[2] The college offers various study programmes for young people and adults as part of the SHCG, including professional, technical and creative courses as well as apprenticeships.

Following substantial building works and consolidation of a number of local school sites, it was opened as the Technical College in June 1952.

The second phase was completed in the summer of 2005 and involved the development of a new technology building which included facilities for motor vehicle, brickwork and construction trades.

A portion of the campus, including the 1930s Deanery building was sold to make way for housing as part of an urban redevelopment programme for the area.

[15] In September 2009 an outdated block was redeveloped to provide learning facilities for 3D creative design, engineering, professional construction and electrical installation.

[16] In 2012 City College Southampton was shortlisted for a Times Educational Supplement (TES) FE award in elearning[17] for the work done in Citybit, the VLE.

[19] Warsash did not remain on the site for the full ten year lease, instead relocating again to Solent University's East Park Terrace in 2024.

[20] In an attempt to manage the financial problem, City College then explored mergers with a number of other education providers in the area.

[21] The FE commissioner's 2016 review recommended a merger with Solent University, but this was rejected by the Department for Education in 2018 over concern for "value for money".

[22] The failure of these merger attempts left the college in a dire financial situation, and it was relient on bailout funding from this point onwards.

[22] In 2022 an investigation from the Further Education commissioner indicated that without intervention the college would collapse; the report led to the resignation of the principal Sarah Stannard.

[26] The campus was the main beneficiary of a 12 million pound investment project in 2024, which will see the development of new facilities and improvements to motor and maritime resources.