East Riding College plans to join TEC partnership
4th July 2019 1:50pm - Return to press releases
East Riding College have announced exciting plans for the College. In a review of its strategic plan the board identified that the opportunity of joining a wider group will deliver many benefits to the region and its coastal and rural communities. Therefore it is announced that the College plans to join the TEC Partnership.
The TEC Partnership is a dynamic and innovative group of colleges and training providers, and is one of England’s largest providers of further and higher education.
As part of the TEC Partnership the College will retain its independence, identity and ability to deliver its mission with the support and the opportunities that two successful education providers can create for learners and employers in the region. At the College’s request, the review was supported by colleagues from the Department for Education’s Further Education Commissioner’s team and the Education and Skills Funding Agency.
Mike Welsh, Principal and Chief Executive of East Riding College said, “I believe this is the right thing to do. Joining such a strong and influential partnership as an equal partner gives us the means and resources to increase opportunities for our communities and realise our ambitions for the region.
“East Riding College continues to perform extremely well, with overall achievement rates putting us in the top 15% of general further education colleges nationally, making us the number one general FE College based in Yorkshire.”
The current funding climate for further education is affecting the whole sector and many organisations are considering ways to safeguard their long term sustainability. Not only will joining the TEC partnership provide East Riding College with added sustainability, it will also provide scope for the College to continue to thrive and maintain its high performance.
Gill Alton OBE, Chief Executive Officer of the TEC Partnership said, “I’m delighted with today’s news. This is a fantastic opportunity for East Riding College and the TEC Partnership. We will now work together over the coming months to help East Riding College integrate with the Partnership whilst maintaining our absolute focus on our learners and our colleagues in both organisations. This opportunity will ensure the wider region benefits from a long term strategy to ensure that our curriculum delivers what the regional economy needs.”
The process of joining the Partnership begins now and the College expects to finalise the merger towards the end of the new academic year after public consultation and consultation with stakeholders.
Simon Wright, the Chair of the Corporation at East Riding College said, “We are gaining the opportunity to be part of a high performing visionary organisation leading the way in the wider education sector, both regionally and nationally. We will be able to build on our existing strengths and we will continue to be a driving force in the economic success and social development of our region, which has always been an integral part of our mission.”
