New centre to help drive apprenticeships in Southwark

29 November 2018

The Passmore Centre, a new business skills and training hub designed to provide access for local people and businesses to high quality apprenticeships and other forms of employer-supported study, opened yesterday (Wednesday 28 November).

An event was held at the Centre to mark the occasion, hosted by London South Bank University (LSBU) and attended by Peter John OBE, Leader of Southwark Council as well as Southwark councillors, local employers and apprentices.

The Passmore Centre will provide facilities for employer meetings, community engagement and teaching, while serving as a ‘one stop shop’ connecting businesses with potential apprentices from the local area.

The refurbishment and transformation of the Victorian Passmore Edwards library into the new Passmore Centre has been made possible thanks to £5million funding from Southwark Council plus an additional £12million combined funding support from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE, £3M) and LSBU (£4M).

This significant investment has had the additional benefit of removing the attractive but disused Grade II listed Passmore Library building from Southwark Council’s Register of endangered buildings.

Professor David Phoenix, Vice-Chancellor of LSBU said: “I am delighted that with Southwark Council’s support we are able to bring this historic building back into use as the new Passmore Centre for professional and technical education.

“The Passmore Centre will promote education and skills in Southwark for the whole community. Everyone will be able to come here to find out about apprenticeships and other opportunities for professional development.”

He added "Our ambition is that by 2020, 2000 people will have completed apprenticeship and employer sponsored programmes at the Centre. This is part of LSBU’s strategy for supporting professional and technical learning in the local community.”

Cllr Kieron Williams, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Skills and Innovation at Southwark Council, said: “The five million we’ve put into the Centre is an investment in the people of our borough and a boost for our local economy too. It will deliver hundreds of new apprenticeship opportunities, providing our residents with more ways to find great jobs and creating the skilled workers local businesses need.  We’re delighted to be working with LSBU to make it happen."

Page last updated: 29 November 2018