EmployerLink Spring 2015

SPRING 2015

EmployerLink City College Plymouth working with the local business community

Tackling Youth Unemployment

In this issue: Youth Unemployment Page 1

Industry Focus Engineering Page 2

Funding Cuts for Adult Learners Page 3

employers

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125 YEARS Est. 1889

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From the Editor Welcome to the latest edition of EmployerLink; City College Plymouth’s newsletter for employers. This edition focuses on youth unemployment. On page one, we detail the UK’s economic recovery, which shows that while UK unemployment is falling, youth unemployment is on the rise. We also explore what the College and the City can do to help support our young people.

The College’s industry-standard facilities and well-established links with employers have been helping to meet the national shortfall in skilled engineering apprentices. Vital to the UK’s economy, engineering and manufacturing are also priority growth sectors for Plymouth.

Turn to page two for details and to page five to see how we celebrated National Apprenticeship Week with BBC Apprentice star, Sanjay Sood-Smith, at our employer dinner.

The recent Government announcement around the substantial cuts to the Adult Skills Budget will impact on adult learners and employers. The College is working hard to ensure we continue to provide

From the Principal There has been a consistent improvement in the employment figures nationally and Plymouth is no exception to this trend - even surpassing national averages when it comes to overall employment figures. However, most of us have long recognised that youth unemployment continues to be a significant issue in the City and we must do more to combat the recent rises in unemployment of those aged 16 to 24.

Apprenticeships do, of course, provide a partial solution, and it’s good to see that party leaders across the whole political spectrum are keen to promote and endorse Apprenticeship schemes.

As one of the largest Apprenticeship training providers in the South West, City College Plymouth is best placed to

support to both students and employers so they can access the training they need.

On page three, we explore how the cuts will impact further education courses and what the College plans to do to counter these affects.

In a previous edition of EmployerLink, we shared with you our plans for investing in our young people’s future through science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). To that end the College has secured funding for a new state-ofthe-art training centre for the City and wider region. Turn to pages two and four for more information on this and the launch of the College’s new STEM Centre at our Kings Road campus.

On page seven, we introduce a new member of the College’s Senior Leadership Team, Simon Friend, and celebrate the success of Julie McLean (Director of Work-based Learning & Schools Partnerships) who was awarded an MBE in the New Year’s Honours List for her services to education.

In line with our commitment to offer training and skills that are needed by employers, we are delighted to be introducing a new course; new Government proposals mean that paediatric first aid training will be made compulsory for nursery staff. City College

support the young people of Plymouth into employment. There are now many opportunities for young people to earn while they learn with some of the City’s premier businesses, such as Babcock, Princess Yachts and Foot Anstey; we need to encourage young people to seriously consider these opportunities.

As you might expect, the College has plans in place to meet the future needs of businesses and young people in line with recent City-wide developments such as the Plymouth and South West Peninsula City Deal, and the recent announcement about South Yard’s Enterprise Zone. I was absolutely delighted to announce earlier in the year that the College had secured funding from the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership, the Regional Growth Fund and Plymouth City Council to build a new centre dedicated to science, technology, engineering and maths. This £13million development will be a game-changer for the City’s training and education priorities around

is now offering a two-day course which meets the new requirements and is being run monthly. Turn to page nine for details and more ways on how we can help those in employment to up-skill.

The theme of youth unemployment through Apprenticeships runs throughout this edition and on page 12, we share our plans to celebrate the successes of the City’s apprentices with Plymouth’s first ever Apprenticeship Graduation Ceremony. Higher and advanced level apprentices will don the traditional cap and gown and join family and employers to receive their certificates at the event which is being held in the Hoe Graduation Marquee in the autumn.

I hope you enjoy reading EmployerLink.

We aim to keep you informed with all the latest education and training news, but if there is a topic you would like to see covered please e-mail me at srobbie@ cityplym.ac.uk.

Sharron Robbie Director of Marketing, Corporate Relations & Enterprise

STEM and related provision in these key growth areas.

We are well positioned to support the City in its future ambitions and we are working tirelessly with both public and private sector organisations to ensure that Plymouth realises its full potential.

The future certainly looks bright for the City and its businesses. It is, therefore, an ideal time to secure a better future for our young people.

Phil Davies Principal & Chief Executive

EmployerLink www.cityplym.ac.uk/employers

Plymouth Ahead of UK Recovery, but Youth Unemployment Gives Cause for Concern The South West has the lowest unemployment rate

4.5%

We start 2015 on a high note with the news that the UK’s economy is recovering, added to that, the latest figures released by the Office of National Statistics show that unemployment is down. All good news …

Plymouth’s recovery is also on the up with our contribution to the economy growing at a rate of one per cent more than the UK as a whole. Unemployment in the City has fallen 24.5 per cent since last year to January 2015 due to a concerted effort to encourage job creation in the local area. This is a trend which should continue in 2015 with projects such as the City Deal’s phased handover of South Yard, creating over 1,200 high value jobs in the marine industry.

The announcement in the Chancellor’s budget speech in March that Plymouth will receive its first Enterprise Zone, centred on South Yard, will also bring more investment to the City and aid economic recovery, creating a positive outlook for the City’s businesses.

For Plymouth’s young people, however, there is still much work to be done. The figures from the Office for National Statistics show that the number of 16 to 24 year olds not in employment in the UK increased by 30,000 to 764,000. This was the first quarterly rise in youth unemployment since the summer of 2013.

At the time of these announcements, Business Secretary, Vince Cable, had warned that there was “more to be done” to improve young people’s prospects. He said: “Youth unemployment remains too high. That is why we will continue to encourage firms to invest in the UK and equip British workers with the skills they need to compete in the jobs market.”

Since comparable records began in 1992, the unemployment rate for those aged 16 to 24 has been consistently higher than that for older age groups. It is clear, therefore, that to succeed in the current job market, young people need to ensure they have the employability skills that employers are looking for, including a commercial awareness and ability to add value from day one of their employment.

148,000 Sources: Office for National Statistics, ‘Employment up 143,000 compared with the previous quarter’, 18 March 2015; ‘Employment up 103,000 compared with the previous quarter’, 18 February 2015; ‘GDP and the Labour Market - Q4 2014 Quarterly Update’, 18 February 2015;

NEETs in England

Across the City, the number of young people claiming job seekers’ allowance rose by 12.5 per cent in just one month between December 2014 and January 2015. Although the number of claimants has fallen from this time last year, the percentage of young people who are unemployed in Plymouth is higher than the South West’s regional average. This could be due to a lack of awareness of the opportunities that exist.

One option which allows young people to launch straight into paid training in their chosen industry sector, and which has received endorsement by all political parties, is Apprenticeships. In the South West, the number of Apprenticeships is on the rise, with the region second only to London in terms of Apprenticeship opportunities for people who want to earn while they learn. A leading provider of Apprenticeships in the South West, City College Plymouth, matches over 1,000 apprentices to jobs every year and has a success rate 15% above the national average.

The College also supports employers to help unemployed young people to find work; for example, Sector-based Work Academies, which are run in partnership with Jobcentre Plus, provide a bespoke training programme which guarantees participants an interview with a company. To date, the College has helped local transport company, Plymouth Citybus, to recruit over 30 new staff and supported MGB Engineering and the Mount Batten Centre to fill positions in their businesses.

All the options offered by City College Plymouth have a core focus on employability, adaptability and enterprise, ensuring that when students leave us they are fully prepared for the challenges they may face in the job market. They have demonstrable industry knowledge and the confidence to take advantage of any opportunity which comes along.

‘Employment up 37,000 compared with the previous quarter’, 21 January 2015.

CBI, ‘Labour Market Update, February 2015.

Plymouth Herald, ‘Plymouth unemployment down 24.5% yearon-year in Jan 2015’, 25 February 2015.

T: 01752 305026 E: employers@cityplym.ac.uk

Plymouth Herald, ‘Plymouth economy growing faster than the UKs, 18 February 2015.

BBC News, ‘UK unemployment falls to 1.86million, 18 February 2015.

Plymouth City Council, ‘Plymouth Growth Board and Economic Development 2014 Update’ January 2015.

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Industry Focus - Engineering Engineering is a vital part of the UK economy, with the latest projections indicating that engineering employers have the potential to generate an additional £27billion per year from 2022.

If the UK is to benefit economically from this, then the sector will need to meet the forecasted demand for 257,000 new vacancies in engineering enterprises.

The most recent report from EngineeringUK - an independent organisation that promotes the vital contribution of engineers, engineering and technology in our society - analysed the engineering industry’s capacity and capability for growth and detailed engineering provision in education, training and employment. It showed that engineering accounts for a quarter (24.9 per cent) of UK turnover, but that there is a current annual shortfall of 55,000 skilled workers.

At the time of this report, Vince Cable, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, said: “A strong British engineering sector is vital to Sources: Engineering UK Report 2015 ‘The State of Engineering’.

Engineering UK, ‘Failure to meet engineering skills demand to cost UK £27bn a year’, February 2015.

the long-term sustainability of our economic recovery, and increasing the supply of engineers is at the heart of this.

In Government, we’re working hard to make sure we have the skills we need in 2022 and beyond, but we need to work with industry to make sure we inspire the engineers of tomorrow, today.”

Businesses operating in Plymouth are aware of the value of training young people to support this key growth industry for the City and the College works closely with leading engineering companies, including Babcock and Princess Yachts, to train engineering apprentices.

engineers use these subjects to develop their career is crucial in engaging young people today.

The College’s state-of-the-art Engineering Centre offers young people the opportunity to work in real life workshop environments. The industry-standard equipment that students use has been developed with input from engineering employers. This ensures that they learn their skills on equipment and machinery that they will find in the workplace.

Vital to increasing the number of skilled workers to combat this nationwide shortfall is capturing and holding young people’s interest in the subject from an early age. Gaining an awareness of STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects and, more specifically, an understanding of how professional

The Guardian, ‘We won’t get more engineering students by lowering tuition fees’, 23 February 2015.

The Guardian, ‘UK should be embarrassed by its lack of female engineers, says Ed Miliband’, 24 November 2014.

College’s STEM Centre Launch A new STEM Centre for the City has been officially opened at City College Plymouth.

The new facility is a dedicated science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) centre for young people and businesses in the City. Packed with the very latest technology, the Centre is designed to capture the imagination of young people and promote interest in the vast range of career pathways and options available to scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians.

The launch event was attended by representatives from STEM related businesses across the City including, the National Marine Aquarium, UTC Aerospace, and the Women in STEM Group. Attendees were given an exclusive tour of the facilities and were encouraged to ‘have a go’ at the STEM activities on offer. The Centre was officially opened

by Councillor Tudor Evans, Leader of Plymouth City Council.

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Cllr Evans said: “These are great facilities which I hope will inspire our young people to throw themselves into subjects that could open so many doors for them. I am delighted to be a part of this special day and hope those who enjoy what the College has to offer will choose to stay here and help Plymouth thrive and flourish.”

Phil Davies, Principal & Chief Executive at the College, said: “The UK has an acknowledged shortage of skills in STEM subjects and there has been much emphasis placed on educational establishments and industry alike to encourage young people into STEMrelated careers. The Centre, as a purpose-built learning environment, will act as a flagship facility for the City.

“The STEM Centre is a significant addition to our strong entrepreneurial credentials. We believe that skills and qualifications will be effective only in combination with the broader attributes of enterprise awareness, creativity, confidence and resilience.”

The Centre is available to College students, local employers, community groups and to local primary and secondary schools to use in order to promote and raise awareness. In addition, the space may be used for team building events based around STEM activities.

i If you are interested in visiting the Centre or would like to discuss the activities on offer please call 01752 305050 or e-mail STEM@cityplym.ac.uk.

EmployerLink www.cityplym.ac.uk/employers

Funding Cuts for Adult Learners Key facts - City College Plymouth: • 8,448 adults trained in 2013/14 • 5,381 adults trained in 2014/15* • 4 21 adults helped through the College’s Plymouth Advice Centre for Employment in 2013/14 and 229 adults in 2014/15*. *Figures correct as of 31 March 2015

Key facts - National: • 2 4 per cent cut to Adult Skills Budget announced by the Government • currently over one million students aged 19+ participating in Government funded further education • the Association of Colleges estimates over 190,000 adult places could be lost in 2015/16 • s paces in health, public services and care hit hardest - potential for over 40,000 adult places lost • spaces in IT hit hard with estimated 10,500 places lost • Apprenticeship provision has been ring-fenced.

The Association of Colleges (AoC) has warned that adult education will not exist by 2020 if the Government continues with its swathe of cuts to the Adult Skills Budget - the funding that supports those aged 19+ in training.

In February 2015, with the focus on Apprenticeships as the best way to get young people into work, the Government announced a further substantial cut to non-Apprenticeship adult further education in England. Funding for adult learners will decrease by 24 per cent for the 2015/16 academic year.

Further education colleges in England have a reputation for providing adults with high-quality technical and professional education and training. Adult students aged 19 and over can take courses from basic skills qualifications right through to university-level Foundation Degrees.

The concern is not only how this will impact on further education colleges, but the knock-on effect which will be felt by

employers who rely on them to train and up-skill their staff. With essential courses potentially at risk, the onus may be put on employers, or students themselves, to cover the costs left by the funding gap.

As one of the leading providers of adult training in the South West, City College Plymouth is working to ensure that we are still able to support both students and employers in accessing the qualifications and training they require.

City College Plymouth has an excellent reputation for adult training in the City, training over 5,000 adults every year, ranging from those employed and looking to up-skill, individuals looking to retrain, or those who are unemployed and looking to develop their skills to get back into work.

businesses alike and means they have much more control over the training they undertake.

There is a significant amount of opportunity for adults to change their career or retrain through Apprenticeships; the College currently has over 100 vacancies with businesses across the Plymouth travel-to-work area. Alongside this the College also supports over 400 unemployed adults every year to gain the skills they need to get back into work.

City College has strong links with the business and wider community and will continue to support adults in the City and wider region to gain the skills they need to succeed.

Although the cut in funding is disappointing, the College is working hard to ensure that it is able to offer adults the training and support they need. The introduction of loans for those aged 24 and over is a plus for adults and

Sources: Association of Colleges, ‘Association of Colleges warns of the end of adult education and training provision by 2020’, 25 March 2015.

Responsive College Unit (RCU) statistics commissioned by the Association of Colleges.

T: 01752 305026 E: employers@cityplym.ac.uk

Skills Funding Agency: Statistical First Release SFA/SFR27, 29 January 2015: Further Education & Skills: Learner Participation, Outcomes and Level of Highest Qualification Held.

AoC College Key Facts 2014/15.

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New Training Centre for City Gets Go Ahead Between 2012 and 2020, the UK economy will require

2 5 830,000 72% Nearly in

firms have difficulties recruiting staff with STEM skills and knowledge.

In Autumn 2014, we brought you the news that City College had secured £5.43million of capital funding towards the development of a purpose-built facility which will provide a new hub for learning centres of excellence in science, technology, engineering, maths (STEM), creative and digital technologies and marine engineering. We are delighted to share with you the news that this new state-of-the-art centre will now go ahead, subject to planning permissions, thanks to financial support from Plymouth City Council and round six of the Regional Growth Fund (RGF).

The College has received £2.7million from the RGF; the fund supports areas that are traditionally more reliant on the public sector to increase private sector investment and encourage businesses to expand. City College Plymouth’s Centre of Excellence is one of several projects that are benefiting from Government investment to create jobs and fuel business expansion across the region; but is the only further education college to have been awarded funding.

Following this announcement, Plymouth City Council agreed, in principle, to set aside up to £4million of funding towards the building of the new Centre, which will inspire and train learners in key priority growth sectors for the City.

Announcing the funding in February, Cllr Tudor Evans, Leader of Plymouth City Council, said: “We are absolutely delighted to provide funding to be able to support this project, which will help provide more career opportunities for young people in Plymouth.

“This new Centre will be a fantastic resource; not only for the College but for our wider community and will play a key part in all future developments as part of the City Deal.

I am delighted that it will help contribute to Plymouth’s ambitions.”

The Centre will help to drive the City’s productivity and economy by stimulating interest in STEM subjects amongst potential students, young and old, those who are just entering the labour market and those wanting to up-skill or retrain. It will also provide support for higher-paid STEM jobs in the area, thus retaining and maximising Plymouth’s talented workforce and helping to ensure that Britain’s Ocean City is recognised as a world leader in STEM development.

Sources: Jobs and Growth Report RAE 2012.

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scientists, engineers and technologists, to replace those leaving the sector.

of all UK businesses rely on people with STEM skills.

The Centre will support key growth sectors in the City, such as marine, and will have cutting-edge facilities, workshops and laboratories. It will also have a sustainability focus, both in its planning and construction and in the STEM subjects being taught.

The College will work closely with employers to develop the curriculum for the new Centre ensuring that the skills needs for the next ten to 20 years are met. Students will graduate workready, with the key employability skills required to meet the future needs of Plymouth’s employers.

Phil Davies, Principal & Chief Executive of the College, said: “This really is absolutely tremendous news and we are grateful to the Council who have recognised the significant contribution which the College is making and will continue to make, in supporting the economic, social and cultural aspirations of the City.

“The College is the principal provider of technical and vocational skills-based education for young people and adults in the City. It is essential that the College is able to support existing and future regeneration projects and contribute to the wider skills needs of the City and region.

This, in turn, supports the region’s strategies for growth and prosperity by delivering employer-driven provision, creating job-ready students and proactively promoting wealth creation through embedding enterprise and employability in everything that we do.”

The proposed funding from Plymouth City Council will add to the £5.43million of capital funding awarded to the College last summer as part of the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Growth Deal and the recent award of £2.7million from the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills’ Regional Growth Fund.

The realisation of this significant project will also enable City College to fulfil its long term aim to relocate all its activities onto one site at Kings Road. Initial timelines indicate that the new facility will open in September 2017.

Confederation of British Industry 2013, Ready to Grow.

CBI Education and Skills Survey http://www. wherestemcantakeyou.co.uk/docs/Why_STEM_ Careers.pdf.

EmployerLink www.cityplym.ac.uk/employers

BBC Apprentice Star Celebrates with Employers

Now in its eighth year, National Apprenticeship Week celebrates all that is good about Apprenticeships and raises their profile amongst employers and young people.

As part of this year’s celebrations, City College Plymouth welcomed the star of the most recent series of BBC’s The Apprentice, Sanjay Sood-Smith, into the College. Sanjay joined local, regional and national employers for an evening of fine dining and celebration in the College’s PL1 Restaurant.

Sanjay went from being one of the youngest bank managers in the country to reaching the final six candidates to be Lord Alan Sugar’s apprentice on the popular BBC TV show. Sanjay is now pursuing his dream of opening a restaurant and working with Stonewall, a lesbian, gay and bisexual charity which promotes equality for all.

“So many businesses across the City appreciate and value apprentices. City College works closely with employers to deliver first-class Apprenticeships through a wide range of vocations, including engineering, hair and beauty, and construction. Our apprentices’ success rate is 15 per cent higher than the national benchmark and so, we really are well placed to help businesses develop their workforce through Apprenticeships.”

City College’s high success rate in placing Apprenticeships is due to the close links it enjoys with City employers. The College’s Apprenticeship programme is providing young people with a valuable start to their career, giving them the opportunity to obtain the relevant technical skills and qualifications at College whilst gaining that all important work experience that will allow them to progress up the career ladder.

Emma Taylor, Marketing & Corporate Relations Officer at the College, said: “We were delighted to welcome Sanjay as our guest speaker for this year’s National Apprenticeship Week dinner.

T: 01752 305026 E: employers@cityplym.ac.uk

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Better Careers Advice for Young People Needed A report from the Local Government Association (LGA) suggests that better careers advice is needed to prevent young people from disengaging with education and training. It estimates that the teenage dropout rate costs the country £814million per year.

The LGA commissioned the Centre for Economic & Social Inclusion to analyse the latest figures which were for the year 2012/13. The researchers combined dropout and failure figures on A Levels, Apprenticeships and further education courses to give a total of 178,000 16 to 18-year-olds not completing their courses. Of these, 92,000 students withdrew from schools, primarily from AS and A Levels; 24,200 did not complete Apprenticeships or training courses; and an estimated 61,900 withdrew from further education courses.

These latest figures come one year after the Government announced the creation of a new careers and enterprise company for schools, which would aim to transform the provision of careers education and advice for young people and inspire them to explore the opportunities offered by the world of work. The report, however, proposes that councils should be given more control over careers advice to ensure teenagers ‘pursue the right course for them’.

Cllr David Simmonds, Chairman of the LGA’s children and young people board, said: “Local councils, colleges, schools and employers know how to best help their young people and should have devolved funding and powers to work together to give young people the best Sources: Local Government Association, ‘Post-16 education drop-outs failed by ‘Bums on seats’ policy costing £800 million a year’, 2 February 2015.

chance of building careers and taking jobs that exist locally.”

A recent Ofsted report suggested that, while some schools offer good impartial advice and guidance to their pupils, overall the careers advice currently on offer is inadequate. Only 12 of 60 schools inspected by Ofsted - the Government agency responsible for inspecting schools, colleges and private training providers - ensured that all of their pupils received sufficient information to explore a wide breadth of career options.

Better careers advice provision would challenge the belief that raising the age of participation in education or training to 18 is about making people stay on at school for longer. Young people have several choices: they can continue to stay in full-time education at school; attend college on a full-time, vocational course; continue their studies part-time at college while working or volunteering; or they can apply for an Apprenticeship, which allows them to earn while they learn. Now, more

Department for Education, ‘New careers and enterprise company for schools’, 10 December 2014 (www.gov.uk).

TES, ‘Teachers are ‘crucial’ part of careers advice puzzle, says Teach First’, 2 March 2015.

than ever, it is crucial that young people are made aware of all the options open to them.

City College Plymouth holds the Matrix Standard - a national quality standard for any organisation that delivers information, advice and guidance on learning and work. The Standard reflects the College’s high quality, impartial careers advice service, its links to employers and industry and its continuing commitment to ensure that all of its students leave the College work-ready with strong employability skills.

Furthermore, the College is committed to fostering an enterprising spirit within its students, allowing them to gain key employability skills that enable them to be work-ready and also have a positive impact on the local community. Since 2012, over 7,000 City College Plymouth students have taken part in enterprise activities in order to prepare them for the world of work.

Ofsted, ‘Going in the right direction?’, September 2013 (http://www.thecdi.net/write/Going_in_the_right_ direction_(Ofsted_Report).pdf).

Traineeships: Supporting Workforce Development The Traineeship programme helps unemployed young people (between the ages of 16 and 24) to develop the necessary skills and experience to progress to an Apprenticeship or longterm employment. The programme allows employers to fulfil their corporate social responsibilities of helping people into employment and can act as an interview period for the employee to demonstrate their value for a future position within the company.

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A Traineeship covers a work placement and preparation for employment training, including English and maths qualifications, which must be completed within this period. Work placements provided as part of the Traineeship programme must be of a high quality, involve meaningful activities which provide a real employment experience in a workplace setting and last for between six weeks and five months.

i Funding support is available for organisations wishing to take on a trainee. For more information call 01752 305026 or e-mail employers@cityplym.ac.uk.

EmployerLink www.cityplym.ac.uk/employers

City College Welcomes Simon Friend Simon Friend joined the College as Vice Principal for Curriculum & Quality in January 2015. With responsibility for curriculum development, teaching, learning and assessment strategies and quality improvement, he is placed right at the heart of ensuring students leave City College with the best possible learning experience, qualifications and employability skills to prepare them for the next phase in their career development.

Simon grew up in Devon, studying at Queen Elizabeth’s School in Crediton before starting his career as a heavy plant machinery apprentice.

Simon said: “I was always interested in science and emerging technologies.

I knew I wanted to earn whilst developing key skills and gaining a valued qualification and so an Apprenticeship suited me perfectly.”

Simon spent 18 years in the engineering industry, working on projects all over the UK as well as right here in Plymouth before moving into education.

Simon said: “I was always responsible for training apprentices and I found this to be one of the most rewarding aspects of my work, seeing them develop over time into highly competent engineers. This is what eventually led me to working in education; I could focus on what was a very rewarding aspect of my work.”

Simon joined Exeter College as a lecturer in the Faculty for Engineering, Aerospace, Automotive and Construction where he worked for 12 years, during which time he was appointed to the college leadership team. He took the decision to move to another South West-based college, South Devon College in 2010, leading on curriculum development, work-based

training and international development.

Simon made the move to City College Plymouth because he could see the potential in the College and the City.

He said: “It’s an exciting time to be working in further education; we’re emerging from a time of austerity into a time where we are seeing a real upturn in the economy, with new jobs and employment opportunities emerging across all of the key industries and sectors.

“City College is already doing so much to support young people and prepare them for employment, however, it is not just about young people, and there are opportunities for up-skilling and retraining for those already in employment or looking for a change of career. City College puts the student first, which is an ethos I fully endorse and I am looking forward to taking the College to the next level, where we are rated ‘outstanding’ across all areas.”

Julie McLean MBE

Apprenticeship was the Icing on the Cake

Julie McLean, Director of Work-based Learning & School Partnerships at City College, was awarded an MBE in the New Year’s honours list for services to education.

The owner of Mrs Brown’s café and bakery, Georgia Rowe, says that her Apprenticeship was the key ingredient in her recipe for success.

Julie has worked at the College for 29 years and in that time has positively impacted on the lives of over 27,000 young people. Julie has worked tirelessly to support young people into employment through Apprenticeships and helping those not in education, employment or training (NEETs) through the highly successful Prince’s Trust programme and innovative teaching models such as Jumpstart, which takes 14 to 16 year olds away from traditional teaching methods to re-engage them in education.

Some of Julie’s most impressive work comes from her determination to help NEETs back into learning and education, as well as helping those unemployed to gain the skills they need to succeed.

Her wealth of knowledge has helped thousands of young people over the years to achieve their full potential.

Georgia, 18, opened the popular North Hill café, shortly after completing her Apprenticeship with the College. The café offers great food, novelty cakes and a fun atmosphere, all presided over by Georgia’s colourful personality and winning smile.

Now a successful business owner, she admits that she was not always so selfassured during her training.

Georgia explained: “I was really confident in the workplace, but when it came to the classroom, I had this mental barrier and would sometimes be shaking with nerves at the thought of going inside. My tutor was really patient and encouraging. She often sat with me on the wall outside, helping me to summon up the courage to enter the building.

I knew it was the only way I could get my qualification, so I found my inner strength and managed to overcome my nerves.”

After taking those initial steps, Georgia threw herself into College life. She absorbed her training and quickly began to produce cakes and breads to a very high standard.

After completing her Apprenticeship, Georgia took the huge risk of deciding to open her own business. It was a bold move for someone so young, but with financial support from her family, Georgia opened Mrs Brown’s in December 2013.

Georgia said: “Opening the café was a dream come true. I am so thankful to my family and the College for getting me here. It was always my ambition to have my own café and cake shop, and my Apprenticeship gave me the opportunity to do it at a much earlier stage in my career than I could ever have anticipated.”

Congratulations to Julie from all her colleagues here at City College!

T: 01752 305026 E: employers@cityplym.ac.uk

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Employer Endorsement Scheme Welcomes its Latest Member City College, said: “I am pleased to welcome MGB Engineering to our Employer Endorsement Scheme, formalising their partnership with the College. It’s a fitting way to recognise the commitment they have made to supporting young people to gain the skills needed to work in the engineering industry, and our work together on the MGB Apprenticeship programme.”

City College Plymouth is delighted to welcome MGB Engineering Ltd as the newest member of their Employer Endorsement Scheme.

Created in 2009, the Employer Endorsement Scheme establishes links between the College and industry.

MGB Engineering joins the ranks of over 50 members, including Babcock International, Princess Yachts, Plymouth Citybus and Plymouth Community Healthcare.

The College has had a long standing relationship with Plymouth-based MGB Engineering, who design and manufacture electrical and electronic housings for use in safety critical applications for the rail, marine and petro-chemical industries.

Over the past few years, the College has worked with MGB Engineering and Jobcentre Plus to help them develop their workforce through a skills specific academy; this resulted in seven new staff being recruited for the company. Last year, MGB took on ten new apprentices as a result of a College facilitated Apprenticeship Academy in Engineering Design. MGB had previously sourced this work abroad and was looking for ways to bring back jobs to the UK that would benefit the local economy. The College has also supported MGB with staff development in electrical training and engineering Foundation Degrees.

Sharron Robbie, Director of Marketing, Corporate Relations & Enterprise at

Stuart Calvert, Managing Director of MGB Engineering, said: “We look forward to continuing our excellent relationship with City College as a member of the Employer Endorsement Scheme. An entrepreneurial spirit has been engendered into MGB Engineering by its founders since its inception and the College’s support in recruiting apprentices and training staff who share these values has been instrumental to our company’s continued growth.”

i If you would like to find out more about working with the College and the Employer Endorsement Scheme, please call 01752 305026 or e-mail employers@cityplym.ac.uk.

Student Awarded Internship with Foot Anstey Cameron said: “Whilst studying, I started thinking about applying for the internship and what opportunities this might lead to, as Foot Anstey is such a prestigious firm. The team at the College helped me no end in my application and provided fantastic advice as and when I needed it. I couldn’t have done it without them.”

Second year business management student, Cameron Phillips, has secured an internship with award winning law firm, Foot Anstey.

Differing from work experience, internships are paid work placements which fit around the student’s studies, so Cameron will benefit financially as well as having the opportunity to develop his employability skills with a high profile company.

Cameron’s internship marks a new development in City College’s relationship with Foot Anstey, who have previously benefitted from training courses offered by the College and are a member of the College’s Employer Endorsement Scheme.

Susie Halliday, Head of Learning & Development at Foot Anstey, said: “We were very impressed with Cameron at his interview and think he will be a good fit here at Foot Anstey. We are focused on supporting the community that we work in, particularly by

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providing opportunities for young people like Cameron.”

Alongside the College’s successful Apprenticeship scheme, this new move to internships provides College students with the opportunity to gain employability skills through shorter-term paid placements, which fit around their studies. The arrangement also benefits businesses, helping them to fill shortterm vacancies, cover skills gaps in their organisation and giving them the chance to trial potential new employees.

i If you are interested in our internship programme, please call 01752 305026 or e-mail employers@cityplym.ac.uk.

EmployerLink www.cityplym.ac.uk/employers

KAM Column Supporting Young People and Much More When speaking to people, I find that there is often a misconception that our work here at the College is focused solely on training young people. While making sure that ‘young people can gain qualifications and experiences that provide them with the appropriate skills that make them employable in their chosen sector’ is a big part of what we do, it does not reflect the full story.

Across the City and wider region, we work with employers to ensure that our curriculum prepares the workforce of the future; however we are also here to support and develop the current workforce. Businesses across the City have identified their own, sector specific, skills gaps and know the areas that they have difficulty recruiting in.

Finding people to fill these gaps is a very real problem and one that cannot

be ignored, but I wonder if part of the solution can be found closer to home?

We talk a lot about ensuring that all of our students leave with the skills that make them employable, but I believe that there is a misconception that this is only relevant to our full-time student population. By taking the context of employability one step further, however, we are able to make those who already have jobs more employable.

There are a number of ways in which we can do this: we can provide accreditation for skills that an employee already possesses; we can provide new skills to people in work; and we can up-skill people to develop their existing skills set to a higher level.

Therefore, shouldn’t we be asking ourselves if we have a true understanding of our staff’s skill set I don’t just mean in terms of the skills they use for their current role, but the ‘other’ skills they have? Those skills

that they have developed through previous jobs or that are a by-product of their interests outside of work.

We make people more employable, even those already in employment. So, I guess my message is if you have a skills shortage, or are struggling to recruit for a role, look to your existing workforce and let us support you.

Matt MacLean Key Account Manager

i To contact Matt to discuss how City College can help you meet your businesses needs through training please call 01752 305008 or e-mail mmaclean@cityplym.ac.uk.

Follow Matt on LinkedIn; search Matt MacLean City College Plymouth.

Paediatric First Aid Training to be Made Compulsory for Nursery Staff Under new Government proposals, training in paediatric first aid will be compulsory for all nursery staff in England.

In March, Childcare & Education Minister, Sam Gyimah, announced the proposals. He said: “Today’s proposals will mean that thousands more staff will be able to respond to emergencies more quickly, making sure parents really can access the very best possible childcare choices for their families.”

City College has welcomed the proposals which will make the training a legal requirement for nursery staff. The College is offering their paediatric first aid course to nurseries and care centres across the City. The course satisfies the Ofsted requirements for childcare settings, the Childcare Register and the Early Years Register.

The two-day paediatric first aid course includes the role of the first aider and how to manage an emergency; communication; all basic life support for babies and children; childhood conditions and illness; injury to muscles, ligaments, bones, head and spine; bites and stings; foreign objects; extremes of body temperature; unconsciousness and seizures. Everything a childcare professional needs!

18 - 19 June / 6 - 7 July / £110 per person

One Day Workshops Available Last few spaces remaining! The following workshops (9.00am - 4.30pm) are available at the cost of £150 per person.

Negotiation Skills and Overcoming Objections Tuesday 9 June Explore ways to approach and conduct negotiation to achieve the best outcome for all.

Project Planning Tuesday 23 June Gain a strong understanding of the principles behind good project management.

Assertiveness and Confidence Management Thursday 2 July Learn how to stand up for yourself effectively without violating another person’s rights.

Minute Taking Thursday 16 July A popular workshop which gives hints, tips and techniques for effective minute-taking.

T: 01752 305026 E: employers@cityplym.ac.uk

EmployerLink

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Herald Business Awards - Congratulations!

Sharron Robbie, Director of Marketing, Corporate Relations & Enterprise at the College, said: “I congratulate the Herald on another sterling evening celebrating the best and brightest in the local business community.

City College Plymouth was proud to be the title sponsor for the 2015 Herald Business Awards for the second year running.

Arguably the top business event of the year, the calibre of nominees at this year’s event was impressive and the evening’s entertainment did not disappoint.

“As the principal provider of technical and vocational qualifications in Plymouth, the College works closely with our industry partners to support their business successes and develop and up-skill their staff, as well as training the future workforce for the City’s employers. Therefore, it is always gratifying to see Plymouth’s businesses being recognised for their achievements.

“We extend our congratulations to this year’s winners and look forward to seeing what further success 2015 brings.”

Salon Apprentices are a Cut Above The brainchild of hairdressing professionals, Robert Medcalf and Brett Glanfield, A Salon Called Fish is a popular and vibrant three storey hair and beauty salon located in Ivybridge, near Plymouth.

With clients coming from around the world, the salon has come a long way since it first opened its doors in 1998 as a small hairdressing salon with enough room for only four clients. Rob and Brett, however, remain grounded in the knowledge of what makes their business successful.

Having gone through the Apprenticeship route themselves, both Rob and Brett know the huge advantages there are to be found in employing an apprentice, both for the business as well as the apprentice.

Someone who has benefitted from their Apprenticeship programme is 18-yearold Jonathan Frownes from Ivybridge.

One of the 1,000 apprentices who are placed into employment by City College each year, he completed his two-year Apprenticeship in 2014 and is now undertaking a year as a Groomer before becoming a fully qualified hairdresser at the salon.

Jonathan said: “I don’t learn well in a classroom environment, so an Apprenticeship and learning on-thejob in the salon was ideal for me. It was also great to be earning a wage and learning at the same time.”

Jonathan has blossomed at A Salon Called Fish, learning new techniques and growing in confidence. He said: “I wasn’t very confident when I first started. I look back and think of how much I have progressed since I started thanks to the College and the guys at the salon. My transformation over the past two years has been great and it’s not just me who has noticed.”

Rob said: “A salon-based Apprenticeship is the most beneficial from a commercial point of view. Taking on an apprentice was one of the very first things we did and we’ve kept taking on successive apprentices ever since.

The process for setting up an Apprenticeship is very straightforward and City College supports us with it every step of the way.

Rob concluded: “Jonathan’s a prime example of what an Apprenticeship can offer a business. If they come on board and are 100 per cent committed from the beginning, you can really motivate that person, your business benefits and they can go far.”

“Apprenticeships provide people with a unique platform for learning, whilst giving them a taste of their chosen profession and the opportunity to earn while they learn.

From an employer’s point of view, it allows you to mould an individual into the perfect employee from day one.”

To find out how an apprentice can benefit your business, call 01752 305206 or e-mail employers@cityplym.ac.uk.

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i

EmployerLink www.cityplym.ac.uk/employers

College Students Help Chamber Explore Exports Plymouth & Devon Chamber of Commerce & Industry is currently providing work experience placements to a group of Chinese international students based at City College.

The students have been giving the benefit of their expertise to the Chamber as they undertake some in-depth analysis and research into the Chinese export market.

With the students’ business awareness, language skills, local knowledge and contacts, they researched export opportunities in China as well as looking at local South West businesses that are already exporting to see if there are opportunities to enter the Chinese market or to expand to new areas.

Eight students worked in pairs on four projects and learned about the Chamber of Commerce in addition to gaining a practical insight into the world of business in the UK, specifically in Plymouth and the South West peninsula. At the end of the work placement, the students presented their findings to Chamber and College staff. Alice (Lin Siman) and Megan (Zheng Megjie) delivered the best presentation and were then invited to present to local exporting businesses at the Plymouth

International Trade Club, which is operated by the Chamber.

This exciting project was made possible with the support of the Plymouth and South West Peninsula City Deal, funded through the Regional Growth Fund. As part of this Plymouth & Devon Chamber of Commerce initiative, the Chamber, together with other Chambers in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset, was charged with promoting international trade and encouraging businesses to consider export or, if already engaged in international trade, to consider expanding into new markets.

Connect - Grow - Succeed

Cate Taynton, Operations Manager (Projects) at the Chamber, said: “The opportunity was advertised to City College students and, although we were only going to take four students, the standard was so high that we decided to take on double the number of applicants and asked them to work in pairs. We were hugely impressed with the language skills, experience

and enthusiasm of the students and are very much looking forward to sharing the results of their projects.

In addition, the Chamber has learned more about how business operates in China and how Chinese businesses go about engaging in international trade.

“We believe this was a great example of co-operation between the Chamber and the College, which will benefit businesses as well as giving the students a great opportunity to gain first-hand experience of British business.”

Sustainable Futures with City College Over the last ten years, City College has saved thousands of pounds and greatly reduced its impact on the environment by improving the efficiency of its buildings. We have invested in initiatives, including upgrading lighting to low energy use, installing automated meter reading and now monitoring the ventilation system in our hospitality building with speed controls. The College is in the lower quartile for its energy consumption under the national benchmarking scheme for colleges known as ‘emandate’.

Recently, the College installed an array of photovoltaic (PV) on its sports hall roof at the Kings Road site. Although similar in appearance to solar panels, PVs work differently; using the sun’s light to directly generate electricity rather than producing hot water or steam. This is the second round of installations to help the College generate electricity from a sustainable source.

T: 01752 305026 E: employers@cityplym.ac.uk

A larger version of the panel you would find on a solar powered calculator, the peak power output for the array is 41.5kWp, with an estimated annual generation of 37700kWh. To put that in context, the Department of Energy & Climate Change estimates that last year energy consumption for the average household in the UK was 4170kWh. Added to the existing 8.5kWp installed on the construction building roof, the College’s total generation capacity is now 50kWp from photovoltaic installations.

The College is committed to improving its sustainable energy sources through projects like the photovoltaic installations.

The PV project was funded by a substantial contribution from EDF Energy and installed by local company, Bonnet Electrical.

EmployerLink

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Plymouth to Host First Apprenticeship Graduation Ceremony The first Plymouth Apprenticeship Graduation Ceremony is due to be held on Saturday 26 September, celebrating the achievements of higher and advanced apprentices in the City.

The ceremony, which has been made possible through funding from the Association of Colleges, will see the City’s training providers working together to organise an inaugural graduation event, which will highlight the positive outcomes that Apprenticeships bring.

The event is being delivered by the Plymouth Apprenticeship Graduation Consortium, led by bid-winners City College, one of 19 successful Apprenticeship providers in the country to successfully bid for a grant to plan and host a ceremony in partnership with Plymouth University. The consortium includes Acacia Training, A Plus Training, Achievement Training, Focus Training, GHQ Training, Pluss Training, Learn Direct and Serco, along with the Devon and Cornwall Training Provider Network.

Hundreds of higher and advanced apprentices from across Plymouth will come together, donning the traditional

cap and gown, along with parents, employers and other organisations involved in Apprenticeships.

Guests will enjoy a traditional graduation ceremony with a special VIP guest, to be announced soon.

Professor Simon Payne, Pro Vice Chancellor (International) & Dean, Academic Partnerships at Plymouth University, said: “Plymouth University is delighted to be working with City College to create an event to celebrate the success of apprentices across Plymouth.

“The growth of vocational education through Apprenticeships - education delivered in partnership with employers - is an important trend in education in the City and across the country. To create an event to recognise the success of apprentices from across hundreds of businesses using the iconic Hoe venue will be a fitting celebration. As the enterprise

university with connections to thousands of businesses, Plymouth University is delighted to support this event.”

i It is hoped that all apprentices in scope will attend, along with family members and their employers. If you have apprentices that would be in scope for this graduation ceremony, or would like to find out more information, please contact the College on 01752 305026 or e-mail employers@cityplym.ac.uk.

Global Company Donates Equipment to City College technical team specifically for the College students. The board can, at the flick of a switch, introduce common faults found in real life situations, allowing students the opportunity to learn and adapt in a safe, simulated environment.

A spokesperson for Schneider Electric said: “Recognising that the College is a leader in innovative and skills-based vocational education, we are delighted to be able to provide the relevant products so that City College is able to train and develop the plumbing and heating engineers of the future.

International company, Schneider Electric, has donated equipment to City College to help train the next generation of plumbing and heating engineers.

Schneider Electric, a multi-national organisation employing over 160,000 people worldwide, was first approached by former College Students’ Union President, Joe Correa. He spoke to the business, which is based at Southway, Plymouth, where the Drayton brand of heating controls are manufactured. Realising the potential of a partnership with the College, the company was keen to give something to support local students.

The donated equipment includes operational controls for central heating and a bespoke training board, developed by the Drayton

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“The College is the perfect choice of organisation to use the Drayton controls and also trial this new equipment with us. Their tutors and students provide the wide range of skill levels needed to appraise this unit. The feedback will be invaluable not only to help inform our product developments but also to create future test rigs tailored for the industry.

This sort of insight and collaboration with local colleges is exactly why Schneider Electric got involved and is testament to the success of City College.”

The equipment will be used for students’ practical assessments, providing top class industry experience in the classroom on the use of high quality control.

EmployerLink www.cityplym.ac.uk/employers

Dates for your diaries ...

Annual Business Dinner and Celebration Evening ◆

Thursday 18 June

◆

7.00pm - midnight

◆ £45

per person, £300 for a table of eight or £150 for a table of four

Join us for the College’s Annual Business Dinner and celebrate the great training achievements of the past year.

This year’s black tie event will include a special drinks reception with entertainment, your very own official photography area and a delicious five-course fine dining experience in our PL1 Restaurant. The evening will also include some special awards to recognise our partnership working with businesses in the City, as well as the training highlights from the last year.

This event sells out quickly and bookings are already being taken. Book your space now to avoid disappointment.

i All corporate events take place in our PL1 Restaurant, Kings Road, PL1 5QG. To book your place, and for full terms and conditions, please e-mail employers@cityplym.ac.uk.

FEstival: College Community Fun Day ◆

Saturday 4 July

◆

11.00am - 4.00pm

◆

Free to attend

The College is once again opening its doors to the community for a day of exciting games and activities, pampering with free hair and beauty treatments, dancing to live music, indulging with home-made food and drink from our onsite restaurant and brewery, craft stalls and much more. Come and join us the fun starts here!

FEstival 2015 will not only celebrate the achievements of our students over the academic year but as the College is celebrating its 125th anniversary, this special event will be even bigger and better than last year!

i If you are interested in participating in FEstival, please contact employers@cityplym.ac.uk.

T: 01752 305026 E: employers@cityplym.ac.uk

EmployerLink

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City College Plymouth … Here to Listen Your feedback is important in enabling us to improve our training and the service we provide to employers, and you can feed back to us in a number of different ways.

1. Ofsted Survey Available Now The survey provides Ofsted, the official body for inspecting schools and colleges, information that helps them to make a decision when they inspect the College, much like in 2012 when the College was graded as a ‘Good College with Outstanding features’. This survey can be accessed at any time through the year so you can record your feedback as and when you want to. Have your say with the official inspection body here: www.employerview.ofsted.gov.uk.

2. FE Choice Survey - Available Now FE Choice is an independent, official body, which compares performance and other valuable information about further education colleges. From this, employers have access to information on success rates, learner satisfaction and employer satisfaction with the training provided by City College. Clients are invited via e-mail to take part so look out for your e-mail. You could be in with the chance of winning £100 of I Love to Shop vouchers for participating in the survey!

3. College Survey - September 2015 The College undertakes an annual employer survey with all current clients (those who have undergone training with the College in the previous year) to enable us to make improvements to our training and customer service. This information directly informs the College on its work with businesses and ways to improve our service and offer.

We encourage feedback from employers and you can do so in a variety of ways either through the survey or via telephone, e-mail or face-to-face. Please contact the College on 01752 305026 or e-mail employers@cityplym.ac.uk.

We work with and support the following organisations …

Plymouth & Devon Chamber of Commerce Connect - Grow - Succeed

Mailing List If you have received a copy of this newsletter from a colleague and would like to be added to our mailing list, or you would like to be removed from our mailing list, please telephone 01752 305026 or e-mail your name, job title, company name and full address to employers@cityplym.ac.uk.

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EmployerLink www.cityplym.ac.uk/employers