West Suffolk College (SE/E)

West Suffolk College is a rural further education college with its main campus in Bury St Edmunds. Local learning centres are located in three market towns and in Ipswich. However, most training for employers takes place on employers’ premises. Student enrolment is approximately 15,000 annually, of whom 75% are over 19 years old. In addition to a wide ranging full-time, part-time and school link provision, the College has one of the largest contracts for Apprenticeships and adult work-based learning in the region. Around 600 students annually study foundation degrees and other higher education courses through the College’s partnership with University Campus Suffolk. The College works with more than 1200 employers annually across Suffolk and the wider region. A substantial volume of full-cost training is delivered to employers through an open programme of short courses and specific tailored provision. The College participates in a wide range of projects with partners in the region and in northern Europe which contribute to the development of the curriculum. Extensive collabortion with a range of business and community organisations and wide consultation ensures that college provision meets the needs of employers and the community. Success rates are high and the College maintains high standards of teaching and learning. The College was one of the first providers to achieve accreditation for the Training Quality Standard for employer responsiveness, including vocational excellence in seven areas - Construction, Engineering, Leadership and Management, Health Care, Adult Social Care, Children’s Workforce Development and Hospitality, Leisure Travel and Tourism.