New Partnership Set to Boost Skills and Employment in Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough College has signed a new three-year partnership agreement and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Middlesbrough Council to strengthen education, skills and employment opportunities across the town.

The MoU reflects a shared commitment to creating a cohesive, accessible and inclusive educational ecosystem that empowers individuals and strengthens the local economy.

The partnership will create a more connected skills and employment network across Middlesbrough, with the College serving as the town’s central education hub. It will also be complemented by Middlesbrough Council’s Employment and Training Hub in the Cleveland Centre, with additional outreach provision across the borough, including sessions in its community hubs across the town to ensure more people can access support.

The collaboration offers clearer pathways into learning, training and employment, ensuring residents can access the right support at all levels, from entry-level to higher education and employment.

Rachel Gray, Assistant Principal: Adult and Community at Middlesbrough College, said:

“This is a significant and exciting development for Middlesbrough. By uniting the strengths of two key anchor institutions, we are creating a more cohesive and impactful approach to skills, learning and employment.

“Together, we can design provision that truly reflects local need, accelerates progression, and ensures residents of all ages can access the right support, at the right time, to achieve their ambitions and contribute to the local economy.”

By aligning provision more closely with local priorities and employer demand, the College and Council aim to help more people gain the skills and qualifications needed to progress into sustainable employment.

Lynsey Todd, Head of Community Learning and Employability at Middlesbrough Council, added:

“We’ve already commenced collaborative work with Middlesbrough College to review existing adult education provision and identify opportunities to strengthen and enhance our offer. This ensures our provision is responsive to the needs of residents across Middlesbrough and the wider Tees Valley.

“We’re already seeing the benefits of shared practice, alongside growing confidence in how our evolving delivery models will positively improve skills and employment opportunities, which we know have an impact on people’s health, wellbeing and the wider economy.”

Cllr Philippa Storey, Deputy Mayor and Executive Member for Education, said:

“We’ve had excellent recent results from our partnership work with the College and I am looking forward to seeing how we can make more of an impact by working even more closely together.

“This is about providing opportunities and guidance to help people of different ages and backgrounds fulfil their potential.”

The agreement is built around six key pillars of activity:

1. Shared curriculum planning and development.
2. Integrated education and employment provision.
3. Apprenticeships and workforce development.
4. Reducing the number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET).
5. Supporting adult learners and adult skills development.
6. English as a Second Language (ESOL) support for asylum seekers, refugees and newly arrived residents in Middlesbrough.

The agreement will build on a shared commitment to serving the communities of Middlesbrough by providing the highest standards of education, skills development and support for residents.