As part of a £100 million government initiative, it has been designated as a construction technical excellence college (CTEC), one of only ten in the UK.
New City College has construction training centres in Rainham, Epping Forest and Hackney.
The funding is a response to skills shortages in the construction sector and will provide advanced training for those pursuing careers as builders, electricians, carpenters, bricklayers, and roofers.
Gerry McDonald CBE, group principal and chief executive at New City College, said: “New City College is well placed to lead construction skills development as the London region’s construction technical excellence college.
“With our specialist construction and engineering campus at Rainham and industry-driven construction and green skills training centres at our Hackney and Epping campuses, we are already delivering joined-up training across the London area.”
The investment will support hands-on training, developed with employers keen to offer apprenticeships or hire skilled workers straight from college.
The creation of CTECs is part of a broader initiative to train more than 40,000 workers in high-demand construction skills by 2029.
David Hughes CBE, chief executive of the Association of Colleges, said: “The announcement is very positive news for people wanting good jobs, for the construction employers looking for skilled people and for the government’s ambitions to build 1.5 million new homes.
“It represents significant investment and trust in the 10 successful colleges, and the college sector, recognising their crucial role in boosting the country’s construction sector by opening up high quality learning opportunities all over the country.”
The government hopes that these initiatives will help address the shortage of construction workers in the UK, as figures from the Office for National Statistics show around 35,000 job vacancies in the sector.
Education secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “We need skilled workers to deliver the homes, schools and hospitals that communities across the country are crying out for.
“Construction technical excellence colleges will enable us to invest in people and give them the skills they need to break down barriers to opportunity in an industry which is essential to delivering growth.”
The specialist colleges will operate on a ‘hub and spoke’ model, working with local training providers and employers to boost training standards and share expertise.
