Newcastle City Learning

Newcastle City Learning (NCL) is the post‑16 learning and skills service of Newcastle City Council, providing apprenticeship training alongside a broad range of community and vocational education. Its mission is to provide opportunities in Newcastle for all to learn, improve and grow, with a strong focus on supporting residents furthest from the labour market to develop skills and confidence for work. NCL delivers apprenticeship provision on behalf of the Council and other local employers, coordinated from its Skills Centre at Westgate College, which is also the dedicated 16–19 building offering study programmes and managing apprenticeship delivery. Apprenticeships are designed to blend structured off‑the‑job learning with on‑the‑job experience, enabling learners to earn while they gain sector‑relevant skills, experience and qualifications. Programmes cover areas such as Early Years and Leadership and Management, and are supported by an Apprenticeship Business Development Officer who works with employers and apprentices. Alongside apprenticeships, NCL offers extensive ESOL, English and maths, digital skills, vocational qualifications, pre‑employment programmes and community learning, taught from main centres at Westgate Community College, the Newcastle Skills Centre, Heaton Centre and Gosforth Library and Learning Centre. NCL was graded ‘Good’ overall and in all provision types at its most recent Ofsted inspection in October 2021.