The inaugural cohort of Institutes of Technology (IoTs), funded with £170 million, have received high praise for their excellent start, according to recruitment data obtained by FE Week. Since their launch in 2019, the twelve IoTs have garnered more than 17,000 enrolments, which is equivalent to 95% of their combined target. Four of the IoTs have even exceeded their individual targets, with two of them recording 90% or above, and the others not far behind. Even in the midst of the Covid pandemic, the IoTs have been able to attract hundreds of students in their first year, with two IoTs enrolling over a thousand students each. Experts have commended this impressive achievement, given the struggles faced by other technical institutions such as National Colleges, University Technical Colleges, and Studio Schools in their early stages. The Skills minister, Robert Halfon, has applauded the success of IoTs and is determined to ensure that they remain at the heart of the government’s drive to build a high-skilled and diverse workforce that meets local and employer needs.
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