What Furness College does

Furness College is a non-profit further education corporation operating from two campuses in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England: the main Channelside Campus (LA14 2PJ), a £47 million facility housing vocational workshops, The Restaurant, The Salon, and sports facilities (gym, sports hall, 3G pitch), and a dedicated Sixth Form Campus at Rating Lane (LA13 9LE) focused on A Levels, BTECs, and T Levels for 16-18 study. The college serves three primary student segments: school leavers (16-18) on full-time academic and vocational courses; adult learners aged 19+ on part-time, evening, Access to Higher Education, and Skills Bootcamps programs; and higher education students pursuing HNCs and Foundation Degrees in partnership with larger universities. A fourth segment, local Cumbrian employers, is served through The Edge consortium (delivering ESF-funded Skills Support for the Workforce to SMEs) and the apprenticeship program funded via the apprenticeship levy.

The core product portfolio spans A Levels, BTECs, T Levels (including Engineering and Manufacturing, Education and Early Years, and Management and Administration), apprenticeships across motor vehicle, health and social care, engineering, and hairdressing, Access to HE Diplomas (e.g., Allied Health Pathway), and university-level courses (HNC in Engineering and Foundation Degrees). Underlying infrastructure is built on standard educational technology: Moodle VLE, Office365 student email, ProPortal parent portal, online application portal at apply.furness.ac.uk, and a Citrix desktop.

Revenue is generated across multiple streams: government ESFA recurrent funding (the largest implied stream), tuition fees (£95 to £3,384 across disclosed programs), Advanced Learner Loans for adults aged 24+, Apprenticeship Levy funded employer contracts, commercial income from The Salon, The Restaurant, and sports facility hire and memberships (students £36/term, staff £12/month, public £15/month), and grant-funded adult programs through the Adult Skills Fund and Free Courses for Jobs. The college holds an Ofsted 'Good' rating, is part of the nationally recognised Defence Technical Excellence Partnership, and has a proposed merger in progress with Blackpool & The Fylde College.

Name

Furness College

Legal name

Furness College

Website

https://furness.ac.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Furness College is a non-profit further education corporation in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, operating two campuses that deliver A Levels, BTECs, T Levels, apprenticeships, Access to HE Diplomas, and degree-level courses to school leavers, adults, and local employers across Cumbria.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Further Education and Vocational Training

NAICS

Junior Colleges (61121)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Development & Continuing Education Divisions (Noncredit) (EDAHADAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Construction & Trades Licensure (Contractor, Electrician, Plumber, HVAC CE) (EDAAALAH)

Keywords

• Further education courses
• Vocational training programs
• Apprenticeship programs
• Higher education diplomas
• Adult learning courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Barrow In Furness

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Furness College charges tuition fees for various courses including Access to Higher Education Diplomas (£3,384), Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training (£2,225), Level 2 Certificate in Gym Instructing (£95), and various other vocational courses. Some courses are fully funded for eligible adults.
2. Government-Funded Education: Many courses are government-funded or available through the Adult Skills Fund, with some qualifications fully funded for adults aged 19+ who are unemployed or earning below threshold. The college receives ESF (European Social Fund) support for workforce training programs.
3. Apprenticeship Levy: Employers can use apprenticeship levy funds to train employees through the college. The college offers various apprenticeship standards across engineering, motor vehicle, health and social care, and other sectors.
4. Advanced Learner Loans: Adult learners aged 24+ may apply for Advanced Learner Loans to fund courses like the Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training. Repayments begin as a percentage of income when earnings exceed threshold.
5. Sports and Facilities Membership: The college generates revenue through gym memberships (students £36 per term, staff £12/month, general public £15/month) and facility hire for sports events, training, and parties.
6. Commercial Services: The Salon provides hair, beauty and therapy treatments at competitive prices. The Restaurant offers catering services to the general public. Sports facilities are available for hire.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Furness College is a further education institution in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, delivering academic and vocational courses from entry level through to university-level qualifications. The portfolio includes A Levels, BTECs, T Levels, Apprenticeships, Access to Higher Education Diplomas, HNC/HND university programmes, adult part-time courses, Skills Bootcamps, and ESF-funded employer training for Cumbrian SMEs. It operates two campuses (Channelside and The Sixth Form) and serves school leavers, adults, and local employers.

Product overview

Furness College is an educational institution offering the biggest choice of courses in Cumbria, operating through a multi-campus model with Channelside Campus and The Sixth Form Campus. The portfolio includes A Levels, BTECs (vocational qualifications), and T Levels (technical qualifications launched 2022), alongside Apprenticeships, Access to Higher Education Diplomas, University Education programmes (HNC/HND), and Adult Part-Time/Evening Courses. The college provides Skills Bootcamps for rapid skills training and The Edge-funded employer training for Cumbrian businesses. Supporting infrastructure includes student services, career guidance, and campus facilities such as The Restaurant (culinary), The Salon (hair and beauty), and sports facilities at Channelside.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Restaurant: A part-time hospitality training restaurant open to the general public for lunches and themed evenings.
• The Salon
• Sports Facilities

Products and services

• A Levels Full-time sixth form academic qualifications equivalent to 3 A Levels, offered to school leavers aged 16-18 alongside BTECs and T Levels.
• BTECs Vocational qualifications at various levels including Extended Certificates, Diplomas, and Subsidiary Diplomas across subjects like Business, Media, Travel & Tourism, and Sport.
• T Levels Two-year technical qualifications equivalent to 3 A Levels, designed with employers, featuring substantial industry placements. Includes Engineering and Manufacturing, Education and Early Years, and Management and Administration.
• Apprenticeships Work-based learning programmes offering practical skills and qualifications across sectors including Motor Vehicle, Health & Social Care, Engineering, and Hairdressing, with both Level 2 and Level 3 standards.
• Access to Higher Education Diploma Diplomas for learners aged 19+ who lack traditional qualifications for higher education, including the Allied Health Pathway preparing students for nursing, midwifery, and physiotherapy careers.
• University Education (HNC/HND and Foundation Degrees) Higher education courses including HNC/HND programmes and partnerships with universities, such as HNC in Engineering and Foundation Degrees in Children, Young People and their Services.
• Adult Part-Time and Evening Courses Flexible learning options for adults including GCSEs, vocational qualifications, and professional development courses across subjects like Business, Computing, Construction, Engineering, and Health & Social Care.
• Skills Bootcamps Short, intensive training programmes for adults offering vocational skills development, including Sport-related bootcamps.
• Supported Internships Programmes for young people with learning difficulties or disabilities to develop work skills and transition into employment.
• FREE Courses for Jobs Fully funded courses for unemployed adults or those earning below £26,800 per year, covering sectors including Health & Social Care, Business, and Construction.
• The Edge - Funded Employer Training ESF-funded training for Cumbrian SMEs and employees, covering sectors including Construction, Nuclear, Advanced Manufacturing, Health & Social Care, and Professional Services, including courses like Mental Health Awareness and Introductory Welding Skills.

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Blackpool & The Fylde College (B&FC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFurness College and Blackpool & The Fylde College are pursuing a proposed merger and have established a national Defence Technical Excellence Partnership. The partnership has received national recognition and involves collaborative work on technical education programs.
• The Edge Partnership (Cumbrian Training Providers)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Edge is a partnership of Cumbrian training providers including Furness College, Carlisle College, and others. The partnership delivers ESF-funded skills contracts including Skills Support for the Workforce, benefiting Cumbrian businesses. Carlisle College serves as the accountable body for the contract.
• Cumbria Local Enterprise PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCumbria LEP supports the ESF skills contracts delivered through The Edge partnership, providing strategic direction for skills development in the county aligned to local economic priorities.
• Partner UniversitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFurness College offers university-level courses and Access to Higher Education Diplomas in partnership with larger universities, enabling students to progress to degree programs.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hopwood Hall College: Greater Manchester FE college serving a similar deprived-area catchment to Barrow, with an analogous adult, vocational and apprenticeship focus and comparable employer-skills orientation.
• New College Durham: North East England FE college of similar scale and curriculum mix (A Level, BTEC, apprenticeship, adult), operating under the same ESFA funding regime as Furness.
• Preston College: Large Lancashire FE college offering a directly comparable 16-18, adult, apprenticeship and HE portfolio to Furness, drawing on overlapping employer relationships in engineering and health.
• Blackpool & The Fylde College: North West England further education college and Furness's proposed merger partner. Operates a similar FE/HE/apprenticeship portfolio and is co-participant in the nationally recognised Defence Technical Excellence Partnership with Furness.
• Yeovil College: Mid-sized UK further education college with an Ofsted 'Good' grading, comparable range of A Levels, vocational, apprenticeship and T Level programmes aligned to local advanced-manufacturing employers.
• Hugh Baird College: Merseyside further education college with a similar mix of A Levels, vocational BTEC/T Level pathways, apprenticeships and an Ofsted 'Good' standing - a directly comparable institution by scale and curriculum breadth.
• Myerscough College: Lancashire-based FE/HE college with an unusually broad vocational and land-based portfolio, including motor vehicle, engineering and HE programmes comparable to Furness's higher-education partnerships.

Regional players

• Lakes College West Cumbria: Cumbria-based FE college with a similar nuclear and engineering employer focus (Sellafield/Nuclear Decommissioning Authority), offering directly comparable vocational and apprenticeship pathways.
• Carlisle College: Cumbrian FE college and Edge partnership colleague to Furness, accountable body for The Edge ESF/Skills Support for the Workforce contract. Closest local collaborator on Cumbria-wide skills delivery.
• Kendal College: Cumbria-based FE college with overlapping vocational, apprenticeship and adult-learning offer to Furness, serving a comparable semi-rural catchment in the South Lakes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/FurnessCollege
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/furness-college
• Facebookfacebook.com/theedgeincumbria

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Furness College