An Oldham engineering college that has trained apprentices for decades has quietly closed its doors, with the site now set to become a storage and retail centre. Oldham Engineering Group Training Association shut down its base on Lees Road due to falling numbers of learners and a decline in partnerships.

The training centre, which once prepared around 75 apprentices each year for engineering roles, will be converted into a warehouse and shop under plans approved by the council. The two-storey building at Mount Pleasant Business Centre will also include external cold storage as part of the change of use.

In a design and access statement submitted with the application, Dr Kanadi Jagafa of Mason and Marlowe architects explained the reason for the closure. “The building was formerly used as a training centre for a range of apprenticeships primarily in the engineering and business services sectors,” he wrote. “However, over the last few years, the training centre has been experiencing declining enrolments and partnerships. It becomes untenable for the business to be sustainable. Therefore, the training centre had to close its doors.” He added that the new use would serve the community and provide jobs for local residents.

The college remains listed on Companies House and with Ofsted, but its most recent accounts show its income almost halved from £720,000 to £370,000 between 2023 and 2024. Its website now displays a 101 error, and its Facebook page has been deleted.

The site is thought to have closed suddenly in autumn 2025. The college management were approached for comment but did not respond.

The closure comes despite a ‘good’ rating from Ofsted in September 2024, which followed a previous rating of ‘requires improvement’ in 2022. At that time, inspectors praised knowledgeable tutors with industry experience and a specialist curriculum covering areas from welding to Aircraft Maintenance Licences.

The loss of the training centre has prompted concern among some Oldham residents about future opportunities for young people seeking careers in manufacturing or engineering, sectors that were once a mainstay of the local economy.