Five targeted skills projects backed to tackle further education ‘cold spots’ and benefit 9,400 learners

£4.5 million in capital grants have been awarded to four local skills providers to fund projects aimed at tackling two areas in Cambridgeshire deemed a ‘cold spot’ for further education.  

St Neots and East Cambridgeshire were identified as areas where participation in post‑16 skills training was low, combined with a lack of provision. A 2024 feasibility study confirmed that a possible option of brand new colleges would not offer value for money, and instead a £4.5 million grant fund, launched in February 2025, would help address the challenge.  

These targeted investments will create new or upgraded facilities for skills including in construction, advanced manufacturing, health and social care, sciences, green technology, digital, and employability skills helping more people into good jobs and careers. This training will also help local employers meet identified skills gaps. 

From ten applications, four providers were selected to deliver a number of projects for their clear potential to deliver specialist training in priority economic sectors and greatly expand local capacity in those areas. 

Funded projects and expected benefits for the first three years 

• Steadfast Training – £100,000 for three electric vehicles and ICT equipment to serve as mobile training centres across multiple sectors. Learners supported: 750 (over the 3 years)  

• Back2Work Complete Training – £455,000 to establish a green tech, construction and housing training centre in St Neots. Learners supported: 2,030 

• Eastern Education Group – £1.45 million to purchase and fit out new health and science education centres in Soham & Ely. Learners supported: 3,577  

• Eastern Education Group – £1.30 million for a micro‑construction facility specialising in construction and green tech skills in St Neots. Learners supported:  1,406  

• Cambridge Regional College – £1,145 million to create immersive learning rooms at Huntingdon and Cambridge campuses and in the St Neots Citizen Hub.  Retrofit and green construction facilities at Huntingdon campus. Learners supported: 1690 

In total, these investments will support over 9,400 young people and adults to take vocational qualifications and apprenticeships across St Neots, Huntingdon and East Cambridgeshire. The first projects are expected to be running this year, with the remaining grants expected to be spent by March 2026. 

Paul Bristow, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, said: “Bringing targeted skills opportunities in areas where further education capacity has lagged is exactly the kind of action I pledged in my manifesto.  

“These grants will put advanced, high quality facilities in places where there is real need. And we’ll help thousands more people into great careers in growing local sectors that are crying out for new talent, such as in advanced manufacturing, construction, sciences, health and social care, digital and more.  

“This is real progress towards our goal of helping every resident secure a good job or advance in their career.” 

Chair of the Combined Authority Skills Committee, Cllr Lucy Nethsingha, said: “We’ve worked hard to design a grant fund that will effectively tackle these identified cold spots for further education.  

“This investment is an important step towards a better skilled Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, and it’s fantastic that these funds can now be put to work upgrading the facilities and equipment that will benefit thousands of local learners.  

“With local insight and partnership working with local authorities, employers and our colleges and training providers, we are delivering targeted, practical skills interventions that make a real difference to people and support local employers.”