Lifelong learning – supporting working people’s ambition
Has getting a degree or pursuing your dream career felt out of reach?
This will no longer be the case, with the introduction of the Lifelong Learning Entitlement supporting working people’s ambition and investing in the skills in our communities.
This radical reform will open student finance outside of the traditional university route for the first time. The equivalent of four years of post-18 course funding will be available alongside a proportionate maintenance loan to help with living costs for those eligible.
And it isn't just financial barriers that are being removed. New flexible, bite-sized courses have been designed so people can upskill or retrain while balancing busy lives. The initial focus is on subjects that will help tackle the skills shortage including economics and computing, engineering and architecture, as well as health and social care.
Blackpool and the Fylde College has been chosen as one of only 130 colleges and universities approved to deliver modules from this January, and with applications opening in September, our town is part of transformational change to the higher education system.
Blackpool Multiversity design by architects Hawkins/Brown
This is only the beginning. From September 2028, B&FC will expand these opportunities through the opening of the Multiversity. This state-of-the-art campus in the heart of our town will create flexible routes into and through higher education, helping more people gain the qualifications they need while boosting social mobility and supporting economic growth for around 3,500 students.
No one should be locked out of learning because of their circumstances. Whether you're fitting study around work, retraining for a new career, balancing childcare, or returning to education later in life, these changes will make it easier to gain new qualifications and build the career you want.
I am looking forward to seeing the difference the Lifelong Learning Entitlement will make for people across Blackpool, opening doors to new opportunities and helping more local people reach their full potential.
