Folkestone College: Shaping our Future

One of our area’s notable local resources is Folkestone College which has continued to invest in its facilities to meet the needs of local people and employers. Its success under the direction of its Principal, Victoria Copp-Crawley, is evidenced by 93% of its students now going into employment, apprenticeships or further study.

The College is seeking to increase the number of students aged 16-19 years from 540 to 750 over the next few years. The 200 apprenticeships, mainly in construction trades where the College has made a major investment in new training facilities, are being extended to meet the needs of local business in other sectors and includes higher level apprenticeships.

Building a skilled workforce

In addition to construction, Folkestone College offers skills development in creative and digital skills, health and social care, catering, hairdressing and beauty, enterprise (including the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy), business, finance, and accountancy. In order to respond to the needs of businesses, flexible adult provision includes courses that are part-time and some are held in the evening to fit with work commitments. There is a range of short courses and the College works with employers seeking more customised commercial training and different models of delivery to upskill their employees.

Shaping the Future

The College’s ambitions include a Junior College (14+) to open in 2020 to allow vocational education to start at an earlier age. Similarly, student well-being will be enhanced through proposals to introduce sports facilities on the campus. The College successfully encourages students to contribute to their community through volunteering in community social action projects which have been award-winning.

Folkestone College has demonstrated excellence in skills development, great ambition and encourages its students to be similarly ambitious. The College would be pleased to hear from any employers wishing to upskill their employees, introduce apprenticeships or perhaps include a learning offer as part of a package for new recruits.

If you are interested in either taking a course or are an employer who would like to upskill your team take a look at Folkestone College’s website.