Cheshire College – South & West celebrates five-year anniversary

Cheshire College – South & West is celebrating its five-year anniversary following the successful merger of South Cheshire College and West Cheshire College.

The milestone lands on another important day for the College as it coincides with the Higher Education Graduation Ceremony at Chester Cathedral.

Cheshire College – South & West was formed in 2017 when West Cheshire College and South Cheshire College merged to provide Further Education and skills across Cheshire at its Campuses in Crewe, Ellesmere Port and Chester.

Over the last five years, Cheshire College has provided access to high quality teaching and training to over 32,000 learners across Cheshire, with over 470 courses available including A-Levels, Part-time adult courses, T-Levels and Apprenticeships.

Partnering with over 500 employers, the College has also helped to create around 3,000 tailored Apprenticeship opportunities within the local community across a range of sectors. 

With a total investment of £165m to date, Cheshire College has invested in the latest technology and bespoke training facilities that provide learners with real work environments and aspirational goals.

Including the introduction of two brand new facilities due to open this September, which will feature a new state-of-the-art Digital Centre at the Chester Campus and new Engineering facilities at the Ellesmere Port Campus as part of the investment programme aligned with the expansion of T Level programmes across the College. 

Looking to the future, the College has recently been named the lead organisation for Cheshire and Warrington, as part of the £120m Institute of Technology (IoT) competition and investment into their facilities across all three campuses. 

Reflecting on the College’s first five years, Principal and CEO, Dhesi, says: “I’m so proud of everything we have achieved so far at Cheshire College. Being given the opportunity to provide inspirational teaching and learning environments to over 30,000 learners has been a true highlight. Looking at the relationships we’ve developed across the region with families, businesses and employers, and the plans we have to continue to push forward, I’m excited to say that this is just the beginning.”

Deputy Principal and Deputy CEO, Helen Nellist, added “Our Campuses provide learners with exceptional teaching and learning environments, our continued investment demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that our learners can develop their skills, knowledge and confidence to reach their full potential and make a positive contribution to local community and economy”.