New College Swindon Celebrates Colleges Week 2026: Skills for All

New College Swindon is proud to join colleges across the country in celebrating Colleges Week 2026, led nationally by the Association of Colleges.

This year’s theme, Skills for All, recognises the vital role colleges play in equipping people of all ages and backgrounds with the education, training and, confidence they need to succeed, strengthening communities and driving local economic growth.

For over 180 years, the College has been at the heart of skills development in Swindon and Wiltshire. From training railway apprentices in 1843 to delivering education in cutting-edge STEM facilities today, our mission remains the same: supporting young people into employment and higher education, enabling adults to retrain, and working alongside employers to close regional skills gaps.

Throughout the week, the College will celebrate different learner groups across its social media channels, showcasing the breadth of impact further and higher education has locally. We will also recognise the staff, employers and partners who collectively deliver Skills for All and highlight our long-standing commitment to upskilling the local community.

Principal and CEO Leah Palmer said, “At New College Swindon, we see every day how education transforms lives, whether that’s a young person taking their first step into a career, an apprentice developing specialist expertise, or an adult learner retraining for a new future.

Skills for All reflects our core purpose: ensuring opportunity is accessible to everyone, regardless of their starting point.”

As a leading provider of further and higher education in the region, New College Swindon continues to work closely with employers and community partners to ensure the skills developed today support sustainable employment, address workforce needs and contribute to long-term economic growth across Swindon and the surrounding areas.

We remain committed to evolving our provision in response to national priorities, including green skills, high-growth sectors and inclusion. Through initiatives such as our Green Technology Hub, the College is equipping learners with the technical expertise needed for emerging industries, including training in electric vehicle technology and sustainable engineering solutions. Alongside this, our Business Solutions offer supports local employers with upskilling and retraining opportunities, ensuring the existing workforce can adapt to changing industry demands. By investing in future-focused skills, New College Swindon continues to prepare local people for the jobs and industries of today and tomorrow.

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