A college in one of Scotland's most deprived areas has delivered a £194 million boost to the country's economy.
Glasgow Kelvin College generates £7 in economic and social value for every £1 of public funding it receives, according to a new report by BiGGAR Economics,
The study reveals that Glasgow Kelvin College has generated £85.4 million in operational impact, £63.7 million in wellbeing benefits, £27 million in social value from qualifications, and £17.8 million in wage premiums as students move into employment or higher-paid roles.
The college plays a crucial role in tackling economic inactivity and deprivation in north-east Glasgow, an area where around 100,000 people live in the 20% most deprived regions of Scotland.
More than 40% of the college's students come from these areas, significantly higher than the sector average of 23.5%.
Joanna Campbell, principal of Glasgow Kelvin College, said: "This report shows how Kelvin is the best-placed institution to help mobilise a hidden workforce.
"We are proud that our institution provides a bridge for people in north-east Glasgow, helping them move from economic deprivation into the skills needed by today’s employers.
“North-east Glasgow has a young population with incredible talent and potential, yet it has some of the lowest levels of wellbeing and highest levels of economic inactivity in the country.
"Everything we do is driven by our mission to unlock this hidden workforce and break the cycle of poverty, unemployment and poor mental health."
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The college is praised for providing pathways for adults out of work, school leavers with few or no qualifications, youth hub attendees, and learners on English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) programmes.
Last year, the college delivered 3839 community learning programmes and 1921 non-accredited courses across 32 community learning centres.
Bob Doris MSP, member of Scottish Parliament for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, said: "Glasgow Kelvin College provide an excellent educational experience for many of my constituents and are responding positively to the skills needs of businesses within our city and beyond.
"This new report demonstrates the wider value of Glasgow Kelvin College to our economy.
"It also makes clear their success in improving educational attainment and providing a pathway to employment for many learners from lower income areas.
"I commend both staff and students at Glasgow Kelvin College for their ongoing efforts, commitment and success.”
The figures come as Scotland's college sector faces deepening financial pressures, with Audit Scotland reporting a near 20% real-terms fall in funding since 2021/22.
Despite these challenges, the report shows how Glasgow Kelvin College is essential in delivering Scotland's future workforce, tackling child poverty, and supporting the transition to a greener, fairer economy.
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Ross Hammell, corporate social responsibility manager at McTaggart Group, added: “We’re proud to work closely with Glasgow Kelvin College across a range of programmes: from school-based initiatives that give young people their first experience of construction, to apprenticeships and site placements across our projects.
"The college consistently opens doors for people who might otherwise be overlooked.
"Those pathways give marginalised people a genuine first step into work and provide our industry with the skilled talent it urgently needs to meet Scotland’s housing and infrastructure demands."
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