City of Wolverhampton College has won the Association of Colleges (AoC) Leading Light Award for its programme tackling local unemployment and skill shortages. An AoC spokesperson praised the college’s work with small, medium and large employers, including Jaguar Land Rover, BAE Systems and Lego. She said the programme was geared at ensuring that “students and adults are provided with the right skills for the jobs available”. “It is aimed at employees, unemployed people and apprentices. It identifies areas of skills shortages such as construction, engineering and healthcare and sets them as key priorities,” the spokesperson added. “All students enrolled onto a substantial course at the college are given the opportunity to undertake work experience, which introduces them to local employers.” Principal Claire Boliver said: “We are absolutely delighted to win the award because it demonstrates our hard work with employers and the local community to get people back into work.” The accolade was presented by Baroness Sharp of Guildford, president of the AoC charitable trust, at a ceremony in central London (pictured). The college was one of 11 winners in the AoC Beacon Awards. The full list of winning colleges: AQA Award for the Development of Transferable Skills Abingdon and Witney College AoC Award for College Engagement with Employers and AoC Award for Outstanding Leadership of Improvement City of Wolverhampton College UCAS Progress Award for Careers Education and Guidance and CoLRiC Award for Effective Integration of Libraries/Learning Resources Centres in Curriculum Delivery Weston College City & Guilds Award for Staff Development in FE Reading College (part of Activate Learning) Edge Award for Practical Teaching and Practical Learning Rotherham College of Arts & Technology Gateway Qualifications Award for Widening Participation in Learning Barking and Dagenham College Jisc Award for Efficiency through Effective use of Technology in FE South Eastern Regional College Microlink and AoC Charitable Trust Award for Inclusive Learning Leicester College OCR Award for Innovation in FE Exeter College Pearson Award for the Promotion and Delivery of Successful Apprenticeships City College Plymouth Vtct Award for Sport in the Curriculum Bridgwater College