HE/FE NEWS


Wigan & Leigh College appoints new director of North West Construction Technical Excellence College


Wigan & Leigh College has appointed Jo Hall as Director of the North West Construction Technical Excellence College (CTEC), a government-backed initiative established to strengthen construction skills and workforce capacity across the region. The North West Construction Technical Excellence College (CTEC) is one of only ten such colleges nationally, funded by the Department for Education. Led by Wigan & Leigh College, it works in partnership with Blackpool & The Fylde College and East


Lancashire Learning Group. Together with further education providers, employers and training organisations, the CTEC is improving the quality, relevance and progression of technical construction education across the region. The CTEC model focuses on raising standards across the whole region, ensuring people can access high-quality construction training close to home, aligned to what employers actually need now and in the future. In her role as Director, Jo will lead the strategic development of the CTEC, working across the region to build a strong, collaborative network that responds to current and future skills needs. This includes overseeing partnership activity, capital investment, curriculum development, quality improvement and engagement with national bodies and government.


Jo joins the CTEC from University Technical College Warrington, where she was a member of the Senior Leadership Team. She has extensive experience in leading large technical departments, delivering capital-funded projects, implementing T Levels and working closely with employers to design industry- relevant provision. Her career spans senior roles across further education, university technical colleges and skills partnerships.


Previously, Jo led professional engineering and built environment provision at Riverside College, where she was responsible for significant curriculum growth, quality improvement and employer engagement across multiple qualification types. She has also worked at regional and national level on technical education reform, including Level 4 and 5 skills development, encouraging women into STEM careers, and green skills initiatives.


BPP unveils new parent brand Lyceum Education Group


Lyceum Education Group is the new parent brand for 11 leading specialist education businesses across the UK, mainland Europe, Canada and Australia.


Lyceum Education Group brings together leading specialist education providers, delivering a diverse portfolio of programmes to benefit learners and businesses globally. From its beginnings as BPP almost 50 years ago, to the creation of the Lyceum Education Group brand today, the move reflects the transition to become a leading, global education group – the second largest post- secondary provider in the UK, and the fourth largest in Europe. Since its acquisition by TDR Capital in 2021, the Group has been acquiring new brands which encompass increased specialisms, diversifying its product ranges and entering new global markets. A clear focus for Lyceum Education Group will be emphasising skills development, employability and career progression, delivering impact for learners, businesses and our changing society.


The collective group of specialist providers operating under the Lyceum Education Group brand comprises BPP, Digital Marketing Institute, Estio, Firebrand, StaySharp and Buttercups Training in the UK and Europe, Acsenda School of Management, Sprott Shaw College and Arbutus College in Canada, and the Australian Institute of Business and BPP Institute (formally known as CIC Higher Education) in Australia.


Each of these will continue to operate in-market as individual entities, working closely with employers and professional bodies to create learning programmes which pioneer data-led learning and technologies to equip learners with the most sought after skills.


Lyceum Education Group will collectively support more than 11,000 organisations and 132,000 learners each year, across various specialisms including technology and digital, law, finance and accountancy, nursing and healthcare and people and skills development.


Cheshire College students help shape sustainable travel plans for Leighton Hospital


Students from Cheshire College – South & West have been working alongside leading construction, design and healthcare professionals to explore how sustainable travel can shape the future of Leighton Hospital. Eleven T Level Design,


Surveying and Planning students took part in an industry-led Active


Travel in Hospital Design workshop, gaining insight into how hospitals can be designed to support safe, practical and environmentally responsible travel for staff, patients and visitors.


The project brought together a range of industry partners involved in the Leighton Hospital redevelopment, including professionals from Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust CBRE, Arcadis, T&T, Akerlof, Gleeds and Ryder Architecture, offering perspectives across architecture, surveying, project management and healthcare planning. Helen Nellist, Deputy Principal and Deputy CEO of Cheshire College, commented on the collaboration: “This experience allowed our students to see how construction, sustainability and healthcare design come together in practice, while building the skills they need for their future careers. Working on a project connected to their local hospital made the learning especially meaningful.”


James Whittall, the Trust’s Sustainability, Energy and Social Value Lead, 10 www.education-today.co.uk


said: “The standard of the students’ active travel proposals from Cheshire College was exceptional and genuinely impressed the MCHFT Healthier Futures team.”


“Their ideas show how thoughtful, costed design can make the new Leighton Hospital healthier and more accessible from day one, for everyone.”


Helen Nellist added: “We’re extremely grateful to the Leighton Hospital project team and industry partners for supporting our students. Their guidance helped our students gain confidence and really understand what it’s like to work on a project of this scale.”


For students, the opportunity to explore a live project brought theory to life. Liliana Chmielowska said: “Seeing a large-scale project like Leighton Hospital up close helped me understand what the industry is really like and the range of roles involved. Having professionals take the time to work with us was an amazing opportunity.”


The workshop also gave learners the chance to develop and present their own ideas for improving hospital design through active travel. Aldridge Nhenderere added:


“Visiting the site and learning about roles such as quantity surveying and project management made it all make sense. It’s given me a much clearer understanding of how the construction industry works.” The workshop underlines Cheshire College – South & West’s commitment to employer-led education, connecting students with live projects, supporting local regeneration, and preparing the next generation for careers in construction, design and the built environment.


February 2026


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