South Thames College, London, United Kingdom

South Thames College, London, United Kingdom Introduction

History, Affiliations & Rankings

Established in 1895, South Thames College is the largest provider of further education i.e. post-16 education and training in London. It started off as Wandsworth Technical Institute and over the years it went through various names and mergers. It has been an institute of excellent training of people looking for skilled work. The college was inspected by Ofsted in June 2009 and again in May 2012 and was awarded a ‘Good’ rating in both inspections. South Thames College has been formed as an independent institution under the Further and Higher Education Act, 1992. It has formed a corporation of 4 colleges, namely, South Thames College, Kingston College, Merton College and Carshalton College. Later on, it was grouped as South Thames Colleges Group (STCG).  

Infrastructure, Campus & Courses

Located in south-west London, South Thames College has two campuses in the UK, namely, Wandsworth and Tooting Campus. Wandsworth forms the region of inner London. It is southwest of London. Wandsworth is surrounded by open spaces like Battersea Park, Wandsworth Common and Tooting Commons. The two campuses are one hour drive away from each other. It offers courses for Post-16 studies and undergraduate programs. It offers certificates and Diploma programs in as many as 27 different fields. Some of the popular courses are Sports and Fitness, Teaching, Music, Game Design etc. 

Accomplishments & Alumni 

The College has partnered with more than 600 businesses and trained roughly 1000 employees in 2016. In May 2020, South Thames College plans to support ‘The Collective’ in their residential blocks construction in Earlsfield and Battersea, over the next few years. This helps the college have access to Apprenticeship, work experience, and potential job opportunities for its students during the construction and operational stage. Some of the well-known personalities from South Thames College Alumni Network are John Boyega (actor), Jordan Kensington (artist), Ayodeji Karim and many more. 

Student Diversity & Visiting Companies

As of 2019, it holds an enrollment of 21,000 students enrolled for BTEC Nationals and A-level courses. South Thames College supports its students through various stages of career development. It offers college progression options, career guidance, helps in getting apprenticeships, enhances employability and finally arranges career events. Organizations who have employed the alumni include Sainsbury's, NHS, South Thames College, Apple, Jacobs, Transport for London, and Marks and Spencer to name a few.