Colleges come together to support employers

Twelve of Lancashire's further education and sixth form colleges have made a pledge to support the county's employers during the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

The collective includes Accrington and Rossendale College, Blackburn College, Blackpool and The Fylde College, Blackpool Sixth, Burnley College, Cardinal Newman College, Lancaster and Morecambe College, Myerscough College, Nelson and Colne College, Preston’s College, Runshaw College and West Lancashire College.

Together, they work with more than 10,000 businesses to provide 95,000 learners each year with the knowledge, skills and training to drive social mobility and boost the economy.

They have now made a three-part pledge:

• to deliver a wide range of exciting education and training opportunities for adults, from foundation skills to degree-level courses,
• to develop new skills and further their careers to help young people achieve their full potential and to maximise their future opportunities as they make the transition from school to college
• and to work more closely than ever with employers, ensuring the workforce has the professional and technical skills needed to help businesses bounce back.

Wes Johnson, principal and chief executive of Lancaster and Morecambe College and chair of The Lancashire Colleges, said: "Across Lancashire, young people can take advantage of a huge range of learning opportunities to get them on track for enriching and rewarding careers, while adults can benefit from upskilling and retraining as well as vibrant higher education programmes to help the economy recover and grow."

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