Stafford College has been designated one of just four Advanced Manufacturing (AM) Technical Excellence Colleges in England, following a campaign led by Staffordshire MP Leigh Ingham. The proposal includes a purpose-built £10 million Advanced Manufacturing Hub built in Stafford, adjacent to the Institute of Technology, within walking distance of Stafford railway station.
As a Technical Excellence College, NSCG will act as a national hub of excellence for advanced manufacturing skills, working with employers, other colleges, and training providers across the country to raise the quality of technical education and ensure learners progress into well-paid, skilled jobs. It will operate as a shared regional asset, giving businesses and learners across Staffordshire access to cutting-edge facilities aligned with the latest manufacturing technologies.
NSCG already has 1,150 learners on advanced manufacturing programmes and works closely with 240 advanced manufacturing businesses. Over 92% of its advanced manufacturing students go on to related employment, apprenticeships, or further study, with destinations including GE Vernova, Rolls-Royce, and the Ministry of Defence. The college has back-to-back outstanding Ofsted ratings, demonstrating its strength across the board.
Leigh Ingham, MP for Stafford, Eccleshall, and the villages, said: “This is exactly what a Labour government looks like in practice: investing in skills, backing British manufacturing, and making sure the opportunities are there in the towns like ours. Advanced manufacturing is one of the most exciting sectors in the country, and some of the leading companies in it – GE Vernova, Hitachi Energy, and JCB – are right here in Staffordshire.
“This is a huge win for our county’s businesses and young people. Children growing up in towns like ours should know that they can get a well-paid, good job in the town they call home, and businesses can feel confident they can access well-trained local talent.”
Craig Hodgson, Principal and Chief Executive at Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group, said: “The backing of Leigh Ingham and other MPs across Staffordshire made a huge difference. They understood what becoming a Technical Excellence College would mean for young people and local employers in this region, and they made that case powerfully.
“We share the same ambition: to make sure people growing up in Staffordshire can access skilled, well-paid careers close to home, and this is a huge step towards delivering that.”
The investment is part of the Government’s wider Industrial Strategy, which puts skills and manufacturing at the heart of its plan for economic growth. The new Advanced Manufacturing Hub is expected to be operational by 2029/30. It will serve businesses and learners across Staffordshire and beyond, with NSCG working alongside a national network of colleges, training providers, and employers to raise the standard of advanced manufacturing education across the country.
Leigh Ingham helped secure the support of every Staffordshire MP for the bid, achieving a strong show of cross-party support, including: Dame Karen Bradley, Jacob Collier, Sarah Edwards, Dr Allison Gardner, Adam Jogee, Josh Newbury, Dave Robertson, Gareth Snell, David Williams, Sir Gavin Williamson, and Mike Wood, as well as Cheshire MP Connor Naismith.