Further education (FE) colleges in England are set to receive a share of £302 million to repair and improve their buildings, tackling issues like leaking roofs and broken windows.
The funding, announced on April 1 as part of the government’s Plan for Change, aims to support colleges in creating safe, modern environments for students.
Originally unveiled in the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget, this is the first time in two years that colleges have received a capital allocation for building repairs. The investment reflects a renewed commitment to supporting the next generation and ensuring college estates are fit for purpose.
In a major shift, colleges will now have the flexibility to decide how to spend the money, with the government acknowledging that education providers are best placed to prioritize their own needs.
Skills Minister Jacqui Smith said:
“Further education colleges are at the heart of our mission to grow the economy and train the next generation of skilled workers under our Plan for Change.
But the college estate we inherited is simply not fit for purpose. Today’s funding addresses these issues, allowing colleges to focus on what they do best: breaking down barriers to opportunity and inspiring the workforce of the future”.
In addition to the main funding, colleges in Greater Manchester and Leeds will receive a £20 million increase in capacity funding for 16–19-year-olds to address a growing demand for places.
One example is Calderdale College in West Yorkshire, which plans to use its share to expand its construction and professional trades workshops. The funding will also support a new classroom at its Mill Studios digital and creative centre.
Andrew Harrison, Vice Principal for Corporate Services at Calderdale College, said:
“We welcome this investment from the Government’s Autumn budget, which will enable us to further enhance the experience for our students. This follows the success of our recent £7.5 million transformation project, completed in August 2024, which focused on refurbishing our ageing estate.
As well as modernising our facilities, the project significantly improved our energy efficiency, cutting costs by 40% and making a major step forward in our carbon reduction edits”.
This announcement follows an earlier £100 million pledge to develop ten new Technical Excellence Colleges as part of a £625 million initiative to train up to 60,000 new professionals in construction-related fields by 2029.
The government is also rolling out reforms to post-16 education. Changes to English and maths requirements are expected to help 10,000 more apprentices qualify each year. Shorter apprenticeship options and simplified assessments aim to make it easier for providers and employers to bring more people into skilled work.
Last year, the Education Secretary also launched Construction Skills Hubs, funded by industry, to speed up the training of workers needed to support the UK’s homebuilding targets. Photo by Betty Longbottom / Calderdale College - Hopwood Lane / CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia commons.