of the Technical and Vocational Excellence Hub network. At EKC Group, we believe technical education changes lives when it creates clear pathways into employment, further learning and opportunity. As a Hub, we look forward to working with providers, employers and partners across the region to share expertise, build confidence and support high-quality teaching that helps every learner progress and succeed. Our Hub approach is simple: by the sector, for the sector, with learners and their futures at the heart of everything we do."  

Gary Durant, Vice Principal at Weston College, said: "We are passionate about collaboration and are excited to work with partners across the region to drive innovation, share expertise and enhance the quality of technical and vocational education for both teachers and learners."  

Shelley Brown, Deputy Principal at Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group, said: "We are incredibly proud that Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group has been selected as one of only nine regional Technical and Vocational Excellence (TVE) Hubs in England. Being chosen through a highly competitive national process is a significant endorsement of the outstanding technical and vocational education we deliver, our commitment to innovation and quality, and the strength of our partnerships with employers, education providers and industry."  

"As the West Midlands TVE Hub, we look forward to working collaboratively with colleges, schools, training providers, universities and employers to strengthen teaching expertise, share best practice and support the successful implementation of technical qualifications. Together, we will help ensure professional development reflects employer needs, responds to regional skills priorities and ultimately improves outcomes for learners across the region."  

Sam Wright, Principal and CEO of Heart of Yorkshire Education Group, said:  "We are delighted to have been selected as one of just nine TVPD Hubs from 56 applications nationwide. This is a fantastic achievement and a real testament to the expertise, commitment and inclusive approach of colleagues across our Group. We have extensive experience of working with employers, local authorities and regional partners to co-design and deliver programmes that meet skills needs, from Skills Bootcamps and T Levels to wider workforce development initiatives, and have also recently been named one of just three Association of Colleges Digital Insights Hubs in the country. We are excited to build on this experience through the TVPD Hub, working with partners across Yorkshire and the Humber to share best practice, support educators and help ensure learners benefit from outstanding technical and vocational education."  

Matt Cowing, Deputy Headteacher, Ada Lovelace CofE High School, said:  “The T Level programme we have developed has created transformational opportunities for our students, enabling progression into employment, apprenticeships, higher education, and wider destinations that have exceeded our initial expectations. Seeing the impact of high-quality technical education on learners' futures has been one of the most rewarding aspects of our journey. We are therefore delighted to support other providers as they explore and develop their own technical education offer within the evolving further education landscape. Sharing effective practice, lessons learned, and implementation strategies is essential if we are to collectively strengthen opportunities for young people across the sector.

"Our partnership with the Association of Colleges (AoC) has been a vital part of this success, providing invaluable support, collaboration, and professional learning opportunities throughout our T Level journey. We look forward to continuing this work with the AoC and colleagues across the sector as we champion technical education and contribute to the ongoing development of a skilled, ambitious, and future-ready workforce.”