By working closely with employers, universities and government, the Alliance is helping align skills provision with the needs of one of the UK’s fastest-growing innovation economies.

As the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor moves from ambition to delivery, skills are becoming critical infrastructure for growth. The Alliance is helping to align education with employer demand, strengthen progression pathways and build the future workforce needed to unlock the Corridor’s full economic potential.

Milton Keynes College Group has just been awarded Digital and Technologies Technical Excellence College (TEC) status as part of the Government’s Wave 2 programme. It places the College at the heart of the UK’s digital skills agenda, with a mandate to lead on curriculum reform, employer engagement, workforce development and future-ready infrastructure across the region.

As Sally Alexander, CEO and Group Principal, shares:

“The award of TEC status reflects both the strength of our provision and the importance of collaboration across the Corridor. Through FESA, we can ensure that this capability supports not just local delivery, but regional growth.”

This is not activity in isolation. It is an early, tangible example of how a more coordinated skills system is starting to take shape across the Corridor – and how national policy, regional alignment and local delivery can come together to accelerate impact.

Supported by the Arc Universities Group and the Oxford to Cambridge Supercluster Board, FESA – the Further Education Skills Alliance – has been established to build on that momentum.

What is the Further Education Skills Alliance (FESA)?

FESA brings together seven further education colleges across the Growth Corridor into a coordinated, employer-aligned partnership focused on skills delivery.

The founding members are:

• Abingdon and Witney College
• Activate Learning Group
• The Bedford College Group
• Buckinghamshire College Group
• Cambridge Regional College
• Inspire Education Group
• Milton Keynes College Group

Formed in 2026, FESA creates a collective forum for collaboration at Corridor scale – connecting colleges with universities, employers and government to build a more coherent post-16 education and skills system.

Its focus is clear:

• align training provision with real employer demand
• strengthen progression into higher technical and higher education
• support reskilling and lifelong learning
• enable more coordinated delivery across the region

At its core, FESA is about turning ambition into delivery.

Why it matters now

Across the UK, the skills system is often described as fragmented, slow to adapt and difficult for employers to engage with. Within the Growth Corridor, that has translated into limited coordination, gaps between curriculum and workforce need, and unclear pathways into employment.

FESA addresses this by acting as a delivery framework – aligning existing provision rather than duplicating it.

The recognition of Milton Keynes College Group as a TEC reinforces that this approach is gaining traction, combining specialisation with collaboration and strengthening capability across the wider network.

Grounded in real places

This is not an abstract strategy. It is shaped by the needs of real economic clusters, including:

• Harwell – science, space and energy
• Silverstone – advanced engineering and high-performance technology
• Westcott – propulsion and advanced manufacturing

Each is already driving innovation and investment. What they need is a workforce that can scale with that growth.

Skills as infrastructure

Skills are increasingly recognised as a form of infrastructure. Just as East West Rail will improve physical connectivity, FESA strengthens the region’s ability to connect people to opportunity. Institutions like Milton Keynes College Group – now formally recognised for excellence in digital 

and technology skills – show how that infrastructure is being built in practice.

Without it, growth risks being constrained. With it, the Corridor can move from potential to delivery.

Looking ahead

The Growth Corridor already has the assets – research, businesses and investment. FESA strengthens the system that connects them.

With nationally recognised centres of excellence emerging within the network, and stronger alignment between further education, universities and industry, the region is better positioned to deliver growth at scale.

This is what moving from ambition to delivery looks like – a more coordinated, more responsive and more capable skills system, built in partnership with the Arc Universities Group and the wider Supercluster ecosystem.