London South East Colleges (LSEC)

London South East Colleges (LSEC) are leading the way in construction skills development with an initiative called the London South East Construction Skills Generator. This is an integrated training initiative run alongside employers and supports the delivery of high-quality construction training in the capital, in so doing addressing the huge skills gap faced by the industry.

Continuing work that started in 2011, the initiative now trains around 1,000 students per annum, providing a cohesive programme across five London boroughs. This covers Entry Level to Level 6 apprenticeships. There are additional higher technical offers in specialisms such as fire sprinkler installation and specialist heritage skills. Through its strategic engagement with employers, and a strong social dimension, LSEC has created a blueprint for the role of the Further Education sector as a broker in public benefit planning.

The work has resulted in noteworthy successes. For example, LSEC directly supports the delivery of the Kidbrooke Housing Scheme for over a thousand new homes in Greenwich, which is part of a regeneration development for the borough linked with the £1bn Thamesmead project. LSEC has also been awarded a Quality Mark for its construction training provision.