This blog is part of our Quality Times series, inviting professionals working with young people with SEND / ALN in further education to speak about their work developing quality provision.
Gareth Ivett is the Principal and founding leader of Creating Tomorrow College, a specialist post-16 provider dedicated to transforming employment opportunities for young people with learning disabilities. Passionate about raising aspirations and breaking down barriers between education and the world of work, Gareth leads the college’s innovative, employment-focussed approach that supports students to achieve meaningful and sustainable futures.
Creating Tomorrow College was established with a clear and urgent purpose: to address the shockingly low employment rates for adults with learning barriers, just 1.9% in West Northamptonshire, far below even the national average. Founded from a trust of special schools, the college’s inception was driven by internal tracking of former learners, which revealed a consistent pattern of poor post education outcomes, particularly in relation to employment.
Leaders knew something different was needed. Many existing providers focussed on independence or life skills programmes – but the gap was clear to us. What was missing was a college that was ruthlessly and unapologetically focussed on employability. And so, Creating Tomorrow College was born; not as a generic provision, but as an ambitious and innovative model entirely built around getting learners into work, and keeping them there.
From the outset, the college team made several non-negotiable commitments. Firstly, they would offer a five day a week programme. After all, the real world of work operates five days a week – so why prepare learners for anything less? Embedding this expectation from day one has led to noticeable benefits, not only in learner readiness but also in mindset, resilience and confidence. Secondly, the college would only offer two highly focussed programmes: the Pathway to Employment and Supported Internships.
The Pathway to Employment is a practical, up to two-year programme designed to expose learners to multiple sectors; after all, how can you make an informed decision on what you want to do if you haven’t experienced it? With classroom-based learning timetabled for a couple of days a week and work placements for the remaining days, learners gain meaningful and varied experience that helps them discover what they are good at and what they enjoy. This exploratory stage is vital in preparing them to make informed choices when moving into their supported internship.
The team’s ambition for the internship programme also dares to be different to the norm. Many existing internship models revolve around placing learners wherever employers happen to be available, but Creating Tomorrow College was determined to put learners at the centre of the process. Rather than shoehorning learners into predetermined employers and roles, the college commits to understanding individual aspirations and then seeks employers who can offer relevant, meaningful opportunities. Internships are five days a week in the workplace – learners do not return to college during this time, reinforcing the idea that this final programme is a genuine transition out of education and into the world of work.
The results speak for themselves. Every learner exiting the programme to date has gained and, crucially, sustained employment.
What truly sets Creating Tomorrow College apart is its unique model of delivery. Recognising the limitations of traditional classroom settings in preparing learners for work, the leadership team sought something entirely different. Inspired by the impact of five-day workplace-based internships, they asked themselves: what if a college could be in the workplace?
That question led to the creation of their first campus at The Chester House Estate, a heritage visitor site open to the public. The estate, rich in history and diverse in its operations, provides an ideal learning environment. Learners engage in everything from catering, retail, and events to site maintenance, marketing, conferencing, and administration. From the very first day, they are immersed in the rhythms and expectations of working life.
But this partnership is no token gesture or superficial social responsibility project. It is rooted in shared values and mutual benefit. The college brings energy, purpose, and a talented group of learners into the Chester House community. In return, learners gain experience in a real, dynamic and multi-faceted workplace. It’s a living example of a true, values led collaboration.
This pioneering model of partnership was then scaled up through a groundbreaking collaboration with global industry leader Iron Mountain, resulting in the opening of the college’s Lutterworth Campus, located within the company’s expansive Magna Park site. Here, learners benefit from state-of-the-art facilities and access to a diverse range of work experiences, all situated within a thriving and dynamic business environment. The success of this model has led to a deepening of the relationship, with Iron Mountain supporting the launch of the Kettering Campus in September 2025 and the planned opening of a Rugby Campus in September 2026. These developments mark a significant step forward in the college’s mission, enabling it to reach and support more learners across more communities while staying true to its ethos of real world, employment focussed education.
Another distinctive feature of Creating Tomorrow College’s strategy is its use of labour market intelligence. The team understands that local employment opportunities vary significantly – even within the same county. Therefore, the college operates on a multi-campus model, with each campus strategically located to support the philosophy of local campuses for local learners meeting local labour Market needs. This ensures learners are not only trained for employment – but for the right employment in their own communities.
Accreditation still plays a role in the college’s offer, but it is not the starting point. Instead, the curriculum has been co-produced with a range of employers, from small independents to global companies, based on one powerful question: What do you really need young people to know, do, and understand when they arrive at work? This approach ensures that learners develop the real-world knowledge, skills and behaviours that employers genuinely value. Accreditation is then captured as evidence along the way, rather than becoming the primary driver of delivery.
Learner feedback consistently highlights how much they value the practical nature of the programmes and how rewarding it feels to be treated as part of a real working team. They thrive in environments where expectations are high, and where their contributions make a difference.
Creating Tomorrow College has not only challenged the status quo – it has redefined what specialist further education can look like. With sustained employment outcomes, innovative delivery models, and learner voice at the heart of its strategy, it stands as a powerful example of what is possible when education dares to be different.