Sterling work in the business community has helped a North East education provider retain its position as the best-performing college in the region
In the last month we’ve been celebrating the news that Gateshead College has been ranked as the number one North East college for the fourth year running and the second in the country based on the achievements of our students; a high point in what is proving to be an exciting year for us at the college.
Latest figures from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) show Gateshead College achieved an overall achievement rate of 93.9% in the academic year of 2016-17 – almost 10% higher than the national average and only 0.1% below the top-performing college in England. We’re also in the top ten colleges in England for our work on apprenticeships, which have helped dozens of local businesses get the skills they need to grow and develop.
This is a fantastic reflection of the work and commitment of my colleagues who put everything they have into making sure students succeed. What is most important to me, however, is that our achievement rates have risen each year for the last three years and we’ve consistently been ranked in the top ten colleges in England during this period. This drive to continuously improve, even when we are at the top of our game, is what makes the difference and what is helping students of all ages and backgrounds to progress to higher education, embark on a successful career or start their own business.
This year so far we’ve also seen industry-driven programmes such as PlanBEE, designed to help the construction industry tackle specific skills shortages through a higher level apprenticeship, and the unique Bus Driver recruitment programme delivered in partnership with Go North East win awards on the national stage. Both programmes are great examples of our ability to adapt and create training which plugs skills gaps and deliver what employers want. This approach has also led to new relationships with businesses such as Greggs and Virgin Money and I’m excited to see how they develop.
Engagement with Go Grow, an ESF-funded programme that has seen Gateshead College and our partners deliver almost £15m of training in the last year, has also been impressive. Newcastle Airport, Gentoo, Beamish Museum and a host of small businesses from plumbers to boutique hotels have benefited from the programme, which is designed to help companies strengthen the performance of their business through staff upskilling.
The role colleges like ours play in our region is critical. Our work is diverse, we provide opportunities for everyone, whoever they are and whatever their background, and in doing so help companies recruit employees with the talent, work ethic, skills and qualifications to drive their business forward.
This is why it is excellent to be celebrating this great news about the performance of our college and most importantly our students; their achievements are the greatest demonstration of our hard work. And we won’t rest on our laurels; we are now looking to how we can make things even better because there is always room for improvement.
