Twenty thousand Londoners are set to benefit from £57.6 million of improvements to training facilities and equipment thanks to investment from the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.
The second round of the Mayor’s Skills for Londoners Capital Fund has committed the funding to 17 further education projects in 11 boroughs, including Harrow, Brent and Hounslow, with West London getting around £17m in all. A number of the projects will focus on construction and digital skills. This latest funding is expected to benefit almost 20,000 additional learners of all abilities and backgrounds, including nearly 5,000 new apprenticeships and 5,000 new work placements.
The funding includes £7.2 million for projects under the Mayor’s Construction Academy – an initiative which helps Londoners gain the skills needed to find work in the construction sector and forms part of Sadiq’s wider efforts to help tackle the capital’s housing crisis.
The Mayor’s Skills for Londoners Capital Fund supports the building and refurbishment of training facilities to support skills development, vocational training and adult learning across sectors including digital, health and social care, science and technology and construction.
Successful projects in this funding round include:
The Skills for Londoners Capital Fund has a total funding pot of £114 million. The Mayor previously committed £25 million for the first funding round last year. The fund is part of the £324 million Growth Deal secured from central Government by the London Economic Action Partnership (LEAP).
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Ensuring Londoners have the skills and training to thrive in our dynamic economy is crucial for the future of our city. That’s why we’re investing £57 million in helping everyone make the most of London’s opportunities.
“This funding will create high-quality facilities and training programmes, working in partnership with businesses to establish a pipeline of talent for employers both now and in the future.
“City Hall are also committed to ensuring a diverse, inclusive workforce across different industries. That’s why a number of the successful projects aim to increase employment for Londoners who may face barriers to entering the jobs market, including those with special educational needs and disabilities.”
LEAP Board member and Skills for Londoners Board member, Dr Celia Caulcott, said: “We are delighted to work with the Mayor to create training and employment opportunities for Londoners and support London businesses and skills providers.
”By investing in quality learning spaces and equipment that reflect real-world work settings, people of all ages and backgrounds can develop the skills and knowledge they need to access employment in a changing economy.”
United Colleges Group got £5,836,253 from the Skills for London fund, and £4,163,747 from the Mayors Construction Academy fund; the Digital and Skills for Work Academy at Harrow College and Uxbridge College (HCUC) got £5,330,520 from the Skills for London fund; the Construction Skills Centre at HCUC got £1,412,633 from the Mayors Construction Academy fund; and Meadowbank – the Digital Technology Training Centre in the London Borough of Hounslow got £254,100 from the Skills for London fund.
Principal of Harrow College and Deputy CEO of Uxbridge College, Pat Carvalho, said: “Crucial funding from the Mayor has helped us modernise our facilities and provide industry-standard training at our Harrow Weald campus – our new Health and Social Care Building and our refurbished Learning Centre will support provision for our learners with high support needs.
“This latest funding for our Harrow-on-the-Hill campus will be vital in transforming our learner services, digital, media and English as a second language provision.”
Councillor Tom Bruce, Cabinet Member for Education, Children and Youth Services, Hounslow Council, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded this funding to be able to create a much needed specialist centre for adults.
“This funding will be vital in transforming our facility further, which will offer so many more opportunities for our local community.”
