Dudley College of Technology has come a long way since 1931 when £74,177 was invested in building a new college for the borough, on a site provided by Dudley Council. Now forming the Dudley Learning Quarter, the college has expanded across the borough and is one of the most successful further education colleges in the UK, providing a wide range of education and training programmes across the West Midlands, with inspirational facilities in which our students can access world-leading technology, we are at the forefront of Further Education. The college continues to invest in its learning environment to provide outstanding facilities to its students.

Enrolling around 12,000 students each year across four thousand academic and vocational programmes, on both a full and part-time basis our provision continues to develop as a response to the ever changing skills agenda. Ofsted rated as “outstanding” in the most recent 2017 inspection, success rates for learners, across all programmes, are on or significantly above national benchmarks. Our Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Assured (STEM) ® status is recognition that we are delivering high-quality education and training in all of these areas. 

The college offers courses in a wide range of subject areas and provides education and training for apprentices, advanced apprentices, international and workplace learners. The college has extensive links with employers on a local, regional and national basis offering a diverse range of business improvement and employee skills updating programmes. The college also offers a number of employability programmes to help adults return to work.

The college is the biggest provider of apprenticeships within the West Midlands Combined Authority area, delivering 27% of all college delivered apprenticeships. In 2017/18 we supported 3,853 apprentices of which 1,379 were young people aged 16-18 years. The college is committed to supporting the local economy, with 52% of our apprentices studying in LEP transformational sectors. Most strikingly, 67% of all apprentices in advanced manufacturing in the Black Country study here at Dudley College of Technology. As also the largest college provider of apprenticeships in the wider West Midlands region and one of the largest nationally, our apprentices achieve at a rate significantly above national rates. A very high percentage of our apprentices progress to higher apprenticeships and degree level programmes.

Over 95 per cent of our 16-18 year old full-time learners move on to higher/further education or employment. For those who study A’ levels with us 80 per cent choose to continue to the full range of Universities, or if staying local move on to our own higher education courses.

The college employs some 800 staff and has an annual turnover of £44 million.

Our mission

Outstanding technical and professional learning, which raises aspirations, develops skills and changes lives.

Our vision

For the future is that ‘by 2023 we will be firmly recognised regionally, nationally and internationally simply as ‘a great college’. With our focus on apprentices, full-time programmes for young people, adult learning and higher technical skills, we will consistently make a real difference to the lives of our learners, raising their aspirations and promoting their prosperity. As a driving force in the regional economy we will continue to improve business productivity, adding gross value.’