Overview
- The government approved £175 million for 19 Technical Excellence Colleges to deliver specialist training in defence, clean energy, digital and advanced manufacturing.
- Ministers say the network will prepare about 65,000 young people for well‑paid roles that employers struggle to fill.
- New designations include Colchester Institute for Clean Energy, Milton Keynes College for Digital, and the Education Training Collective in Teesside for Clean Energy.
- Colleges can buy specialist equipment, launch new courses and hire expert staff to match training to regional projects such as offshore wind and Sizewell C.
- The Department for Education estimates nearly 600,000 additional workers will be needed in these sectors by 2030, highlighting the scale of the skills gap.