Skills Ready Future Ready – a ‘one year one event’ to mark the successful review of Stoke on Trent College’s Corporate Strategy

Stoke on Trent College has held a special event with key partners, students and city leaders to mark the one-year review of their corporate strategy, Skills Ready, Future Ready.

‘Skills Ready, Future Ready – One Year On’ brought together a range of stakeholders, students and city leaders from across Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire who work in collaboration with the College. The event celebrated an array of achievements, growth and success at the College since the strategy ‘Skills Ready Future Ready’ launched last October.

Taking place in the College’s prestigious AA Rosette Hammersley partnership restaurant, attendees were welcomed by CEO & Principal Lisa Capper MBE, who highlighted a number of achievements, including the year-on-year growth and achievement of students aged 16-18, growth in adult and apprenticeships delivery, and the impact of key family and adult learning campaigns such as the Stoke By Numbers numeracy campaign. It also celebrated the growing number of employers and businesses who are Skills Pledge Partners and who work closely with the College across the four priority Skills Hubs of Construction and Green Technologies, STEM & Engineering, Digital & Creative and Health and Social Care.

As part of the event, Tom Peacock, a former Level 3 Construction learner at the college spoke about his journey at the College and his successful achievement to secure a Degree Apprenticeship with Thorp Precast, a national specialist construction firm. 

Stoke-on-Trent 3 new MP’s Allison Gardner, David Williams and Gareth Snell shared video messages in support of the College and the impact it is making in the local area on young people, jobs and skills needed for the future.

Guests were also given a glimpse into the future of Stoke on Trent College, including the new ‘Connect Building’ at the Cauldon Campus which is currently under construction and the new Health Ward and Laboratory that will outturn around 600 young and adult learners with skills in health and social care ready to join the NHE and community workforce.  These projects including a new media and broadcast unit were funded through the government’s Department for Education’s Further Education Capital Transformation, T Level Capital and the Strategic Development funding schemes.

The College also celebrated £2.3m for a new advanced Green Skills Hub that will adjoin the Advanced Construction Centre launched earlier this year with the Construction Industry Training Body Chair Peter Lauener. This funding is from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in partnership with Stoke on Trent City Council. Tomorrow it will launch ‘spades in the ground’ for its new state of the art teaching building at its Burslem campus worth £8.1m.

Key achievements include:

• 96% of learners go on to employment, further or higher education or an apprenticeship
• Almost 9000 learners enrolled at college in the 2023/24 academic year boosting the income by over £5m since 2020
• Winner national student services award (NAMSS)
• Apprenticeships have grown 10% within key priority sectors
• £19.7m secured for two brand new buildings and a capital programme of new industry standard facilities in construction, green skills, health, science and digital media
• The launch of the college’s new alumni network Made at Stoke on Trent College

Jeremy Cartwright chair of the Board said:

“It has been an incredible year and we are delighted to invite City Leaders, stakeholders, governors and students to our Hammersley restaurant to recognise the significant achievement of the team in turning around this college over the last three years, and celebrating further gains over the first year of our strategy.”

Jon Rouse CEO of Stoke-on-Trent City Council said:

“We are incredibly proud of what has been achieved at the college and the difference is making to the lives of local people.”

Lisa Capper MBE, CEO & Principal at Stoke on Trent College said:

“We set out our vision to the technical and professional college of choice for Stoke-on-Trent and the surrounding area by placing ourselves at the heart of the community and of business. Learners are at the heart of all we do and our mission is to help them to progress to the next stage. This year we have seen our learners excel and achieve national and regional awards in their chosen technical area.  Through our Skills Ready, Future Ready strategy and with our dedicated staff team you can see first-hand that we are not only working towards our priorities but also excelling across many areas of our work. Our student numbers continue to grow, as does our provision with the delivery of 8 new T Levels this year, each with access to industry standard facilities. New students enrolling this year are experiencing inspiring teaching and learning facilities, exposure to industry, and an inclusive, nurturing environment where they can learn and achieve their career goals.”