Cheshire College Chronicle March 2024

FOOTBALL STAR GARY NEVILLE INSPIRES STUDENTS AT CHESHIRE COLLEGE

MARCH 2024

READ ALL ABOUT IT.

In here you’ll find an abundance of good news stories, features and updates from students and staff across Cheshire College’s three Campuses.

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JUST SOME OF WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO …

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CHESHIRE COLLEGE HOSTS WOMEN OF WORDS EVENT AT CREWE CAMPUS

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CHESHIRE COLLEGE PRINCIPAL HAND-PICKED FOR DOWNING STREET RECEPTION

AWARD

11

CHESHIRE COLLEGE STUDENT WINS YOUNG ACHIEVER AWARD AT DISABILITY SPORT YORKSHIRE AWARDS

FOOTBALL STAR GARY NEVILLE INSPIRES STUDENTS AT CHESHIRE COLLEGE

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“ I’ve been following Gary’s career since his football days. He’s a very inspiring man and I have a lot of respect for him. Today’s talk was inspiring and motivational, and I admired his message about pushing yourself to succeed.”

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BLOOMING WONDERFUL ENTRY LEVEL GARDEN UNVEILED AT CHESHIRE COLLEGE

CHESHIRE COLLEGE HOSTS WOMEN OF WORDS EVENT AT CREWE CAMPUS

Cheshire College – South & West was delighted to collaborate with Motherwell Cheshire by hosting the ninth annual International Women’s Day event at Crewe Campus.

The event was open to the public and was based around the theme ‘Women of Words,’ providing a platform for local women and girls to share their

creative works with a wider audience.

Hundreds of visitors browsed more than 50 stalls selling baked goods, clothing, candles, beauty products, and more from local entrepreneurs.

The event even attracted some high-profile visitors, including the High Sheriff of Cheshire, Dr Dennis Dunn, Crewe Town Mayor Dennis

Straine-Francis and Cheshire East Deputy Mayor Marilyn Houston.

The event was free to enter and there were plenty of free activities for visitors to enjoy, including musical performances by local choirs and dance groups, rollerblading fun from Railtown Loco Rollers, and an exhibition for Ada Nield Chew (a social activist and campaigner who fought for women’s rights after witnessing the poor working conditions for women and girls in the late 19th century).

Helen Nellist, Deputy Principal at Cheshire College, said:

“

Every year the Women’s Day event provides us with an opportunity to celebrate women and girls, inspiring inclusion both at Cheshire College and in our wider communities.

“ We are very proud of our relationship with Motherwell, and today’s event has been a wonderful demonstration of community spirit, local talent, and support for women’s issues.”

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Cheshire College are providing the technical and practical training to help you develop the core skills and knowledge required to progress in your chosen career.

If you are looking to progress in your current role or retrain in a completely different sector, our HTQs can provide you with the transferable skills to succeed.

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Choosing Higher Education at Cheshire College –South & West will provide you with the opportunity to study locally at one of our three cutting-edge Campuses based in Cheshire.

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Hands on Activities

No need to Book!

The more the merrier.

Cheshire College – South & West’s Principal and CEO Jasbir Dhesi OBE attended an exclusive reception at Downing Street earlier this month.

The event was hosted by Lord Lingfield, Chairman of the Council for the Chartered Institute for Further Education (FE), where a group of handpicked leaders in FE came together from across the country to celebrate the work being carried out across the sector to respond to the skills need in the UK.

According to an Employer Skills Survey published by the government in September 2023, more than a third (36%) of all vacancies in 2022 were skill-shortage vacancies; in which employers judged an employee to lack full proficiency for their role.

Principal Dhesi’s meeting with Lord Lingfield was in recognition of his outstanding contributions to education and Cheshire College’s continued commitment to addressing the skills need under his leadership.

On Cheshire College’s role in closing the skills gap, Dhesi commented:

“ Our goal has always been for students to enter the world of work equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in their industry of study. We have significantly invested in new facilities across our Crewe, Ellesmere Port and Chester sites, and this will enable students to experience the latest, cutting-edge technologies widely used by today’s employers.”

Cheshire College’s latest facilities include a £150K hospital training ward at Crewe Campus, which provides a realistic working environment and state-of-the-art training equipment for Health & Social Care students.

Ellesmere Port Campus recently completed construction on a £680K on-site sustainable house, featuring the latest in green technologies, such as ground source heat pumps and photovoltaic solar panels.

The Construction & Engineering department has also benefitted from a £10M+ investment, obtaining resources such as 3D printers, CAD equipment,

CHESHIRE COLLEGE PRINCIPAL HAND-PICKED FOR DOWNING STREET RECEPTION

robotics, and a new motor-vehicle workshop which can service electric and hybrid vehicles.

As a Further Education provider in the Cheshire and Warrington area, Cheshire College is reaping the benefits from a £14.2M investment project by the Department for Education (DfE) and Institute of Technology (IoT). This prestigious project will equip young people with the technical skills they need in priority areas such as advanced manufacturing, digital and cyber security, health and life sciences, agritech, construction, science and maths.

Additionally, Cheshire College has been leading collaborative work with other local FE providers to respond to the region’s skills priorities, as part of the Local Skills Improvement Fund. An upcoming VIP event at Chester Zoo (which is one of the College’s many employer partners) will focus on Skills for the Future, and will see representatives from local education providers liaising and workshopping alongside employers from manufacturing, health & social care, life sciences, digital, and the low carbon industry.

CHESHIRE COLLEGE AWARD

WINNERS

BLACKPOOL AHT REGIONAL COMPETITIONS

Jodie McDonagh

1st place Fantasy

Hannah Green 2nd place Creative Nail Art

ZEST QUEST ASIA

The Team of 3 students gained a place in the final at the London Hilton Wembley.

Nathan Price

Level 3

They were successful in achieving the Award for the most Sustainable Menu

Amanda Salters

Level 3

Lucy Humphreys

Level 2

FEDERATION OF NAIL PROFESSIONALS – LONDON

Amy McCormack

1st place Student gel polish

Tom Edwards

2nd place Student gel polish

Merren Salter

3rd place Student gel polish

3rd place Student mixed media boxed art

1st place Student manicure

2nd place Student manicure

Rebecca Powell 3rd place Student manicure

1st place Student Instanail

1st place overall Student Nail Champion

3rd place Student learn a skill

CHESHIRE COLLEGE STUDENT WINS YOUNG ACHIEVER AWARD AT DISABILITY SPORT YORKSHIRE AWARDS

An 18-year-old student at Cheshire College – South & West has won the Young Achiever prize at the Disability Sport Yorkshire Awards 2024.

The event, which was hosted at the Centenary Pavilion in Leeds, celebrated successes in disability sport, both by young disabled athletes, and sports professionals who champion the disabled community. Eleven awardwinners were honoured at the event, which was attended by almost 300 people.

One of the winners was Charlie Welsh, who is studying towards a BTEC National Extended Diploma in Sports Coaching and Development at Cheshire College’s Crewe Campus. Charlie, who has Tourette Syndrome and short-term memory, was recognised for his exceptional achievements in gymnastics, which he was been practicing for 7 years.

When asked about winning the Young Achiever Award, Charlie responded:

“ I felt really pleased as I didn’t expect it at all. It’s a great achievement which recognises my hard work in gymnastics.”

Throughout their studies, Sport students at Cheshire College will benefit from a range of impressive facilities, including a fully equipped gym and fitness studio, sports arena, ATP-approved tennis courts, and even a climbing wall at Crewe Campus.

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Cheshire College’s Head of Theatre Operations, Angie Berwick, has won a staggering £10,000 to be spent on new equipment for her department.

After entering the Technical Stage Services competition on behalf of her course, Angie admitted that she was shocked when she received an email confirming she’d won:

“ I was over the moon, as were all our 16-18 and Higher Education students. This money will go a long way and will benefit the students greatly. We honestly can’t thank Technical Stage Services enough.”

The prize money will be spent on equipment manufactured by Chauvet Professional, which designs production-grade lighting fixtures built to the rigorous demands of the touring market, as well as permanent installations.

To commemorate her success, Angie was presented with the prize voucher by a senior member of the

HEAD OF THEATRE OPERATIONS AT CHESHIRE COLLEGE WINS £10,000 FOR NEW EQUIPMENT

Chauvet Sales team at the College’s Ellesmere Port Campus.

The Technical Theatre department has seen its students achieve great success in recent years; including getting industry-leading training through the NRG Programme, two students getting chosen to work at the

Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool, being part of the Tpi Awards Crew, and a group of students visiting ROBE Lighting headquarters in the Czech Republic. The department’s staff and students are excited to see what fresh opportunities their new state-of-the-art Chauvet equipment will bring next.

FOOTBALL STAR GARY NEVILLE INSPIRES STUDENTS AT CHESHIRE COLLEGE

Students and staff at Cheshire College – South & West were delighted to welcome football legend Gary Neville to Crewe Campus on Thursday 29th February.

Neville’s prolific career spans across the worlds of sport, broadcasting and education, having spent his entire football career at Manchester United, he is one of the most successful English footballers, with over twenty trophies under his belt including eight premier league titles and two UEFA Championship League titles. Neville has represented his country and is England’s most capped right-back of all time.

Following his footballing career, Gary went on to excel in the commercial sector and co-founded Salford City Football Club and the University Academy 92, as well as his most recent guest appearance on BBC’s Dragons’ Den.

Over 700 students attended Neville’s talk, which inspired students with insight into his professional football career, and transition into broadcasting and business ventures. Sharing with students the lessons he has learnt, and the importance of

resilience, ambition and hard work. Neville stated:

“

Education is a vitally important part of your career journey, giving you the knowledge and skills to be able to navigate your next steps. If you can combine that knowledge with

a willingness to work hard and do your best every day, that’s what will give you every chance of doing well in your future. It has been great to share my story with the students at Cheshire College and be a small part of their journey.”

Students and staff alike were inspired by Neville’s work including Elliot, who is currently studying Esports at the College:

“ I found out about Gary Neville through Dragon’s Den and I found this talk really interesting and motivational from a business perspective. I’m hoping to build an Esports business in the local area when I leave College, so today’s talk gave me a lot to think about.”

Uniformed Protective Services student Logan added:

“

I’ve been following Gary’s career since his football days. He’s a very inspiring man and I have a lot of respect for him. Today’s talk was inspiring and motivational, and I admired his message about pushing yourself to succeed.”

Principal and CEO of Cheshire College, Jasbir Dhesi OBE thanked Neville for his continued contributions to education and for inspiring the next generation:

“

We were all delighted to meet Gary and to hear him share his insight with our students.

“Cheshire College recently partnered with University Academy 92 as part of our Futures Programme, so we’re very familiar with his incredible work. From speaking with those who attended the talk, it’s clear that everyone left feeling inspired and determined to push themselves to even greater heights.”

We were over the moon to welcome Gary Neville to Crewe Campus for a special sit-down interview and Q&A with our students.

Take a look at some of the highlights in this short video!

FUTURES PROGRAMME

THERE ARE NO LIMITS

The Futures Programme at Cheshire College – South & West provides our students with coaching, support and unique opportunities to ensure your goals for the future are achieved.

Whether your dream is to go to a top university or start on the career ladder in a highly respected industry, we’ll work with you to boost your skills and confidence throughout your time with us.

WHAT OUR STUDENTS SAY…

DYLAN

First Class BA Degree in Philosophy and Theology from Pembroke College, Oxford

I chose to study at Cheshire College due to the excellent standard of teaching and the flexible and enriching nature of the College environment. I was particularly attracted to the College by the Futures Programme. I received incredible help, advice, mentoring and opportunities throughout this programme, and it was pivotal for me getting into Oxford.

USE THE CONTACT DETAILS BELOW TO SPEAK TO FUTURES SUPERVISOR, HOLLY JONES.

Head to the Student Hub when you’re on Campus.

holly.jones@ccsw.ac.uk

01270 654654 (ext. 4832)

Scan the QR code to see what some of our students say about our incredible Futures Programme.

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Your career in Rail

Frequently asked questions

Do I need any previous experience to do this course?

None at all, we are offering full training with an interview for a full time job on completion.

Will I be paid to undertake the course?

The course is fully-funded for those who are eligible but you won’t be paid for attending. If you are in receipt of Universal Credit, you will continue to receive your benefits for the duration of the course until you enter into employment.

What do I need to apply?

You will need Photo ID (Passport, Driving Licence or Citizen Card only accepted) for your Network Rail Sentinel Card and your NI number.

Do I need to take any tests?

You will need to undertake a drug and alcohol test prior to starting the course and pass a Network Rail Medical exam. There will also be oral and written tests as part of the Personal Track Safety course.

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What if I don’t drive?

We will provide meeting points to any successful candidate employed by us and transport them to a location of work. For those who drive, we will pay mileage or cost of public transport (upon receipts provided).

What are the shifts like?

70% of the vacancies are night shifts with mid-week shifts starting 10pm to 6am.

Saturday shifts are 10pm to 8am.

How much will I be paid if successful?

Starting rates are £13 per hour with travel expenses covered and opportunities for career progression.

CHESHIRE COLLEGE INSPIRES SKILLS FOR LIFE WITH NATIONAL CAREERS WEEK

Students at Cheshire College – South & West met with a variety of employers during the week of 4th-9th March in honour of National Careers Week.

The week-long celebration aims to provide a focus for careers guidance activity at an important stage in the academic calendar; allowing students to develop a greater awareness about their future pathways.

Taking place across the College’s Crewe, Ellesmere Port, and Chester Campuses, students met with representatives from an impressive

range of high-profile employers, including Bank of America, d3t Ltd, Schwarzkopf Professional, and TUI.

The College also welcomed former students who spoke with their peers about life outside of further education, whether in an academic or professional capacity.

One of the visiting students was Natalie (pictured above), who studied at Chester Campus and is now a PhD student in bio-engineering at the University of Sheffield. During her talk she gave university application

instructions and shared advice about how to stand out in a university environment.

In honour of week-long celebrations for International Women’s Day, Cheshire College invited numerous employers who aimed to inspire inclusion in their business practices; including Colas Ltd who are promoting greater roles for women in the fields of civil engineering, maintenance and construction.

BLOOMING WONDERFUL ENTRY LEVEL GARDEN

UNVEILED AT CHESHIRE COLLEGE

Learning for Life & Work students at Cheshire College – South & West’s Crewe Campus have unveiled a redeveloped community garden, courtesy of The Prince’s Trust and the Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service.

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the garden, Learning for Life & Work students served tea, coffee and an assortment of homemade baked goods to thank the volunteers for their hard work.

Ashley Woods, Assistant Programme Manager at the Prince’s

Trust for Crewe commented:

“ All-in-all it took about ten days for us to get the garden ready and we’re really pleased with the result. It was a huge collaborative effort and even the joinery students at the College got involved to help build some planters for us.

“We’ve left some bulbs and seeds for the students to plant for themselves, so that they can really make the space their own.”

Staff anticipate that the garden will be a multi-functional resource for students, serving as a mindful area to recharge, as well as a place to discover practical living skills. Assistant Director for Entry Level Callum Carey said that the space will be an extension of the student’s on-site training flat:

“ The garden allows students to practice lots of skills which will help them to live independently. Planting

and watering flowers, leaving food for the birds, even growing their own fruit and vegetables which they can then cook in the training flat.

“We’re extremely fortunate to have such a good working relationship with local employers and charities; and we can’t thank the volunteers enough for this incredible redesign.”

Learning for Life & Work courses are designed for young people aged 16-24 with or without EHCPs who have learning difficulties or disabilities. Cheshire College aims to deliver courses to support young people onto a pathway where they can succeed.

Throughout their studies Learning for Life & Work students have access to well-resourced training flat, sensory kitchen and garden at the Crewe Campus, and an independent living area and tablet-based computers at Ellesmere Port Campus.

Cheshire College is proud to provide impressive facilities at all three of our Campuses.

Whether you’re interested in our newly designed hospital ward at Crewe, our innovative Digital Hub at Chester or our very own Motor Vehicle workshop and Sustainable House at Ellesmere Port, we have the resources to provide expert training and support.

Take a look a closer look at our Campuses through our virtual maps and let us know what you think!

MARCH 2024

HAVE A STORY TO SHARE?

We’d love to hear more! Send your news to p.release@ccsw.ac.uk so we can include it in our next issue.

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p.release@ccsw.ac.uk

OUR LOCATIONS

CREWE CAMPUS

Dane Bank Avenue, Crewe, Cheshire CW2 8AB

ELLESMERE PORT CAMPUS

Off Sutton Way, Ellesmere Port CH65 7BF

CHESTER CAMPUS

Eaton Road, Handbridge, Chester CH4 7ER