Further Education Skills Delivery
Meeting Industry Needs
Resources and speed are the key challenges faced by colleges in delivering digital skills that meet employer needs. So, how can we solve this and produce job-ready graduates with excellent career opportunities?

How Further Education Meets Industry Demands For Software Skills
This White Paper is a collaboration between Newcastle College, South East LEP, Gateway Qualifications and Code Institute. It explores how strategic partnerships can enable the swift delivery of digital courses and generate excellent employment outcomes. Insights include:
- How Newcastle College and Code Institute’s partnership delivers job-ready, Level 5 Web Application Developers in under a year
- Geographic distribution of skills demand and growth in unfilled tech roles in the UK Sector
- South East LEPs strategic investment to help FE college bridge the skills gap

“We worked in collaboration with Code Institute to develop a regulated qualification that would upskill those already working in a website development role and also offer learners with no previous experience in programming a pathway to employment.”
“The ability to get it off the ground now far outweighs the potential advantages of creating a qualification like this under our own steam, as the resources needed and the time frame involved in developing the platform would be very considerable.”
“Colleges are deeply embedded in the local community, so they are key in bridging the digital divide and creating the skilled workforce local employers are looking for.”
“It’s our job to open doors and we do that with weekly careers webinars where our hiring partners tell learners what the industry is looking for. This is a great opportunity for our students because these companies are recruiting directly.”