Dudley College of Technology students studying for qualifications including T-Levels, Level 3 Diplomas and Certificates, and professional qualifications today celebrated their outstanding achievement.

65% of the 145 T level students at the college achieved a Merit or Distinction  grade with subjects including, On site Construction, and Digital Support Services doing particularly well. But the outstanding T level achievement was for learners studying Education and Early Years, in which almost 60% of all the entries achieved a Distinction grade.

Celebrating with learners today College Chief Executive and Principal Diana Martin said.  

“Dudley College was one of the first providers nationally to offer T levels and our rising enrolments from 59 students last year to 145 this year, proves the popularity of these programmes. The rising achievement rates demonstrate the excellent teaching we provide, and that students who take the opportunities offered do well. I want new students joining us this September to have high aspirations and follow in the footsteps of this year’s learners.” 

Many other non- T-level vocational subjects including the Extended Diploma in Creative Media Practice, Extended Diploma in Sport, and Extended Diploma in Performing Arts had a 100% pass rate.  With students on the Extended Diploma in Creative Media Practice doing outstandingly well; 72% achieving Distinction or Distinction* grades.

Eleanor Vaughan, Adeena Tanveer and Irene Ansere-Boampong who were three of the top performing T level in Education and Early years students were all looking forward to moving to university. Eleanor to Sheffield to study for a degree in Early years Education, Adeena to study as a Primary school teacher at BCU and Irene to study at BCU. 

Commenting at their time at college they said:

“It’s been hard work but fun too – we can’t believe we’ve all done so well and just feel so happy for ourselves and our other classmates.”

Head of 16-19 programmes Rajinder Haire also praised staff teaching on the Certificate in Travel and Tourism as 74% of all grades awarded were Distinctions or Distinction*, from 46 learners.  Commenting on the successes she said:

“As a college we exist to help learners secure qualifications that will hopefully be the passport to rewarding careers. We are delighted that our hard-working learners have “smashed it out of the park” when it comes to this year’s results!”

T level Electrical students Oliver Rolls Whitmore and Ethan Moss were celebrating their top grades knowing it had helped them secure a future apprenticeship. Talking about their time at college they said:

“We want to thank our tutors and E.ON Electrical who gave us our industry placement, we learnt a lot both in the classroom and out in industry – which is the perfect thing about T levels.”

The College’s Animal management programmes also performed strongly with student Natasha Collier achieving a triple Distinction* grade and 7 other learners achieving a triple Distinction. 

Dudley College is currently taking applications for September admission in a wide range of vocational subjects.  Students who are interested in joining should telephone 0800 783 6095 for further information or visit dudleycol.ac.uk.   

Photos from the day are available to download here.

Dudley of Technology has today been named as one of only 10 Centres of Technical Excellence for the Construction (CTECs) sector in England. 

Following a national bidding process lead by the Department for Education, the college has been chosen to shape a region wide approach to boost skills in all areas of construction including traditional trades such as Brickwork, Plumbing and Electrical as well as emerging skills need such as Solar PV Installation. 

On the back of this success the college will share in £80m capital funding and £20m revenue funding pledge over the next 4 years to support CTECs to work collaboratively with employers, other training providers and professional bodies such as CITB, to meet the challenges they face in recruiting a workforce to deliver new build and infrastructure projects.

Building on the wide range of training programmes delivered from the college’s Construction Apprenticeship Training (CAT) Centre based in Brierley Hill and its Advance Centre in Dudley, the CTEC status will allow for further expansion of the college’s training offer including Apprenticeships, T levels and short upskilling courses for those already working in industry. The college will share its expertise with other Further Education, Higher Education and training providers in the region to increase capacity overall, in areas of skill shortage such as, building services engineering, retrofit and construction management.    

Commenting on the success Diana Martin Chief Executive and Principal of the college said:

“This superb news recognises the significant growth we have achieved over the last three years by responding to the huge training opportunities presented by the West Midlands Combined Authority’s Growth Plan, which will build 120,000 new homes, and their commitment to Homes for the Future, which will drive progress to net zero. In becoming a Centre for Excellence, we will be able to accelerate our mission to train hundreds of learners, who will have limitless employment opportunities as we see exponential demand for skills across this sector.”  

 Echoing this, Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands said:

“Dudley College has an excellent track record of working with employers to train the next generation of skilled construction workers. This new investment from the Government is vital to going even further: 

“The town is seeing huge investment and undergoing a major transformation, including the new Metro line and the new Portersfield development. The College is stepping up to ensure a supply of keen, well-trained workers who are ready to take advantage of the exciting opportunities on their doorstep. 

“This investment is also a huge vote of confidence from Government for our plans to equip our young people with the skills they need to secure great jobs and help us build a brighter future for Dudley and the wider West Midlands.”

Expressing her delight at this announcement Sonia Kumar. MP for Dudley said:

“This announcement marks a major step forward for skills development in Dudley. By choosing Dudley College to be the West Midlands Construction Technical Excellence College, we’re opening doors for local people to gain high-quality training and access rewarding careers in a vital industry.

“It’s about creating real opportunities — giving our young people and adult learners the tools they need to succeed, right here in their own community.

“I’m proud to see Dudley leading the way in building a skilled workforce for the future. This is a vote of confidence in our town’s potential and in the talent of our people.”

Cat Eccles MP for Stourbridge commented:

“I’m absolutely thrilled that this college has been selected as one of only ten across the whole country as a Technical excellence college! Following the Government announcement that Labour will be investing over £100 million in Technical Excellence colleges like Dudley College of Technology, it is such an exciting time to be here.

This investment brings an increase of opportunity to the entire Dudley borough, providing more skills and training to the area, boosting our economy for years to come and helping replenish the much-needed housing stock with our plan to build 1.5 million homes!”

Milena Davis – Head of Early Careers- VINCI Building said:

“It’s fantastic to see the Department of Education programme championing the construction sector and actively addressing the skills shortages we face. This is a great opportunity for Dudley College, a long-standing and valued partner of ours. I’m particularly interested in seeing how CTECs are rolled out nationally and how the college can support regional development. At VINCI Building, we’re committed to building strong, collaborative relationships with our clients and stakeholders – and this initiative is a positive step forward for the construction industry”

Commenting on behalf of the College’s Corporation Professor Paul Noon OBE, Chair, said:

“I’m delighted that the excellent work staff at the college already do in technical training for the multiple trade pathways and technical professions in this sector has been recognised. Most importantly it will give the people of Dudley and the wider region even greater access to the types of training that will deliver individual and collective economic growth. It will also allow us to deepen the collective work institutions already do by working together on a whole sector training plan.”

Dudley College of Technology’s Celebrating Success Awards Evening returned on Thursday 19^th 2025, shining a spotlight on the achievements of more than 60 students from across the college. Awards were given in four main categories including Outstanding Learner Achievement (16-18), Outstanding Learner Achievement (Adults/Apprentices), Outstanding Achievement in Personal Development & Peer Support and Outstanding Achievement in English & Mathematics. There were also three special categories reserved for students for Contributions to College Life, Community Service and Sustainability.  

The evening began with a reception, where Music students performed and Music Production students supported with sound, on a range of modern rock songs under the guidance of Tutor Matt Dudley, whilst guests had the chance to relax with drinks and canapés. Upon entering the hall, learners and their families were greeted with additional music provided by music technology student Henry Percival, who’s skilled piano playing wowed the guests as they took their seats. The awards ceremony itself was hosted by Chief Executive and Principal of the College: Diana Martin, alongside Vice Principals Rachel Corns and Claire Millard.  

The evening concluded on a high note with a captivating performance by Musical Theatre student Amabelle Lewis, who delivered a range of musical numbers including “Morning Person” from Shrek the Musical, under the direction of her Tutor Stephen Dutton.  

Photos from the evening are available to download here 

Outstanding Learner Achievement (16-18)	Outstanding Learner Achievement (Adults & Apprentices)	Outstanding Achievement in Personal Development & Peer Support	Outstanding Achievement in English & Mathematics
Adam Bailey	Tilley Beardsmore	Kaynat Ahmad	Dwumaah Maame Afriyie
Amber Bradley	Michelle Collett	Harvey Beese	Ty’Naya Allen-Edwards
Emma Cammies	Jordan Dennis	Kyla Bickley	Lloan Arias Camuendo
Shane Chatham	Andrew Fellows	Kai Churms	Kieren Bagley
Chloe Gimenez	Abigail Foxall	Sadie-Jayne Coates	Jamie Barnett
Jordaiyne Grinley	Holly Gould	Callum Evans	Preston Blake
Keegan Hart	Joshua Hart	Billy Field	Connor Cleaver
Daisy Hickinbottom	Romahn Henry	Lilly Gough	Bradley Colley
Kacey Hughes	Melody Horne	Daniel Hadley	Luis Fallon
Leah-Mae Hunt	Lorenzo Jimena	Tomas Kesete	Sayed Farhi
Priya-Brooklyn Jagde	Shahzaib Khan	Abdul Aziz Khan	Phoebe Grainger
Bartosz Jus	Harry Meredith	Joe Martin	Victoria Hanson
Amabelle Lewis	Dennis Moody	Aynaz Nojehdehi	Terri Hickman-Wright
Sanudula Mallawaarachchi	Lily-Mae Morris	Roma Price	Muhammed Manneh
Aminullah Noori	Lauren Nicholson	Tanisha Rahman	Mariia Motuz
Lyndyway Otchere	Michael Parfitt	Callum Reid	Ahmad Sear Nooran
Millie Plant	Enas Sati	Maheen Saeed	Queeny Becky Owusu Appiah
Katy Poulton	James Shaw	Atifa Saftari	Euan Proctor
Jasmine Reason	Nicole Warren	Gabriel Smith	Katie Walker
Aiden Round	Alice Woodfield	Mark Taylor	James Williams
Justin Sinclair		Daniel Tshiangala
Katelan Taylor-Darby		Charlie Watson
Calum Walker
Hayden Leigh Ward
Abigail Whitehouse
Joshua Wilkinson

Principal’s Award for Contribution to College Life	Principal’s Award for Community Service	Principal’s Award for Sustainability
Katie Walker	ESOL Learners as part of “The Refugee Project” represented by Madjaba Toure and Tutor Sally Hebbard	Aspire Learners as part of the “Let’s Go Zero” campaign represented by Toby-Jack Evans and Tutor Rosemary Golding

Dudley College of Technology recently hosted a Skills Shop Adult Learner Awards Evening. The event brought together learners, employers, staff, and partners to celebrate the outstanding achievements of adult learners enrolled on our Into Employment programmes.

These programmes support unemployed adults in gaining the skills and confidence needed to transition into meaningful employment. We’re so proud that all nominees and award winners are now in work – an outstanding testament to the impact of the programme and the dedication of the team behind it. 

The evening was filled with inspiring stories of perseverance, transformation, and success. Awards were presented across a range of categories, each reflecting personal growth, commitment, and professional progress:

From Learning to Earning Awards – Recognising learners who have successfully transitioned into employment.  

Miriam Fiamavle (Transport)  
Hannah Franklin (Education) 

Distance Travelled Award – Honouring resilience and progress in the face of challenges. 

Sandra Lartey 

Rising Star Award – Employer-nominated award for excellence in the workplace – Black Country Living Museum 

Jordan Worton 

Outstanding Employer Award – Celebrating a supportive employer who made a lasting impact. 

Midland Metro Limited 

Resilience Rewards Award – For overcoming significant barriers and showing determination. 

Becky Holmes 

Above and Beyond (Buzz Lightyear) Award – For exceptional commitment and peer support. 

Paula Pender 

Partnership Award – Recognising a stakeholder’s outstanding contribution to learner outcomes. 

Department for Work and Pensions 

The event was attended by several valued partners and employers, including McDonald’s, Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, Midland Metro Limited, Black Country Living Museum, and the Department for Work and Pensions. 

Skills West Midlands + Warwickshire, the body formed by further education colleges and independent training providers across the region as a one-stop shop for business, has marked its first successful year by presenting Skills Partnership Awards to thirteen employers which have invested in education and training.  

The celebration event, staged at PwC’s offices in Paradise, Birmingham on 7 March 2025, also featured remarks from the Skills Minister, Baroness Smith of Malvern, and the Mayor of the West Midlands, Richard Parker.

Speaking at the event, Suzie Branch-Haddow, chair of the Skills WM+W Steering Group and Vice Principal at BMet, said:

“Skills West Midlands + Warwickshire is bringing two worlds closer together, demystifying the world of further and technical education. Our task is to inspire, to engage with business and to remove barriers – visible or invisible. We’re in the business of offering skills solutions.

“We’re changing the culture around how we work and how we engage with employers. More fundamentally, we’re in the business of changing lives. Not just equipping people with skills and qualifications but giving them the confidence to succeed.”

“I’m so pleased that we’ve recognised some great businesses. What we learn from them is that businesses which are engaged with the FE system experience improved recruitment and retention of staff. In short, business engagement pays dividends and makes our products better.”

Excellence in Skills Partnership Awards winners were:

Winner	Nominated by
Brown and Holmes	South Staffordshire College
Consilium	South and City College
CPW	University College Birmingham
Currys	BMet
Freeflow Pipesystems	Dudley College
hydraPower dynamics	The Sandwell Colleges Group
Marcegaglia	Performance Through People
Midwest Mechanical & Electrical Services	City of Wolverhampton College
Millboard	Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber Training
STS Aviation	Solihull College and University Centre
Thorlux Lighting	Heart of Worcestershire College
Trade Centre	Walsall College
TruTrade	Warwickshire College Group

Skills Minister Jacqui Smith said:

“Skills West Midlands + Warwickshire is showing exactly how the system should work, bringing education providers and businesses together to address skills gaps and create real opportunities for young people and adults alike. Whether students have a clear career path in mind, or are still figuring it out, they need access to high-quality training, work experience and careers advice to help them succeed.

“Through local skills improvement plans and direct collaboration between employers and further education providers, we’re seeing a shift from competition to genuine partnership.

“This joined-up approach doesn’t just fill vacancies, it gives students the confidence, direction and opportunities they need to build successful careers, while strengthening the workforce in the region’s key industries.”

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands added:

“Only by working together can we tackle the unemployment challenge in the West Midlands. By strengthening relationships with employers and improving how we design and deliver training, we can unleash the potential of people and help businesses grow. It’s why it is important to celebrate how Skills West Midlands + Warwickshire is supporting businesses to build the workforce in growth industries of the future.”

Three Innovation Hubs launched across the region, backed by WMCA and Innovate UK, are driving regional business innovation through technology adoption and training for small businesses. Skills WM+W is now part of the West Midlands Digital Skills Consortium addressing the urgent need for a skilled digital workforce in the region. A suite of free, online, modular courses was launched earlier this year to help tackle region’s fundamental leadership and management challenge. Over the next year, Skills West Midlands + Warwickshire aims to increase the number of partnerships with SMEs; increase employer satisfaction in skills and training provision and inspire employers to co-create a suite of training solutions with trusted providers.

Students from Dudley College of Technology’s Aspire Learning programme have been recognised for their biodiversity-boosting action; as part of a nationwide “Let’s Go Zero” campaign, designed to help all UK schools, colleges and nurseries to be zero carbon by 2030.  Funded by the OVO Foundation, Dudley College students have been awarded £200 to kickstart their great green project, which will allow them to plant Wych Elm and Privet Trees across all college campuses, creating an inviting habitat for the white-letter hairstreak butterfly which is an endangered species. This will extend the species recovery work students have contributed to cross Dudley Nature Reserves with the help of the Reserves wardens.

The white-letter hairstreak butterfly gets its name from the white lines that form a “W” shape on its underside. It is an elusive butterfly that became endangered due to the loss of native Elm trees from Dutch Elm Disease. Butterfly monitoring has shown an 87% decline in the UK population of white-letter hairstreak since 1976. It is now only seen from June – July across the Midlands and Oxfordshire, making it one of the rarest butterfly species in the country with a protected status under the 1981 Countryside Act and priority species status under the 2010 Biodiversity Framework.

The college beat hundreds of others to win the prize, which will bring to life their goal to promote biodiversity across the Dudley borough.  

Neil Thomas Chief Executive and Principal of Dudley College of Technology, said:  

“We are delighted to win this Let’s Go Zero and Ovo Foundation Nature Prize. It means we can help show our students and community the importance of cutting our carbon emission and creating spaces for nature. These small actions across the UK add up to making a big difference to climate change.” 

Rosemary Golding the lecturer that supports the prize-winning learners said:  

“Many of these learners have Special Educational Needs, so it is especially rewarding to see their passion for preserving nature being encouraged. The prize money will allow us to plant new saplings which we will nurture over successive years, with new groups of learners.”    

Su Moore, Head of OVO Foundation said: “OVO Foundation are proud to continue supporting the Nature Prize. Through the inventiveness and diversity of the funded projects, we’re truly able to see our mission of a greener, brighter future for the next generation come to life.”  

Alex Green, Head of Let’s Go Zero Campaign, which is led by climate solutions charity, Ashden said: “These 25 schools and colleges have put forward incredible plans to boost the biodiversity in their areas and make sure students have beautiful places to learn, connect with nature and share with their communities. We were so impressed by their plans and enthusiasm and hope they inspire other schools to do the same.”  

Let’s Go Zero and OVO Foundation bring more than 37,000 children closer to nature.  

The OVO Foundation Nature Prize is part of OVO Foundation’s Climate Changers programme launched in 2022.   

Over the last three years, 75 schools taking climate action through the competition have brought more than 37,000 children closer to nature.  This year saw record number of entries.  

The University of Worcester (UW) and Dudley College of Technology (DcoT) are pleased to announce the extension of their existing partnership with the college officially becoming a University Centre. The new agreement will see the two organisations working more closely to provide a growing number of higher education opportunities for learners from Dudley.

Building on the University’s provision already available locally, which includes Nursing, Sports Therapy, Criminology and Assistant Practitioner Health, the Dudley University Centre, will serve as a hub for higher education and training, in a range of additional subject areas.

Welcoming the new agreement; Neil Thomas Chief Executive and Principal of Dudley College of Technology said:

“The collaboration is the natural development of the close working already taking place between the two organisations, as the University of Worcester has been opening up career pathways by delivering a number of programmes locally, including: BSc Adult Nursing and BSc Sports Therapy, enabling students to have access to high quality university provision without the need to travel further afield.”

As part of the agreement, the University of Worcester will fund two annual scholarships worth a £1,000 for Home/EU students who progress from the college’s Level 3 programmes to three-year degree courses at the University of Worcester. These scholarships are designed to act as an incentive for learners of any age to advance in their academic careers, securing a degree and professional qualifications in their chosen discipline. 

Professor David Green CBE DL, Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Worcester said:

“The agreement reflects both institutions’ commitment to delivering high-quality education and supporting students through accessible opportunities for progression to higher education. We see the college as a valuable partner and look forward to exploring even greater collaboration with the intended opening of Health Innovation Dudley in 2026.”

The success of the joint working will be reviewed every two years by a Steering Group who will assess the Centre’s effectiveness and ensure the ongoing relevance of the partnership.

The College’s new training hub; specifically for SEND young people to gain valuable work skills, in a supported environment opened in time for Christmas with a grand launch event.  Known as the Aspire Shop, the facility will provide a retail environment in which learners will contribute to the daily running of the shop, taking part in a range of tasks including preparing merchandise, marketing, and working front-of-house. The work experience will be the ideal environment for them to develop their employability skills and prepare them for life after college.

The shop will sell items of clothing, books, games, bags, toys and small items of furniture donated by the college and wider community. With a strong sustainable ethos, it will provide a place for the public wishing to dispose of unwanted items that have life left in them to recycle and re-use.

It will also stock Aspire Works print and craft products, designed and produced by students. These will change seasonally and currently feature Christmas wreaths, gift tags and crafted tree decorations.  To support Dudley residents, the shop aims to tackle food poverty by selling fresh produce grown in our Aspire Gardens at a heavily subsidised rate.

The shop will trade as a Community Interest Company and any profits will be re-invested in resources for Aspire learners, with a part of this being shared between the college’s nominated charities.  

The opening is the culmination of the significant investment (circa £500K) the college has made in the new facility, which has been converted from a conventional house to a purpose-built training hub. 

Social Media content creator Jen Graham, better known as Charity Shop Girl, joined staff and students to open the new venture and get the tills ringing. Jen champions the charity shop sector as an ethical way of shopping and because she loves getting a bargain.   She will be sharing her “haul” online at Instagram charityshopgirlcsg , as part of the ongoing promotion of the shop. 

Recent statistics for adults with a learning disability or autism in paid employment are at 4.8% in England.  Demonstrating there are many individuals who can contribute greatly in the workplace, currently denied that opportunity.

Commenting on the opening of the shop, Dudley College’s Vice Principal Diana Martin said:  “ As a college committed to ensuring all learners have equality of opportunity, we are excited to be able to open this facility that will provide a training environment for over 200 learners per year. It is also a demonstration of our commitment to promoting sustainability , which we are very proud of as an institution.”

The shop will be open daily during term time at the following times

• Monday 13:00pm-15:00pm
• Tuesday 10.00am-15:00pm
• Wednesday 10.00am -12:00am
• Thursday 10.00am -15:00pm
• Friday 10.00am -15:00pm

This week the 2-6^th of December 2024 was national #T Levels Week and there was plenty of activity across college; to celebrate the journey we have been on with these programmes.

Monday kicked off with a visit from Skills Minister Jacqui Smith and Sonia Kumar MP, who came to meet some of the students who have been part of the T Level story here at college. Electrical student Prem Singh made a big impression on the politicians, as he sang his praises both of his experience at college at the way he was treated by colleagues on his work placement with E-ON.  T Level Healthcare student Lacey Shuker also praised her T Level Tutors and shared how much she valued the wider employability skills she had acquired whilst studying for her qualification.

Dudley College was an early adopter of the new T Level programmes when they were launched in September 2020 and we now offer T Levels in sixteen sectors.  

The Minister’s visit coincided with the announcement that more students will be able to access T Level industry placements as the government makes changes to the requirements surrounding the 45 day work placement element of the programme.

The number of students taking T Levels has increased every year since they were launched. Over 16,000 nationally students started a T Level in the 2023/24 academic year – almost as many students as in the first three cohorts combined. At Dudley College our T Level learner numbers have grown in each successive year from launch, with 477 learners currently studying  for a T Level qualification.

During the week we also ran an employer lunch to thank business leaders who have supported us by taking on work placement learners. Firms including R & S Gas Ltd, Mott MacDonald/SYSTRA DJV and Housing 21 , attended a “Thank you“ ceremony organised by the Employer Engagement Team and hosted by Susanne Davies.

To find out more about T levels why not visit our next open day Saturday 11^th January 2025.

Despite a stormy start to the weekend, Dudley College’s Higher Education Graduation Ceremony on Saturday 23rd November proved to be a heartwarming and inspirational celebration. Over 100 students marked the culmination of their academic journeys, receiving well-earned recognition for their hard work and dedication throughout the last academic year. 

Held in the presence of family, friends, and supporters, the event demonstrated the profound impact of education. Students from a variety of disciplines, including Leadership & Management, Animal Science, and Construction, were celebrated for earning their higher qualifications. 

Student representative Emily North eloquently captured the spirit of the day, expressing heartfelt gratitude to both college staff and fellow students for their unwavering support. With a tongue-in-cheek reference to recording off-the-job hours, she perfectly conveyed the sense of relief and delight shared by all graduates who had made it to the end of their programme. 

The ceremony was co-hosted by Chief Executive & Principal Neil Thomas and Chair of the College’s Corporation, Professor Paul Noon. Paul’s address emphasised the theme of the event: the power of partnerships. He spoke of the critical role that collaboration with universities, employers, and industry stakeholders plays in designing higher education programmes that address real-world skills gaps. 

Congratulations to all of our graduates – you inspire us with your determination and achievements, and we look forward to seeing the incredible things you’ll accomplish in the future.  

Relive the memories and download photos from the event by visiting: Higher Awards Ceremony 2024 | Flickr