Blackpool & Fylde College joins £50m national defence training scheme

I’m really pleased to share that Blackpool & The Fylde College has been selected as one of just five Defence Technical Excellence Colleges (DTECs) in England, as part of a £50 million national programme to strengthen skills training for the UK’s defence sector.

B&FC will be the only DTEC in the North West, placing our area at the heart of the region’s defence skills pipeline and helping ensure that young people here are directly connected to some of the best opportunities in a high-skilled sector.

This is a major milestone for our town and something I have consistently advocated for – repeatedly raising the importance of defence job creation and skills development in Parliament and pushing ministers to make sure Blackpool benefits from national investment in defence.

Just this February, I also hosted a jobs fair bringing together major defence employers and Blackpool & Fylde College, helping to connect local people directly with real opportunities and strengthen the link between education and industry here in Blackpool.

The DTEC programme is being delivered through the Ministry of Defence and the Department for Education. Colleges were selected through a competitive national process, recognising those with the strongest expertise and capacity to deliver high-quality, defence-focused technical education.

For Blackpool & Fylde College, this recognition reflects its strong existing specialisms in areas such as cyber, drones, combat air and nuclear programmes, as well as its established relationships with employers across the defence sector.

This will help build on that foundation and further strengthen pathways into well-paid, highly skilled careers for local people and ensure young people in Blackpool are well positioned to benefit from the development of the UK’s defence industry.

The announcement also builds on wider defence investment in Blackpool, including the creation of 1,000 Ministry of Defence jobs in the town through the new town-centre office development. Taken together, these developments show real momentum and a growing recognition of Blackpool as a place where government and industry can invest with confidence.

This is a major vote of confidence in our college, our young people and the huge potential we have here in Blackpool.

I’ll continue pushing to make sure Blackpool gets its fair share of investment, opportunity and good-quality jobs for the future.

By working together, we’re building a better Blackpool.