The Corporation of London South East Colleges and the Skills for Growth Board of Trustees, have taken this decision to ensure the continued delivery of high quality apprenticeships and training opportunities across South East London, responding to and meeting the needs of the employers and communities in the area and beyond.
Whilst it will maintain its distinctive identity and legal status as a charity, Skills for Growth will be incorporated into, and continue trading, as part of the London South East Colleges Group and will continue to be led by the current CEO of the charity, Ashley McCaul. Principal and CEO of London South East Colleges, Sam Parrett will become the Chair of Skills for Growth. This will enable the charity to build on its longstanding track-record of supporting young people, particularly those facing the most significant barriers regarding progression into or within employment, whilst benefitting from the support a wider group structure can bring.
Skills for Growth has been delivering education and training to young people for more than 30 years. The Charity aims to help young people to progress into or within employment, focusing particularly on those individuals with low prior attainment levels, those that are not engaged in education employment or training (NEET), and young offenders or those leaving care. London South East Colleges is one of the country’s largest college groups and already delivers an extensive programme of further and higher education, as well as an extensive programme of apprenticeship training across Bromley, Bexley and Greenwich. Skills for Growth will join the former Bexley College and former Greenwich Community College, along with London South East Academies Trust as part of London South East Colleges Group.
The College Group has also just become the newest member of the Collab Group, which represents the largest colleges across the country. This will allow the College to develop its apprenticeship provision across the South East and Ashley McCaul will become the College’s lead on apprenticeships whilst also continuing as CEO of Skills for Growth.
These two exciting developments mean both the College Group and Skills for Growth are exceptionally well placed to respond to the changing apprenticeship landscape with the new Apprenticeship Levy, Standards and the progression through to higher-level degree standard apprenticeships.
Sam Parrett OBE, Principal and CEO of London South East Colleges, said: “This collaboration is excellent news for education and training in South East London. With the advent of the new Apprenticeship Levy comes enormous opportunity. We believe that by collaborating with Skills for Growth we can provide employers and young people with the high quality apprenticeships and training they need to fulfil their potential. Right across the region, we will be playing our role in ensuring that South East London continues to be an area of strong economic growth and development, providing jobs and employment for the communities we serve, for generations to come”.
David Eastgate, Chair of Trustees at Skills for Growth, said: “Our priority is to ensure that Skills for Growth has a strong and sustainable future delivering apprenticeships and employability training. We will continue to focus on those most in need of our support to enter and progress within the labour market. By becoming part of London South East Colleges Group we are enhancing our offer to both employers and learners whilst also opening up greater access to higher and degree apprenticeships.”
If you would like to find out more about this initiative, please contact either Duncan Adams, Dirctor of Marketing and Communications at London South East Colleges on