From 1876 The Clothworkers' Company, in association with other City Livery Companies and the Corporation of London, began to take action to further technical education within London. In 1878 this led to the foundation of the City and Guilds of London Institute for the Advancement of Technical Education, granted a royal charter in 1900.
In 1907, Imperial College (part of the University of London) was founded, developing in part from the College of the City and Guilds. The Clothworker link is still recorded in a shield in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Today, the City and Guilds is the leading provider of vocational qualifications in the United Kingdom.