It's been a dynamic year for the North East's leading FE college, as Gateshead College continued to outperform many of its peers nationally, creating skilled young people fit for work.
Hard work wins’ was the mantra at the heart of everything the college did throughout 2016. It’s an ethos which is instilled in students and apprentices from day one of their studies and underpins every aspect of how the college operates with staff, partners and the business community.
Driving performance standards
Gateshead College retained its position as the number one college in the North East and was named sixth in the UK based on the success of its students.
Impressive statistics showed that 95% of students had a positive destination after finishing their studies, meaning they either went on to further or higher education, started an apprenticeship or secured employment.
Innovative work with business
Striving to work differently to others in the sector; Gateshead College genuinely seeks to work as a business partner and devise innovative ways to solve problems that local and regional employers have.
When Ryder Architecture and a consortium of designers, builders and project managers, revealed that training and even traditional industry qualifications were no longer fit for purpose, the college worked closely to design a new solution.
PlanBEE, a campaign for change in the built environment, aims to address the skills gap in the construction industry while educating people through a new architectural, engineering and management programme. The college has mapped out a new way to recruit and train young people for careers in the sector. Its success is being monitored nationally.
Elsewhere, through a partnership with G4S Utilities and Energy and Utility Skills, the college was once again at the forefront of innovation when it became the only college in the UK to proactively address the skills shortage in the energy sector. The introduction of a pioneering trailblazer apprenticeship resulted in a course that will deliver the training needed to meet the high demand for an extra 6000 smart meter installers and training to upskill 3000 existing installers by 2019.
Getting the North East working
As well as developing bespoke solutions for employers, Gateshead College tries to take a broader view to meet skills shortages and address unemployment in key sectors in our region. Working with partners intu Properties and Job Centre Plus, a new initiative Retail Gold was created. The pre-employment training provides job seekers with essential skills and retailers in intu Eldon Square and intu Metrocentre with a world class recruitment and training solution. Hundreds of local people have got back to work as a result of the programme.
Industry standard facilities
Investment in facilities in 2016 ensured that apprentices continue to receive industry standard learning experiences and their employers can be confident that training is up to date and industry relevant.
The £5.5 million Skills Academy for Automotive, Engineering, Manufacturing and Logistics based at Team Valley in Gateshead received an investment of more than £300,000 in brand new engineering workshops, providing state of the art lathes, milling machines and supporting tools.
Strong leadership
The accomplishments of principal and chief executive, Judith Doyle were recognised at the highest level this year when she was named FE Leader of the Year in the Times Educational Supplement FE Awards 2016.
The award recognised Judith’s exceptional commitment to helping students progress as well as developing outstanding partnerships with employers and links with the North East LEP, CBI, Entrepreneurs Forum and the North East England Chamber of Commerce.
At the heart of our community
An organisation with a strong community spirit, the staff and students of Gateshead College have also found time to raise funds for their own charity the Gateshead College Foundation, which supports students to cover some of the costs of coming to college, as well as St Oswald’s Hospice, Mind, Macmillan, Age UK and Children North East.
www.gateshead.ac.uk
