The Yeovil College DTEC consortium has been awarded Defence Technical Excellence College (DTEC) status following a highly competitive national application process led by the Department for Education (DfE).
The Yeovil College consortium is one of only five providers in England to achieve this designation, recognising exceptional quality, ambition and credibility in delivering advanced technical education aligned to the needs of the defence sector.
The Department for Education confirmed the outcome today and provided strong positive feedback on the college’s submission, noting that they were “impressed” with the strength and quality of the bid. 
DTEC status recognises colleges that demonstrate the capability, leadership and readiness to deliver high quality technical education at pace and scale, working closely with employers and partners to address critical national skills needs.
The bid involved over 40 leading advanced manufacturing and defence businesses, including Leonardo, Thales, TKMS Atlas, Dorset Innovation Park, Portland, University of West England, Open University, innovation and college partners from Gloucestershire to Cornwall, with Yeovil College as lead partner.
This success reflects the college’s sustained focus on technical excellence, collaboration, employer engagement and learner progression, and positions Yeovil College as a nationally recognised centre of excellence within the defence skills landscape.
Mark Bolton (pictured), Principal & CEO, Yeovil College, said: “This is a significant achievement for our college and the collaboration within the South West community we serve, a testament to the capability, expertise, commitment and ambition of our colleagues and partners. Being recognised as one of just five Defence Technical Excellence Colleges in England underlines the confidence the Department for Education has in our vision and our ability to deliver.”
As a DTEC, Yeovil College will play a key role in strengthening the pipeline of skilled talent into defence related industries, supporting both regional economic growth and national priorities.
This achievement furthers the capability of Yeovil College and its partners. At Yeovil College, this adds to the existing Office for Students investment to provide almost £3.5m over the last two years for advanced manufacturing equipment which includes the first hydrogen training facility in the country.
And the £60m + DfE funded Big Build, now in its latter phases, which has seen two buildings already completed and the final largest building now out of the ground, transforming Further Education for South Somerset, North and West Dorset, and the wider Wessex region.
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