Fareham College
Fareham College is a Further Education institution in Hampshire, England, delivering vocational, technical and apprenticeship programmes to school leavers, adult learners and regional employers. It operates the CEMAST engineering campus and now forms part of South Hampshire College Group following its 2023 merger.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1901
- HeadquartersFareham, United Kingdom
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Fareham College does
Fareham College is a Further Education institution headquartered in Fareham, Hampshire, England, operating from its main campus on Bishopsfield Road and the specialist CEMAST (Centre of Excellence in Manufacturing, Engineering, Technology and Science) campus in Lee on the Solent. Founded in 1901, the college delivers vocational and technical education to school leavers (16-19 study programmes), adult learners, and apprenticeship candidates, alongside higher-level technical pathways delivered through the South Coast Institute of Technology. Its programme mix spans engineering, manufacturing, civil engineering, automotive, hospitality (via the Avenue 141 training restaurant), and professional development, with apprenticeship delivery embedded at employer sites through the Business Plus programme.
Revenue is derived principally from government funding channelled through the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), augmented by employer-partner contributions to apprenticeship delivery, European Social Fund grants (historical), and the recent £2.5m Local Skills Improvement Fund (LSIF) award secured in November 2023. The college operates a direct-to-consumer go-to-market model — prospective students enrol via the fareham.ac.uk website, open events and personal campus tours — supplemented by enterprise sales to regional employers seeking apprenticeship and workforce-development pipelines. Named anchor employer partners include BAE Systems (engineering apprenticeships) and Halfords (automotive placements), with the college embedded in The Solent Cluster decarbonisation collaboration alongside ExxonMobil, University of Southampton and the Solent LEP.
In August 2023, Fareham College merged with Eastleigh College and Southampton College to form South Hampshire College Group (SHCG) under CEO Andrew Kaye, materially expanding the group's geographic and curricular footprint across the Solent region. The merged group secured nearly £12m of planned investment in industry-standard learning environments and received a positive Ofsted monitoring visit in May 2024 noting 'significant progress' across all reviewed areas, building on Fareham College's 2017 Ofsted Outstanding grade — one of only three awarded in England under the post-2015 inspection framework.
Fareham College firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Fareham College
- Legal name
- South Hampshire College Group (operating as Fareham College)
- Website
- https://fareham.ac.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1901
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Fareham College is a Further Education institution in Hampshire, England, delivering vocational, technical and apprenticeship programmes to school leavers, adult learners and regional employers. It operates the CEMAST engineering campus and now forms part of South Hampshire College Group following its 2023 merger.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Fareham College industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Further Education / Vocational Training
- NAICS
- Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Operations, Supply Chain & Logistics Management Schools (EDAHAHAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Project, Process & Quality Certification Prep (PMP, PRINCE2, Lean Six Sigma, ITIL) (EDANAIAE)
Keywords
Where Fareham College is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fareham
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Fareham College business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Government-Funded Education: Fareham College operates as a state-funded Further Education institution. Revenue is primarily derived from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) and the Department for Education, which allocate public funding for vocational education, apprenticeships, and adult learning programmes.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Fareham College product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Fareham College is a further education college offering vocational qualifications, apprenticeships and technical training programmes for 16-19 year-olds, adult learners and apprentices. It delivers study programmes in subjects such as engineering, construction, marine technology, business, and digital skills through dedicated delivery centres including CEMAST, CETC and Avenue 141, alongside a Business Plus service for employer-led training and workforce development.
Product overview
Fareham College operates as a Further Education institution offering vocational programs, apprenticeships, and higher education. The college has a unified educational offering centered on campus-based training facilities including CEMAST for engineering and manufacturing, CETC for civil engineering, and Avenue 141 restaurant for hospitality training. Programs include 16-19 study programmes, apprenticeship pathways, and professional development courses, all supported by the South Coast Institute of Technology for higher-level technical education.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- 16-19 Study Programmes Full-time study programmes for school leavers aged 16-19, combining vocational qualifications, English and maths, work experience, and personal development. Funded via ESFA and aimed at progression to skilled employment, apprenticeships or higher education.
- Apprenticeship Programmes Workplace-based apprenticeship programmes across multiple occupational sectors (engineering, construction, business services etc.), blended with day-release / block-release delivery at the college, funded via the apprenticeship levy and ESFA.
- CEMAST (Centre of Excellence in Marine, Engineering and Technical Studies) Specialist training centre delivering vocational qualifications in marine, engineering and technical disciplines. Used by full-time students, apprentices and adult learners in those trades.
- CETC (Civil Engineering Training Centre) Specialist training centre for civil engineering and construction vocational programmes, used for Apprenticeships and full-time study programmes in those subject areas.
- Avenue 141 Dedicated adult-learner and apprenticeship delivery centre used for part-time and evening programmes, supporting adult retraining and apprenticeship delivery.
- South Coast Institute of Technology (IoT) membership Consortium membership delivering higher-level STEM and technical education pathways across the South Coast region, in partnership with other regional FE, HE and employer partners.
- Business Plus Employer-facing training and workforce development service - bespoke training, apprenticeship recruitment, staff upskilling and consultancy-style support delivered to regional businesses.
Quantifiable outcome
- 98% of students progress into further or higher education, employment or an apprenticeship
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Fareham College
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Fareham College technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Fareham College partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- The Solent ClustercoreSouth Hampshire College Group (SHCG) joined The Solent Cluster as a member alongside over 100 organisations including founding members the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), ExxonMobil, and University of Southampton. The collaboration aims to substantially reduce CO2 emissions across industry, transport and households in the Solent region, positioning the college group as a hub for green skills development aligned with Net Zero 2050 ambitions.
- Hampshire Chamber of CommercecoreHampshire Chamber of Commerce served as the employer representative body tasked with conducting the skills gap research for the Solent region to identify where further investment would be needed. SHCG led the consortium that submitted the successful £2.5m Local Skills Improvement Fund (LSIF) bid based on this research.
- BAE SystemscoreBAE Systems is a key employer partner referenced in the Outstanding Ofsted report. Fareham College's CEMAST campus delivers next-generation BAE Systems engineering apprenticeships in Lee on the Solent and Portsmouth, providing industry-standard training in advanced manufacturing and engineering disciplines.
- HalfordsminorCEMAST partnered with Halfords on a new recruitment initiative where Halfords managers interviewed and selected CEMAST automotive students for work experience, leading to five students securing part-time positions at Halfords centres across the region (Fareham, Gosport, Hedge End, Eastleigh, Portsmouth).
- University of SouthamptoncoreFounding member of The Solent Cluster alongside SHCG, Solent LEP, and ExxonMobil. The university provides academic leadership on decarbonisation research and skills development within the cluster, collaborating with further education providers on curriculum and training programmes.
- Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP)coreFounding member of The Solent Cluster. The Solent LEP provides strategic leadership for economic development and skills in the region, working with SHCG and other partners on decarbonisation and skills initiatives.
- ExxonMobilcoreFounding member of The Solent Cluster alongside SHCG. ExxonMobil Low Carbon Solutions contributes to the cluster's vision for low-carbon fuel production, energy for heating, and carbon capture and storage, with the Solent region having capacity to capture up to 10 million tonnes of CO2 annually.
- Brockenhurst CollegeminorMember of the Solent consortium that received the £2.5m Local Skills Improvement Fund. The consortium includes multiple colleges and training providers working together to address regional skills gaps.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Fareham College competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Basingstoke College of Technology (BCoT): BCoT is a Hampshire Further Education college with a strong technical and engineering focus similar to CEMAST — a direct peer for technical apprenticeship delivery and STEM-rich vocational training in the broader Hampshire catchment.
- Havant and South Downs College: Havant and South Downs College is a Hampshire FE college delivering A-Levels, vocational training, and apprenticeships — comparable in size and curriculum mix, serving overlapping catchment areas in the Solent and south Hampshire region.
- New College Swindon: New College Swindon is a Further Education college offering vocational, technical, apprenticeship, and higher education programmes — comparable in size and curriculum mix to Fareham, competing in the same broader south-central England FE market.
- Brockenhurst College: Brockenhurst College is a Hampshire-based Further Education college offering vocational, A-Level, and apprenticeship programmes — a direct competitor co-bidding with Fareham on the Solent LSIF consortium and competing for the same regional 16-19 and apprenticeship learners.
- Chichester College: Chichester College is a West Sussex Further Education college offering technical, vocational, and apprenticeship programmes — a comparable regional peer with overlapping Solent/coastal employer relationships and similar apprenticeship provision.
- City of Portsmouth College: City of Portsmouth College (formerly Highbury College) is a Portsmouth-based FE college offering vocational and apprenticeship programmes — comparable peer competing for Solent-region learners, adult returnees, and employer-sponsored training.
- Portsmouth College: Portsmouth College is a neighbouring Further Education college in the Solent region offering A-Levels, vocational courses, and apprenticeships — competing directly with Fareham for Portsmouth-area school-leavers and apprenticeship placements.
Broad incumbents
- Solent University: Solent University is a Southampton-based higher education institution offering degree programmes and professional training — a broader incumbent in the Solent education market that overlaps with Fareham's higher-education pathways and employer partnerships, including co-membership in The Solent Cluster.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Fareham College social profiles
Digital presenceFareham College financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Fareham College leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Fareham College funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Fareham College M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Fareham College
What does Fareham College do?
Fareham College is a further education college offering vocational qualifications, apprenticeships and technical training programmes for 16-19 year-olds, adult learners and apprentices. It delivers study programmes in subjects such as engineering, construction, marine technology, business, and digital skills through dedicated delivery centres including CEMAST, CETC and Avenue 141, alongside a Business Plus service for employer-led training and workforce development.
Is Fareham College a public or private company?
Fareham College is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Fareham College founded?
Fareham College was founded in 1901. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Fareham College based?
Fareham College is headquartered in Fareham, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Fareham College make money?
One revenue line is on record: government-Funded Education.
Who are Fareham College's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Basingstoke College of Technology (BCoT), Havant and South Downs College, New College Swindon, Brockenhurst College, Chichester College, City of Portsmouth College and Portsmouth College. Solent University is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Fareham College have an API?
No public API is recorded for Fareham College.
What industry is Fareham College in?
Fareham College's product category is Further Education / Vocational Training. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAHAF, Operations, Supply Chain & Logistics Management Schools, with a secondary code of EDANAIAE, Project, Process & Quality Certification Prep (PMP, PRINCE2, Lean Six Sigma, ITIL). Its NAICS code is 6115 and its SIC code is 8200.