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Mission one: kickstart economic growth

Bridgwater & Taunton College, Somerset

Bridgwater & Taunton College, for example, have forged a true partnership with EDF to ensure that people in the local area have the skills to progress into good jobs on offer at Hinkley Point C, and in turn, that the power station has the skilled workforce it needs to be able to boost economic growth and productivity in the region.

"Employers are crying out for more people with the right technical skills across all levels in the workplace to boost productivity and seize the opportunities of an increasingly digitalised and automated workplace, to ultimately grow the economy. Colleges play a crucial role in this. That is why we and our members are proud to work closely with colleges across the country to ensure that the right skills and training provision is in place to support economic growth and productivity across the nation.”

Sarah Howard MBE, Chair, British Chambers of Commerce

Trafford and Stockport College Group, Greater Manchester

The pandemic has had severe consequences for the aviation sector, creating significant skills shortages and economic inactivity. However, things at the Manchester Airport Group (MAG) are looking up, thanks to the Airport Academy.

A collaboration between the Manchester Airport Group and the Trafford and Stockport College Group (TSCG), the academy launched in 2012, offering sector-based work academy programmes (SWAPs) to equip jobseekers with skills needed for airport employment.

However, post-Covid, the academy aligned with the government’s generation aviation initiative to restore airport operations and create pathways for local communities facing socio-economic challenge into meaningful employment.

By offering targeted training and skills development, the academy helps participants gain the qualifications and confidence needed to secure employment at the airport. Courses include the Level 4 aviation management apprenticeship and Level 3 team leader apprenticeship to meet MAG’s needs. Adults aged 19 and over in Greater Manchester’s disadvantaged communities have been a particular target, and key initiatives to attract them have included bi-annual MAG jobs fairs, community information sessions, and ongoing engagement with job centres.

There are five full-time staff working for the Airport Academy and in 2023/24, they supported nearly 2,000 individuals, achieved a 99% success rate and secured 314 job placements, a 40% increase from the previous year.

"Colleges have a critical role to play in kickstarting sustainable, inclusive economic growth across all parts of the country. Further education colleges are not only essential for meeting current and emerging skills gaps we face across many key sectors. They can be key social partners alongside unions, employers and government to equip people as the world of work changes. At the heart of this are the people working within colleges who continue to do incredible work every day - despite the considerable constraints they and their institutions face. We need to make sure they are fairly rewarded and valued. There’s so much more they can do, with the right investment and right support.”

Paul Nowak, General Secretary, Trades Union Congress

City College Norwich, Norfolk

The data shows that nationally, young people with learning difficulties and disabilities (LDD) are very underrepresented in the workforce; according to NHS data from 2021, just 5.1% of adults with a learning disability known to their local authority in England are in paid work.

But at City College Norwich, an innovative supported employment agency, MINT, has been opening the doors to paid employment for young people with LDD and mental health conditions for more than a decade. Established in 2010, MINT sees young people assigned an employment job coach, who then provides tailored support and training according to their individual needs. This includes a combination of one-to-one and group training, with a focus on employability skills, English and maths, together with help with applying for jobs and interviews.

MINT has a range of employer partners across Norfolk, including Norse Group, Coop East of England, and Boots, who benefit from having the financial costs of recruitment taken away and being introduced to employees who are keen to work hard and prove what they can do. Students go on a variable or fixed-term (12-week) work placement or on a six-month supported internship, often in customer service, administration, hospitality, and retail. The support from MINT is available for a further year after they have secured paid employment. Since 2017, the agency has supported, on average, 70 young people into sustainable paid employment each year, including in roles like retail assistant, catering assistant, and cleaner.