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Gower College Swansea has welcomed the Team Wales torch to Tycoch Campus, marking a key milestone on its journey across Wales ahead of this year’s WorldSkills UK National Finals.

The torch relay is building excitement ahead of the National Finals – hosted in Wales for the very first time on 26-28 November – and shining a spotlight on the road to WorldSkills Shanghai 2026, known globally as the ‘Skills Olympics’.

Across Wales, colleges have joined together to celebrate the collective effort behind Team Wales’ success in vocational skills. These competitions begin locally with Skills Competition Wales, coordinated by the Inspiring Skills Excellence in Wales project, before progressing to national and international levels.

At the Tycoch Campus, the torch took centre stage during a special celebration event involving students and staff, local schools, employer partners, VIPs and past medal winners in a range of ‘Have a Go’ activities, demos and workshops.

Seven students from Gower College Swansea have reached the National Finals of WorldSkills 2025. Huge congratulations to:

Eva Robins – Foundation Skills: Restaurant Services
Bradley Claringbold, Hamza Imansouren and Kai Pagett – Industrial Electronics
Evelyn Howells – Restaurant Service
Ffion Davies – SFX Makeup and Hair for Film and TV
Kyle Steele – Welding

More than 400 of the UK’s most talented students and apprentices have been named as finalists for this year’s WorldSkills UK national competitions, where they’ll battle it out to be crowned the country’s best across dozens of skilled trades. They were selected from nearly 7,900 young people who registered to showcase their skills and competed in regional events. The 47 competitions include aircraft maintenance, welding and horticulture.

Wales has a strong association with Team UK and sent three competitors to last year’s WorldSkills event in Lyon.

Medallists will be announced at an awards ceremony on the evening of November 28 at the International Convention Centre in Newport. Foundation skills medallists will get their awards at a ceremony at Cardiff and Vale College earlier in the day.

“We were honoured to host the Team Wales torch at our Tycoch Campus,” said Interim Principal, Paul Kift. “We’re now eagerly anticipating the start of the National Finals on 26 November, where seven of our talented learners will proudly represent the College across a range of vocational disciplines. I’d like to wish all competitors the very best of luck – it’s a wonderful opportunity to showcase their skills and dedication on a national stage.”

Ben Blackledge, CEO of WorldSkills UK said: “With employers all over the UK crying out for high-quality skills, this is a fantastic opportunity for hundreds of learners to show they are ready for work. I can’t wait to see the finalists in action.”

Welsh Government Skills Minister Jack Sargeant hailed the move of the national competitions to Wales as ‘thrilling.’

“We look forward to showing off our beautiful country to visiting teams while our hard-working competitors prepare to demonstrate their training,” he said. “I’m keen to see our representatives excel once again across a range of disciplines on their home soil.”

Ibstock Plc, a UK leading manufacturer of building products, has officially launched its pilot Ibstock Academy at Walsall College, marking a key milestone in its commitment to supporting construction skills across the sector.

The Academy was unveiled at a ribbon-cutting ceremony held at Walsall College’s Green Lane Campus, attended by students, educators, and representatives from across the industry – including Keon Homes, West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and the Home Builders Federation (HBF).

The ceremony was led by James Norris, Assistant Principal – Commercial Development and Jo Hodge, Ibstock’s HR, Sustainability and Social Impact Director, who formally opened the Academy.

As the first building materials manufacturer to have joined the HBF’s Partner a College programme, Ibstock is taking a leading role in bridging the gap between education and employment. The Academy will initially support brick laying students with practical, job-ready training that reflects the pace, high quality standards, and safety expectations of construction.

Jo Hodge, HR, Sustainability and Social Impact Director at Ibstock Plc, said: “For over two hundred years, Ibstock has served its customers and the wider construction industry. We recognise that skills are one of the biggest challenges facing the sector, and we are committed to playing our part. The Ibstock Academy will bring business and education together to support students in their development. We are committed to bring industry insights and reinforce on-site safety and quality in their full-time training to help students build meaningful careers in construction. Walsall is a strategically important location for us, and we’re proud to invest in its future.”

The launch of the Ibstock Academy comes on the heels of Ibstock’s latest £64 million investment into its new Atlas brick factory in the Walsall area, which now produces the Group’s lowest carbon bricks using state-of-the-art technology. The rebuild created around 50 new jobs and three apprenticeships and has placed the local community at the heart of its operations from day one of the build.

As part of its broader social impact strategy, Ibstock has also piloted a Work 4 Homes programme in Walsall to inspire and support local social housing residents into employment, alongside other community initiatives aimed at building inclusive pathways into the built environment.

The Ibstock Academy at Walsall College is the first pilot of its kind for the Ibstock Group and will serve as a blueprint for future partnerships between manufacturers and colleges across the UK.

James Norris, Assistant Principal – Commercial Development commented: “Walsall College has actively invested in its construction facilities in recent years to better meet the needs of local employers and the construction sector. The Ibstock Academy exemplifies how partnerships forged between further education colleges and industry enhance our contribution to skills development.

“This new learning environment inspires students and apprentices to deepen their knowledge of the sector while preparing them effectively for the world of work. It reinforces vital values such as site safety, sustainability, and quality, creating a solid foundation for success in their careers.

“By nurturing a diverse pipeline of talent, we are enabling future workforces to support new homebuilding schemes as well as wider regeneration and infrastructure projects currently underway and planned throughout the West Midlands.”

 

Buckinghamshire College Group is proud to welcome Mandate PR as our newest Cornerstone Employer for our Marketing T Level programme, marking the beginning of a dynamic partnership aimed at empowering students with real-world industry experience. This announcement coincides with T Level Week 2025 (13th–17th October), a national celebration of technical education and the transformative impact of T Levels. 

As a Cornerstone Employer, Mandate PR will work closely with the College to support our students by sharing industry insights, expertise and opportunities. This exciting collaboration will see Mandate PR provide work experience placements, enabling students to develop their professional skills and gain valuable real-world exposure.  

Members of the Mandate PR team will also visit us on campus to deliver engaging masterclasses and guest lectures, offering students a first-hand look at the fast-paced world of public relations and communications.  

Tracey Matthews, Vice Principal – Commercial & Partnerships at Buckinghamshire College Group, said:

“We are thrilled to welcome Mandate PR as a Cornerstone Employer for our Marketing T Level. Their commitment ensures that students gain the skills and insights needed to thrive in the fast-evolving world of communications. By offering industry placements not only in Marketing but also in Business, Mandate PR is giving our students an exceptional opportunity to experience the energy and creativity of a leading PR agency. This partnership exemplifies how employers can play a transformative role in preparing young people for successful careers.” 

The partnership will play an important role in shaping the future of our T Level Marketing course, ensuring the curriculum remains relevant and closely aligned to the needs of employers in the creative and communications sector. 

Georgie Sears, Campaign and Engagement Lead at Mandate PR, added:

“We are delighted to be joining Buckinghamshire College Group as a Cornerstone Employer. We are passionate about supporting the next generation of talent. Providing young people with industry experience is a vital way to develop skills and build future careers. This aligns strongly with our company values around giving back to our local communities. We are looking forward to developing a long and fruitful relationship with the College.” 

This partnership not only strengthens Buckinghamshire College Group’s network of Cornerstone Employers but also reinforces our commitment to preparing students for successful careers. We look forward to seeing the positive impact this collaboration will have on our students’ futures. 

To learn more about our courses, visit Buckinghamshire College Group’s website at www.buckscollegegroup.ac.uk or contact our admissions team at admissions@buckscollegegroup.ac.uk  (01296 588599).  

About Buckinghamshire College Group: 

Buckinghamshire College Group (Bucks College Group) is a further education college with campuses in Aylesbury, Wycombe, and Amersham. The College provides vocational, technical, and professional skills education to over 4,500 students annually. The College provides full-time education for students aged 16 to 18, alongside a robust provision for adult learners and apprenticeships. Buckinghamshire College Group was formed from the merger of Aylesbury College and Amersham & Wycombe College in October 2017. The College is currently developing a new modern campus to be in the centre of High Wycombe which would bring together the provision offered at the existing Amersham and Wycombe sites. 

Hundreds of young learners were recently invited to attend the launch of the Swansea Seren Hub for 2025/26, where they were able to find out more about the skills needed to apply to the UK’s top universities.

The event, led by Gower College Swansea and Swansea University and held at the Great Hall on the latter’s Bay Campus, was attended by over 300 students from the College and local sixth form schools, many of whom were joined by their parents and guardians.

After an introductory welcome given by Dr Emma Smith – the College’s Academic Enrichment Manager and the Swansea Seren Coordinator – the stage was handed over to Gower College Swansea’s Vice Principal for Curriculum, Quality, Teaching and Learning, Nikki Neale, and Swansea University’s Executive Dean and Pro-Vice Chancellor for the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Professor David Smith.

Nikki and David talked about the many benefits to young people of getting involved with the Swansea Seren Hub, from both a higher education and further education viewpoint.

Alumni Cosima Wohlschlegel and Megan Salter both took to the stage to share how Seren had provided them with opportunities to develop their passion for their subjects as well as supporting them in their applications to universities.

Cosima talked with enthusiasm about the range of super-curriculars she has undertaken through the Seren Academy that will help her apply to Oxford University to study Biology. Megan was able to inspire the audience with a description of her academic journey from Gower College Swansea to Swansea University, where she is now starting a PhD.

“The Swansea Seren Hub allows for a super-curricular exploration of subjects which is vital in developing students’ academic curiosity and intellectual flexibility,” says Emma. “Our launch event is a great example of the strong working partnership which exists between the Seren Academy, the College, the University, and the seven Swansea schools – a collaboration which aims to widen the participation of young people who aspire to apply to top higher education institutions.”

After the talks, students were invited into breakout areas where – led by Swansea University academics – they took part in taster masterclasses. Parents and guardians were also able to take part in a Q&A with the panel of speakers including Emma Turner, Swansea University’s Associate Head of Inbound Recruitment Team.

Seren is a Welsh Government initiative dedicated to helping Wales’ brightest learners achieve their full academic potential in the UK and overseas. Available to all academically able learners from Year 8 to Year 13, the Seren Academy offers interactive sessions and unique study experiences to help students make informed decisions about applying to leading universities.

This includes advice and guidance workshops from Oxford and Cambridge admissions tutors, university admissions preparations sessions, access to subject masterclasses led by university academics, and residentials in Oxford and Cambridge.

Gower College Swansea was recently named by the Daily Mail as one of the Top 30 UK state schools / colleges for getting young people into Cambridge and Oxford universities.

University Centre Peterborough, part of Inspire Education Group (IEG), has been confirmed as one of the first Higher Education providers in the UK to deliver under the new Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) initiative. A major milestone in the Government’s vision to make higher education more flexible, accessible, and responsive to employer needs.

Only Higher Education providers with Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) Silver recognition and Office for Students (OfS) registration are part of this initial delivery group, marking University Centre’s inclusion as a significant achievement that highlights the quality of provision and outstanding student outcomes.

 

Launching from January 2027, the LLE will allow individuals to access funding for modular study, enabling those already in employment to enhance their skills and knowledge in areas such as business development, artificial intelligence, cyber security, counselling, research, and more.

University Centre Peterborough has already re-designed its degree provision to ensure flexibility for this new model of learning and is inviting employers to collaborate in developing modular pathways that respond directly to workforce needs.

 

Liz Knight, Academic Director at University Centre Peterborough, said:
“The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a significant development, and being in the first wave of approved HE providers is a great testament to the quality of UCP provision and our excellent student outcomes. The ability to study funded modules in specific subjects means that those in employment can upskill and improve their career progression.

It also means that mature learners or those wishing to try higher education before committing to a full degree can do so. Our proactive approach to working with employers, students, and alumni is key to making the LLE a success and ensuring our offer addresses skills gaps and prepares students for the ever-changing employment market.”

As part of Inspire Education Group, which also includes Peterborough College and Stamford College, University Centre Peterborough offers a complete learning journey for students, starting from Level 1 right through to Level 7. This unique structure enables the Group to provide cohesive training and education pathways tailored to both individual learners and employer demand across the region.

Building on the recent success of IEG’s employer and business awards across Peterborough and Stamford, this development further strengthens the Group’s commitment to driving regional skills growth and economic development through education and collaboration.

Inspire Education Group (IEG) has been awarded Large Business of the Year at the 2025 Rutland & Stamford Mercury Business Awards.

The judges recognised IEG’s growth, diversification and impact since its formation in 2020, highlighting the Group’s role as both an education leader and a major regional business. With a £65m turnover, over 1,300 staff and 12,000 learners, IEG combines its civic mission with a commercial mindset — ensuring continued investment in students, staff, and campuses while supporting employers with skills and workforce challenges.

Major milestones in the past year include progressing the £13.5m Centre for Green Technology in Peterborough, developing industry-led programmes in construction, health and digital, and winning international recognition for sustainability and social impact.

Rachel Nicholls, CEO of IEG (left), with Angie Morris, Chair of Finance & Resources Committee at IEG (right).

Rachel Nicholls, CEO of Inspire Education Group, said:

“Many people don’t think of colleges as businesses, and whilst we are civic organisations, it is increasingly important to operate with a commercial mindset so that we can continue to invest in our students, staff and campuses and provide an exceptional place to learn and work.

“The growth and diversification we have seen across IEG over the last few years is a testament to the vision, hard work and commitment of governors and staff across the organisation.

“There is more for us to do as we continue to support employers with their skills and workforce challenges, as well as do our absolute best for the communities we serve. For now, thank you to all of our brilliant students, staff, governors, employers and partners.”