20th November 2025
Barking & Dagenham College welcomed Deputy Mayor of London, Howard Dawber, and Ben Blackledge, CEO of WorldSkills UK, for a special visit.
The visit recognised the College’s membership of the WorldSkills UK Centre of Excellence on Tuesday 4 November.
The College is 1 of 155 colleges and independent training providers nationwide selected as an official member of the WorldSkills UK Centre of Excellence programme, delivered in partnership with NCFE. The initiative empowers educators to use international best practice to raise standards and drive excellence in technical education and Apprenticeships.
During the visit, the Deputy Mayor, Ben Blackledge and representatives from NCFE met with learners, tutors and employer partners to see first-hand the impact of the Centre of Excellence on teaching, learning, and skills development.
The visit included:
- A roundtable discussion with college leaders, WorldSkills UK representatives, NCFE, and key employer partners, exploring how Barking & Dagenham College is innovating to meet London’s evolving skills needs.
- A campus tour, where guests met staff and students who have benefited from the WorldSkills UK Centre of Excellence.
- The official opening of the College’s brand-new EV and Hybrid Workshop, a cutting-edge training space designed to equip learners with the skills to work on electric and hybrid vehicles - vital for the future of green transport.
The event also coincided with Green Careers Week, underlining the College’s commitment to preparing learners for sustainable, future-focused industries.
Ben Blackledge, CEO of WorldSkills UK, commented:
“It’s been great to show the Deputy Mayor how Barking & Dagenham College’s participation in our Centre of Excellence programme is helping to deliver London’s Inclusive Talent Strategy.
The College has been a driving force within the programme, embracing every opportunity to collaborate, innovate, and share best practice to support the development of its learners. The investment we, and our partner NCFE, are making in world-class teaching is helping learners across London get high quality jobs and we’re eager to bring more London institutions on board to make sure as many Londoners as possible can benefit.”
Howard Dawber OBE, Deputy Mayor of London for Business and Growth said:
“From electric vehicle manufacturing to film design, it was inspiring to see how Barking & Dagenham College are equipping Londoners with the skills they need to get good jobs in growing industries.
The Centre of Excellence programme is a fantastic example of how London’s skills and employment sector can work together to support Londoners, and drive innovation and opportunity. This reflects the work we are doing with the recently launched Inclusive Talent Strategy to help businesses recruit the people they need and ensure Londoners get the skills needed for a good job, no matter their background.
“This is all part of the work we are doing to grow our economy and build a better, fairer and more prosperous city for everyone.”
It was a pleasure to join the Deputy Mayor’s visit to Barking & Dagenham College and see first-hand how the WorldSkills UK Centre of Excellence programme is helping young Londoners develop the cutting-edge technical skills they need to succeed in the workplace. As an educational charity, we're proud to support learners, educators, and employers across the country through our partnership with WorldSkills UK, our qualifications, and our commitment to apprenticeships.
We’re so proud to be part of the WorldSkills UK Centre of Excellence – it’s helping us raise aspirations and deliver world-class technical education. Having the Deputy Mayor visit highlights the value of this work, and we’re thrilled that our engineering learner, Harvey McLaughlin, will represent the College at the WorldSkills UK National Finals in Swansea later this month.
“It was amazing to speak directly with someone who helps shape London’s future. I feel proud that our college has been recognised for the work we’re doing.”
