£15 Million Boost to Create More College Places Across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

£15 Million Boost to Create More College Places Across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

Local Post 16 Further Education Statutory Providers across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough are set to benefit from more than £15 million of investment to expand learner places and specialist training facilities across the region.

The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) has approved a new Skills Capital Programme worth £15.1 million, bringing together £14.45 million of Department for Education investment with additional funding from the Combined Authority’s FE Cold Spots programme.

The investment comes as the region prepares for increasing demand for post-16 education, with the number of 16 to 19-year-olds expected to continue rising over the coming years.

Funding will support projects that create additional learner capacity through the refurbishment or reconfiguration of existing facilities, expansion of teaching and workshop spaces and, where justified, the development of new learning facilities.

Alongside creating additional post-16 places, the programme will invest significantly in construction skills training. This will help colleges expand facilities and specialist provision needed to train the next generation of skilled workers required to deliver housing, infrastructure, retrofit and net zero projects across the region.

Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Paul Bristow, said:

“This is excellent news for young people, families and employers across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

“We know that demand for college places is growing, and we want every young person to be able to access high-quality education and training opportunities close to where they live.

“The funding will also support the development of vital construction skills needed to build the homes, infrastructure and economic growth our region requires. By investing in our skills infrastructure today, we’re helping local people access rewarding careers and giving employers the workforce they need for the future.”

Andrea Sanders MBE, Assistant Director for Skills and Employment at the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, said:

“Behind every new college place is a young person looking towards their future, an adult wanting to gain new skills, or an employer searching for the talent they need to grow. This investment is about creating more opportunities for local people to learn, progress and succeed close to home.

“Investing in skills is one of the most effective ways we can strengthen our communities and our economy. This programme will help ensure more people, whatever their background or stage of life, can access the training and opportunities that enable them to reach their potential.”

The programme forms part of a wider long-term strategy to strengthen skills and infrastructure across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, ensuring education and training provision keeps pace with population growth, employer demand and the region’s economic ambitions.

Successful projects are expected to be approved during 2026 and early 2027, with delivery beginning in 2027 and new learner places becoming available from 2028 onwards.