Sheffield College welcomes Government pledge to create new free courses

This week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that adults in England without an A-level or equivalent qualification will be offered a free, fully-funded college course.

Funding for courses offering skills valued by employers will be made available from next April.

Higher education loans will be made more flexible and reforms will be backed by continued investment in college buildings and facilities.

There will also be more training funding for small and medium-sized enterprises and flexibility about how employers paying the apprenticeship levy can use their funds.

College chief executive and principal Angela Foulkes said: “Further education colleges are on the frontline, training young people and adults in the skills to go further in their careers and that employers urgently need for sustainable growth.

"We welcome the recognition of this and the need to encourage people of all ages to continue to gain higher-level skills over their lifetime.”

Simon says Get into Teaching

She added: “We have a diverse student community who include some of the most disadvantaged in our city.

"The further education sector has been under-funded for a decade at a time when funding stability is vital to enable our students to benefit from world-class learning, regardless of their background or where they live.

“We will be seeking reassurances that FE colleges on an Ofsted improvement journey, such as ours, are eligible for this funding to ensure our communities have equal access to these opportunities.”

The college provides apprenticeships across a range of sectors including horticulture, childcare, business administration, sales, engineering, catering, pharmacy and human resources.

For more information, visit www.sheffcol.ac.uk or call 0114 260 2600. Follow @SheffCol @ShefColEmployer on social media.

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