The college was founded in 1899 as an art school and was renamed later as the Junior Day Technical School, then being restructured to include in its teaching commercial and industrial skills for education in courses like plumbing. The college became South East Essex College of Arts and Technology in 1991. In 2004, the college relocated to a £52 million campus in the centre of Southend, close to main public transport routes and right next to the High Street and mainline railway station. The college formally merged with Thurrock and Basildon College on 1 January 2010 and was renamed South Essex College. In 2013 The Forum Southend-on-Sea opened which has a dedicated South Essex College area on the third floor. In 2014 the Thurrock campus relocated to a £45 million building in the centre of Grays. The college is seeking to relocate its Basildon campus to the town centre in the future. In June 2018 it was announced that South Essex College would merge with PROCAT, a specialist engineering and construction provider based in Basildon, Canvey Island and Ilford. The new Stephenson Road campus of South Essex College was opened under the PROCAT brand.
Courses
South Essex College's Further Education provision includes a wide range of A-levels and vocational courses such as BTECs and apprenticeships. The college offers a range of higher education course including degrees, HNCs and HNDs. Programmes are validated by University of the Arts London and Pearson. The college also offers services to businesses through its Business Development Team and offers apprenticeship training. South Essex College offers Paediatric First Aid Qualifications via .This partnership was set up to ensure Students hold Qualifications to meet requirements under the , and when entering the workplace.
Campuses
Southend Campus
The Southend Campus is located in the heart of Southend-on-Sea town centre, next to Southend Central railway station. The college’s building in Southend was featured in the Learning and Skills Council publication 'World Class Buildings – Design Quality in Further Education' in March 2005 and ‘Better Buildings, Better Design, Better Education’ published by the Department for Education and Skills in 2007. It also won a Structural Steel Award by SteelConstruction.org and was a finalist in the RIBA/LSC Further Education Awards in 2006. It has of space with an atrium accommodating a 250-seat auditorium within the ‘Performance Pod’, dining decks, viewing balconies and social, meeting and event areas. Beauty Therapy students are taught at the Beauty Academy in Queens Road, a few minutes' walk from the main campus. It also offers treatments to the general public. The College also offers purpose-built sports facilities at Wellstead Gardens in Westcliff-on-Sea, with a gym and playing fields for team sports. The Southend Campus also played host to a world record attempt in 2014 where two students tried to break the longest radio show broadcast record. The pair were on air for 88 hours.
Basildon Campus
The Basildon Campus is situated just outside Basildon Town Centre. It specialises in vocational courses ranging from science, hairdressing, health and social care, public services and sport. The Campus offers realistic work environments such as motor vehicle workshops. For those studying animal care, an animal-management centre is on-campus.
Thurrock Campus
In 2014 the Thurrock Campus relocated to a £45 million building in the centre of Grays. The campus offers specialist workshops linked to courses for construction, engineering, media and creative arts in addition to facilities for logistics, childcare, health and social care and IT courses. There is an outdoor amphitheatre.
The Forum Southend-on-Sea
is a £27 million modern library and learning zone located opposite the Southend Campus. South Essex College is a partner in this venture with the University of Essex and Southend Council. The Forum houses a library collection on the first floor and a dedicated South Essex College area on the third floor. As well as hosting most of Higher Education resources, The Forum supports the delivery of the college's HE courses. Students have access to a large range of books and resources as well as around 100 computers and Wi-Fi access. Other areas in the Forum include a University of Essex floor, the Focal Point Art Gallery, a 200-seat lecture theatre and refreshment facilities.
