fbpx

Accessibility Menu

Investment in skills for Waltham Forest

New hospitality and catering facilities at Waltham Forest College with grant funding from the Greater London Authority

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan has awarded a grant of £200,000, made available by the London Economic Action Partnership (LEAP), to support skills development at Waltham Forest College. This will help fund a £439,000 project to create new hospitality and catering training facilities. These facilities will further boost the increasing numbers and success of students and apprentices at the College.

Penny Wycherley, Principal at Waltham Forest College, said:

“The College’s staff and managers are delighted. The GLA has recognised how important high quality skills are for the Borough’s residents and their contribution to London’s prosperity”.

The initial project is to build a new training kitchen and restaurant in time for the start of the new college year in September 2018. The project will support expanded opportunities for skills development and employment prospects for over 200 local residents over the next 4 years.

Modern technology will be a key feature of the new kitchen. This will include ceiling mounted cameras for students to record and review their skills. Kitchen and restaurant monitors will show demonstrations and customers can see the kitchen at work. The project will support a wide range of students to develop skills for the workplace with the latest equipment including induction hobs. It will also include specialist equipment such as adjustable height workbenches to give full access for students in wheelchairs.

Waltham Forest College has strong links with famous restaurants and hotels including the Waterside Inn, Delaware North, Claridges and the Ritz. Students in Hospitality and Catering enjoy a full range of daytime and evening courses. There is also a wide choice of apprenticeships so they can learn while they earn. The College trains chefs, front of house restaurant staff, butchers, bakers and baristas. A stand out feature of the training is that it reflects the many and diverse cuisines to be found in the Borough.

Beyond the summer, the College is working on plans to complete the modernisation of its main building. It is hoped to integrate the campus with the neighbouring London Borough of Waltham Forest’s site. The College has already been awarded two grants totalling £150,000 from the GLA and Cabinet Office to help progress these plans.

More news

9 mayor good work2     mayor construct acadmey LAIN Horizontal Light london living wage image 5 diversity Matrix      6 esfa 7 eu     1 ofsted 8 dcc     Education and Training Foundation     world skills