Government pledges £80m for national colleges

The Colleges will focus on delivering high-level technical skills at levels four to six, and will support the delivery of major infrastructure projects such as High Speed 2 (HS2) and new nuclear, the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) said.

Announcing the £80 million funding, skills minister Nick Boles said: “The National Colleges have been designed with employers, for employers. They will produce the skills needed now and into the future to ensure the UK remains innovative and at the forefront of pioneering industry.”

The National Colleges have been designed with employers, for employers

Skills minister Nick Boles

The National College for Nuclear received £15 million and will be co-located in Somerset and Cumbria.

“It is no secret, the average age of an engineer in the UK is 54, and many industries including our own face a widening skills gap. Initiatives such as this highlight the government’s long-term commitment to the UK’s nuclear decommissioning and new build programmes of work,” said Tom Greatrex, chief executive of the Nuclear Industry Association (NIA).

Meanwhile, the government has also pledged £5.6 million to the National College for Onshore Oil and Gas (NCOOG), which is located in Blackpool.

“This funding will allow us to progress quickly with the establishment of the college and open new exciting training and career opportunities to local people,” said Colette Cohen, chairman of NCOOG.

The government initially provided the College with £750,000 of funding to be matched by industry bodies and education providers to ensure the development of a robust business plan.

All five Colleges had to pass a detailed examination of their business plans and capital proposals to receive funding, which will help with the construction of new buildings and the purchase of equipment, BIS said.

The first Colleges will open in September with the remainder opening by September 2017.