Projects: Cradley Heath Skills Centre

  • Investment
    £9,000,000 consisting of 100% Towns Fund
  • Timeline

    Start: June 2024

    Delivery: October 2025

  • Location
    Lower High Street, Cradley Heath B64 5AB

The Cradley Heath Skills Centre will provide a new, dedicated education and training centre to enable the engagement of young people and adults in Cradley Heath, Rowley Regis and will work in conjunction with local community groups to provide access to social, medical and other education advice and service providing a resource centre with Sandwell College as the anchor institution.

CGI of the new Cradley Heath Skills Centre

CGI of the new Cradley Heath Skills Centre

Site Location for the new education facility

Site Location for the new education facility

The Towns Fund investment will address the barrier to economic growth caused by local skills deficiencies and access to a suitably skilled work force that exists within the Black Country and locally within Sandwell through providing three programmes:

  • Essential Skills: access to foundation skills with English, Maths and Digital Skills
  • Boost: development of pre-access Boost programme providing advanced study skills at Level 3 and access to Higher Education
  • Gateway to opportunity: provide Gateway provision which will enable those looking for a new career, a career change or for promotion to secure a set of job ready skills and access to live job opportunities

The Cradley Heath Skills Centre, formally known as Rowley Regis Satellite Education Hub, Full Business Case was approved by Government in March 2022. The project team have since undertaken a number of activities in the background to finalise the work packages to deliver this project. Construction works are expected to start on-site Summer 2024, with a completion date ahead of the September 2025 Term. 

Deliverables: Status: 
32 Temporary Full Time jobs supported during project implementation To be achieved by October 2025
4 Full time equivalent permanent jobs created through the project To be achieved by October 2025 
Closer collaborations with 40 employers    To be achieved by October 2025 
475 learners assisted  To be achieved following opening October 2025 
100 Traineeships annually  To be achieved following opening October 2025 
75 Apprenticeships annually  To be achieved following opening October 2025 
250 unemployed adults reskilled annually  To be achieved following opening October 2025