The Skills People delivered by Lewisham College

A Beacon College since 1999, Lewisham College is one of the largest London colleges, characterised by its local, regional and national reputation for quality, excellence and the service it offers learners. The Skills People is Lewisham College’s employer brand, delivering work-based training to around 15,000 learners studying a wide range of vocational areas.

Lewisham College required qualifications that were relevant for its learners and had the option for flexible delivery. The college wanted to work with an organisation with an excellent reputation so that employers and learners recognised the brand name and could be assured the qualifications were coming from a trusted provider.

Lewisham College selected Edexcel qualifications from Pearson Work Based Learning. They were particularly attracted to the ability to progress through the courses. This is very important for Lewisham College’s learners, who desire a flexible course structure.
 
Pearson Work Based Learning provided Lewisham with a suite of Edexcel qualifications including BTECs, BTEC Apprenticeships, NVQs and bespoke qualifications for employers and individuals alike.

Lewisham College measures all of its qualifications to check learner completion rates and course levels, and conducts exit interviews for students. Current completion rates are 93.6% for NVQs and 74% for Apprenticeships.
 
Rick Thomas, Head of Training Delivery for the Skills People at Lewisham College, commented on the success they have had with their qualifications programme: “Edexcel’s exclusive BTEC qualifications enabled us to win new business with large employers such as the National Health Service (NHS) at Darrenth Valley Hospital. Some employers we work with specifically request Edexcel qualifications because of the types of learners they have at their organisation, many of whom understand and trust the brand of BTEC.
 
“From the dedicated account managers and standards verifiers through to strategic advice on qualifications and funding, the support we’ve had right through the organisation has been superb. Pearson is always responsive to our needs and helps us to quickly understand any changes to policy or qualifications, enabling us to be responsive to our stakeholders.
 
“Lewisham College has been working with Pearson Work Based Learning for over 10 years. Pearson is a strong, internationally recognised brand that provides us with excellent support. We’re very satisfied with our relationship – there’s nothing that isn’t good. We definitely recommend working with Pearson Work Based Learning,” Mr Thomas concluded.