East Kent Colleges Group (EKC Group) is celebrating a decade of growth, highlighted in its latest impact report.
The report showcases the group’s successes in growth, transformation and improvements while marking milestones across the past 10 years – from being recognised as an ‘Outstanding’ provider of education by Ofsted in 2023 to scooping several prestigious awards.
EKC Group is the largest provider of further education and technical skills training in the region. From supporting around 1,000 learners aged 16-19 in 2014/15, it now delivers education and training to more than 7,000 young people, over 5,000 adult learners and 1,300 apprentices annually.
In 2014/15, the group supported approximately 1,000 learners aged 16-19. It now educates and trains around 7,000 young people, more than 5,000 adult learners and more than 1,300 apprentices each year.
Serving communities across Kent and Medway, including campuses in Ashford, Broadstairs, Canterbury, Dover, Folkestone, Sheppey and nine training centres, the group’s decade-long impact extends far beyond education.
The group has made a £350 million contribution to East Kent’s gross value added through £80 million of direct capital investment in East Kent.
Similarly, from extensions at its Colleges in Ashford and Sheppey to the opening of its Spring Lane campus in Canterbury, the group has prospered within its sites, as well as through partnerships such as with The Marlowe Theatre, the Kent Refugee Action Network and more.
EKC Group has also championed inclusion over the past decade, and has even been recognised with a Beacon Award for its EKC Training provision in Eastchurch, which provides courses for prisoners under release on temporary license.
By working with Kent Prisons and the Ministry of Justice to enable skills development and rehabilitation through this provision, the group has played an active role in contributing to the decline in reoffending rates, which currently sit at 5.72% – a statistic which is below the national average.
Positive social action also plays a huge role in the group, and the past 10 years have seen almost 50,000 learners take part in community action projects, delivering 348,000 hours of social action, and 1,319 staff members contribute 10,522 hours to community projects.
From planting dozens of trees and gardening in public areas to supporting children at local primary schools and those living in care homes, students and staff across EKC Group take on Community Week several times a year, which showcases the group’s continued commitment to positive social action.
Lucy McLeod, chief executive of East Kent Colleges Group, said: “Looking back over the past decade, I feel an immense sense of pride in everything we’ve achieved at EKC Group.
“We’ve supported thousands of students in reaching their potential through outstanding education, and none of that would have been possible without the dedication and passion of our exceptional colleagues.
“The transformative impact, both socially and economically, that we have been able to deliver through working in partnership with the communities we serve is tremendous, and I am truly proud to lead such a committed team.
“I’m now excited about the opportunities the next 10 years will bring for our East Kent community as our group continues to grow and innovate.”
