AoC pleased to see applications for first TECs go live

Responding to yesterday's announcement that colleges can now apply to become one of the first 10 Technical Excellence Colleges (TECs), AoC Chief Executive David Hughes said: “We are very pleased to see applications for the first 10 TECs go live. The £100m investment in construction TECs is recognition that the college sector is absolutely central to delivering on the government’s ambition to grow skills capacity in this key sector, supporting the construction of 1.5 million homes and vital infrastructure projects. With other TECs to follow, in line with the industrial strategy, we can see that more investment in colleges will follow in due course.

"The government is understandably working at pace to establish the Construction TEC (CTEC) network to meet the urgent and high profile skills needs to build 1.5 million homes, move to clean energy and deliver on a range of important infrastructure projects. Given that need for speed, I’m pleased that a co-design approach is being taken, with colleges and employers as well as elected mayors. The only path to success is for those local partnerships to thrive, and for the 10 CTECs to work with other colleges and training organisations in their areas.

"The revenue funding available if critical in helping colleges to engage even more employers as partners, develop curriculum, support qualification and apprenticeship content and design, stimulate demand and support staff CPD. All of that is vital in developing good, accessible pathways into construction jobs, with more employers stepping up to be partners with colleges.

"The hub and spoke model of TECs can build on and enhance existing regional collaboration models, enabling a greater number of learners to benefit in a locality, all while providing opportunities for colleges to develop and share specialist resources and professional development opportunities. The first TECs can be a blueprint for future skills projects in other priority sectors.”