Blackburn College

Blackburn College is part of Blackburn Learning Quarter, a vibrant learning space in the heart of Blackburn. The College proudly sits at the heart of the local community as one of the largest Further Education colleges in Pennine Lancashire and amongst the largest providers of College Based Higher Education in England.

Since its founding in 1888, people from all over Lancashire have developed their skills, re-trained and moved to higher levels of study with Blackburn College’s support. The College is at the heart of the diverse community of Blackburn with Darwen and aims to provide social cohesion in an area of high deprivation, working with a range of local partnerships to contribute to the wider prosperity and regeneration of East Lancashire.

Delivering high quality education and training and increasing its customers life chances, the College provides learning opportunities to over 10,000 students at all levels and across a wide range of sectors, meeting the needs of the local community by offering a broad curriculum. This includes A-Levels, Technical and Vocational Courses, Apprenticeships, Degree-level qualifications and a range of programmes for Adult learners including shorter, part-time courses.

Millions of pounds have been invested in the College’s world-class campus which was developed collaboratively with employers and stakeholders to help future-proof the curriculum and ensure students are taught in industry-standard facilities.

Investments include:
• Redevelopment of the College’s Motor Vehicle facilities incorporating Hybrid, Hydrogen and Electric Technologies.
• A state-of-the-art Cyber Suite; growing the access to digital, data science, computing, and cyber courses for the students and the wider communities.
• Investment in health teaching facilities aligning courses with the most pressing skill needs.
• The Industry Collaboration Zone; a high-tech, central hub opening up new opportunities through collaboration across industry, stakeholders and education providers.
• Redevelopment of the Victoria Building supporting adult learners with Skills for Work, ESOL and community activities in the heart of the town.
The college’s first class, town centre campus has the perfect mix of state-of-the art classrooms, workshop facilities and town centre amenities.

Current Blackburn College results are outstanding. The College is currently enjoying a 100% A-Level Pass rate in key subjects including Biology, Physics, Maths, Law, Accounting and Psychology, and an overall BTEC pass rate of 98 %. The College is one of the top providers in England for 16 – 18 year old Advanced Apprenticeship success.

Blackburn College has a strong and sustained reputation for developing effective partnerships with the business community to serve the needs of local employers in recruiting, retaining and retraining their workforce. The College offers Apprenticeships in a range of job roles, including Management, Accountancy and Business, Gas, Construction Trades, Digital, Health and Early years. Its Work Placement Team collaborates with local employers to support full time students each year to benefit from meaningful work placements, helping to prepare the pipeline of future talent. Employers also contribute to the curriculum design and development, ensuring that the training offered meets the demands of local industry.