Leicester College selected as Technical and Vocational Excellence hub for East Midlands

Leicester College has been selected as the Technical and Vocational Excellence (TVE) Hub for the East Midlands, one of nine colleges chosen nationally to lead the development and delivery of professional development for further education staff across England.

The appointment, made by the Association of Colleges (AoC) on behalf of the Department for Education, will see Leicester College work with colleges, training providers, employers and sector specialists across the East Midlands to strengthen the delivery of new and emerging technical and vocational education.

As the regional hub, Leicester College will help teaching staff prepare for changes to post-16 technical education, including T Levels, V Levels and revised Level 2 pathways. The College will develop and deliver subject-specific professional development, share effective teaching practice and create opportunities for education professionals across the region to learn from one another.

The programme is expected to begin regional delivery from October/November 2026, following the mobilisation and development phase.

Shabir Ismail, Principal/CEO at Leicester College said: “Being selected as the East Midlands Technical and Vocational Excellence Hub is an opportunity for Leicester College to share the expertise that we have developed through our own experience of delivering technical and vocational education, whilst learning from colleagues, employers and providers across the region.

“The focus will be on practical professional development that supports teachers to deliver new qualifications with confidence. By bringing Learning Leads, subject specialists and industry experts together, we can create a stronger community of practice across the East Midlands and share approaches that can have a wider impact.”

Leicester College supports more than 10,000 learners and employs over 1,150 staff, with provision ranging from Entry Level through to Higher Education Level 6. It is also one of England's top three T Level providers, with 233 T Level students in 2024/25, and has more than 1,000 live apprentices.

Leicester College has also built significant experience in supporting professional development beyond its own organisation. This includes leading the East Midlands Maths Centres of Excellence, working with other colleges through the Local Skills Improvement Fund, and participating in the AoC Teacher Mentoring Network with Nottingham College and Moulton College.