City of Bristol College

City of Bristol College is one of the South West’s largest Further and Higher Education colleges, offering a range of academic and vocational courses. They offer full-time and part-time study opportunities from entry to degree level. 

Educating nearly a third of Bristol’s 16 to 18-year-olds and a large proportion of school leavers from Bristol’s most disadvantaged communities, they also enrol school leavers with high needs and offer routes back into education for young people who have dropped out of school. 

With eight campuses across the city, the college is Bristol’s biggest provider of adult education at all levels and operates in partnership with local universities, running Access to Higher Education courses and university-level courses in selected vocational areas. 

They also offer a diverse range of apprenticeships for young people and adults, working with hundreds of employers and highly respected companies such as Bristol City Council and Bristol Airport. 

Many of their apprentices study at college, working towards a recognised qualification, which means gaining access to an innovative combination of practical and theoretical training. 

Through their dedicated apprenticeship programmes, apprentices become highly skilled in specialist occupations, secure long-term earning potential with greater security and develop the ability to progress and flourish in the workplace. 

In January 2023, City of Bristol College was awarded a ‘GOOD’ rating from Ofsted and has consistently shown that it meets local and regional skills needs following its most recent inspection. 

Talking of this incredible achievement, Julia Gray, Principal & Chief Executive commented: “The college plays a key role in the city and region, and this successful inspection outcome recognises the hard work of the whole college team and the significant achievements of our students and apprentices.” 

There is a multitude of state-of-the-art facilities on offer at City of Bristol College, one example being the Advanced Construction Skills Centre at the South Bristol Skills Academy. 

Opened in September 2021, the Advanced Construction Skills Centre is a state-of-the-art £9m facility where students studying their construction courses will adopt the skills that they need for a future-proof career in an inspiring, modern facility that reflects a real-world working environment. 

The award-winning, eco-friendly building is home to a range of fantastic specialist facilities including: Civils yard, Classrooms and study areas, Construction workshops and Light vehicle workshops. 

To reflect the emphasis being placed on eco-friendly practices in the construction sector, modules on sustainability are included in all construction courses, equipping their students with the skills that employers are looking for as initiatives continue underway to create a greener future.   

The college has also taken pioneering steps to invest in a dedicated area of the curriculum and is now proud to offer a range of Green Skills courses as part of its commitment to sustainability and the future of the green economy workforce. 

As Bristol’s college, they strive to make impactful changes in the region at the same time as providing their students with a stellar education and equipping them with the knowledge to deliver them to their ‘Where Next’.  

Email: apprentice@cityofbristol.ac.uk