- The funding is being awarded to further education colleges across the country, boosting skills training in local areas to help get more people into jobs closer to home.
- Bim Afolami MP is calling on local colleges and further education providers across Hitchin, Harpenden and the villages to bid for a share of £165 million from the Conservative Government to renovate facilities with up-to-date equipment and improve skills training.
- The extra investment from the Conservative Government will upskill teachers and deliver new courses in key subjects, supporting world-class skills training – meaning better, well-paid jobs and delivering on the Conservative Governments promise to grow the economy.
Bim Afolami MP is encouraging colleges and further education providers across Hitchin, Harpenden and the villages to bid for extra investment from the Conservative Government by Tuesday 20 June 2023 to boost local skills training.
Local communities across the country are set to benefit from a share of £165 million to improve skills training in their area and help get more people into jobs closer to home.
The new funding from the Conservative Government’s Local Skills Improvement Fund will be used to renovate facilities with up-to-date equipment, help to upskill teachers, and deliver new courses in key subjects.
New courses that will receive extra funding include those providing training in green construction, carbon capture, and cyber security, and those that meet the needs of local employers.
Successful applicants will receive funding to invest in initiatives responding to the priorities in each area’s Local Skills Improvement Plan, created by employer bodies in every region to make sure post-16 technical training responds to local needs.
The extra investment will provide a boost to local economies, as businesses will have access to the skills they need, delivering on the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy, as the Conservative Government works to deliver all five of its priorities: halve inflation, grow the economy, reduce debt, cut waiting lists and stop the boats.
Commenting, Bim Afolami MP said:
“Investing in education and skills will unlock future growth, boost productivity, and help build the skilled workforce of the future across Hitchin, Harpenden and the villages.
“That is why I welcome the extra £165 million investment in skills training from the Conservative Government and encourage colleges and further education providers in our communities to apply for their share to help get more people into jobs closer to home.
“This new funding will deliver the skills our local employers need, while levelling up skills training across the country and helping to grow our economy.”
Commenting, Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education Robert Halfon said:
“Building a world-class skills and apprenticeships nation means listening to the specific needs of local people, businesses, and institutions.
“This funding will revolutionise how we plug local skills gaps and provide a boost to the economy. Supporting colleges to better meet the needs of local employers not only boosts businesses, it extends the ladder of opportunity to even more people from all backgrounds who will be equipped with the skills they need to secure a rewarding job close to home.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
The Conservative Government is investing in skills training and colleges by:
- Providing £165 million to improve skills training in local areas, helping to get more people into jobs closer to home and to grow the economy. The Local Skills Improvement Fund will be used to renovate facilities with up-to-date equipment, help to upskill teachers, and deliver new courses in key subjects, providing skills needed by local employers and for the future (DfE, Press Release, 24 May 2023, link).
- Delivering almost 5.5 million apprenticeships since 2010, giving people the skills, they need for the workplace. Since we came into office there have been almost 5.5 million apprenticeships starts, with over 636,000 people participating in an apprenticeship in England between 2021-2022 alone (Explore Education Statistics, Apprenticeships and traineeships, 4 May 2023, link).
- Investing £3.8 billion in skills training, equipping people with the skills needed to grow our economy. We are expanding T Levels, funding more traineeships, building Institutes of Technology, upgrading our colleges estate, quadrupling places on our skills bootcamps, and spending record sums on apprenticeships (Prime Minister’s Office, Queen’s Speech 2021: background briefing notes, 11 May 2021, link).
- Delivering almost £490 million in extra funding to boost skills training and upgrade colleges and universities across the country. £432 million will fund state of the art university and college facilities at 100 provider and £57 million will support 20 specialist higher education providers to deliver a wider range of high quality specialist courses (DfE, Press Release, 8 December 2022, link).
- Investing £350 million to renovate further education colleges across the UK. We brought forward £200 million of the £1.5 billion it to transform colleges over five years, renovating 180 providers. In fast-tracking this initial investment, colleges could start immediate work to repair and refurbish buildings. Applications have now opened for £150 million in extra grant funding for T Level providers (DfE, News Story, 19 August 2020, link; DfE, Guidance, 22 November 2022, link).
