Member Article

Newcastle College group expands into Midlands

Newcastle College group, NCG, has unveiled plans to expand further into the Midlands as Kidderminster College announced it was looking to join the umbrella.

Successful training and education provider NCG, which has a turnover of £179 million, currently works with more than 20,000 companies across the UK and provides education to more than 100,000 learners.

Kidderminster College announced earlier this year it was seeking a suitable partner and received proposals from a number of organisations interested in linking up. The college has a turnover of £9 million and 4,200 students.

Kidderminster’s chair of governors, David Cory said ’We were very clear about what we were looking for, and we tested all the proposals against a set of published criteria. The proposal from NCG showed that they absolutely share our vision of providing the best possible education and training for this area and we are delighted to be moving into detailed discussions about the future.“

NCG, which operates Newcastle College, Newcastle Sixth Form College and West Lancashire College, Intraining Ltd based in Sheffield and Rathbone, a UK-wide voluntary youth sector organisation and registered charity, will invest in developing facilities in the Midlands.

Through their various divisions, NCG already works extensively across the area, and Kidderminster College will become a flagship for the group’s operations there.

Chief executive of NCG, Joe Docherty, said: “We are delighted that Kidderminster wants to build on its success and join with NCG. We have a strong presence in the West Midlands and Kidderminster College will complement that superbly, allowing us to focus future investment to improve facilities.

“We run well established and highly successful colleges serving local communities. We are focused on providing what local employers and students need, and back that with expertise and investment of a major national group.”

Kidderminster College principal, Andy Dobson added “This is a really exciting time for the college and for Kidderminster. NCG has a fantastic reputation for quality and professionalism, and becoming part of the group will strengthen the college enormously.”

NCG and Kidderminster College will now move to detailed negotiations and jointly publish a formal public consultation document early in the new year, with a view to concluding the merger in time for the start of the 2014-15 college year.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .