East Riding College has announced plans to join the TEC Partnership. The partnership, formerly the Grimsby Institute Group, is one of England’s largest providers of further and higher education, comprising the Grimsby Institute, University Centre Grimsby, Scarborough TEC, Skegness TEC, the Academy Grimsby, Career 6, Modal Training and NET.
The merger plans follow a review by the further education commissioner’s team and the Education and Skills Funding Agency, and East Riding College has said it would allow the institution to retain its “independence, identity and ability to deliver its mission with the support and the opportunities that two successful education providers can create for learners and employers in the region”.
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The college expects to finalise the merger towards the end of their new academic year, following a public consultation and consultation with their stakeholders.
‘The right thing to do’
Mike Welsh, principal and chief executive of East Riding College said: “I believe this is the right thing to do. Joining such a strong and influential partnership as an equal partner gives us the means and resources to increase opportunities for our communities and realise our ambitions for the region.
“East Riding College continues to perform extremely well, with overall achievement rates putting us in the top 15 per cent of general further education colleges nationally, making us the number one general FE college based in Yorkshire.”
The current funding climate for further education is affecting the whole sector and many organisations are considering ways to safeguard their long term sustainability. Not only will joining the TEC partnership provide East Riding College with added sustainability, it will also provide scope for the College to continue to thrive and maintain its high performance.
Gill Alton chief executive of the TEC Partnership said: “I’m delighted with today’s news. This is a fantastic opportunity for East Riding College and the TEC Partnership. We will now work together over the coming months to help East Riding College integrate with the partnership whilst maintaining our absolute focus on our learners and our colleagues in both organisations. This opportunity will ensure the wider region benefits from a long term strategy to ensure that our curriculum delivers what the regional economy needs.”
