Colleges Week is a celebration of the opportunities colleges create for individuals, businesses and Britain.

Colleges have never been more important to the UK and to building Britain's future. In this tough financial climate, colleges are playing a vital role in providing people of all ages and businesses in the UK with the skills and opportunities they need to succeed. They are helping people to consider how learning a new skill may open up doors and possibilities; how re-training may improve job prospects; how investing in the workforce may speed up business recovery.

In strengthening the reputation of the sector and working together to shout about our successes together we strengthen the reputations of the millions we serve and the qualifications and skills they gain with us:

• Colleges educate and train around 3 million people each year.
• Colleges provide 39 per cent of entrants to higher education.
• Success rates in colleges have risen year on year for more than a decade.
• Two thirds of large employers that train their staff do so through a college.
• 84% of employers who use colleges to train staff are satisfied or very satisfied with the training their staff received.
• 83% of people think colleges are as important to business competitiveness as universities.

Colleges Week is coordinated and organised by the Association of Colleges and the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS).

For more information and facts on colleges in England, visit the Association of Colleges website