Harrogate College prides itself on working hand in hand with local businesses and organisations to provide the skills and training they need to ensure that our economy grows and thrives. Our newsletter is a handy way of keeping our partners informed of developments at the college.
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Dear partners, As we head towards the conclusion of another busy and rewarding academic year we have one eye firmly on the next – and the fantastic opportunities it should provide. Work on our new campus, as you can read about in this issue, is progressing well and on schedule for us to start wecloming students and begin teaching there in January 2027. That is great news both for our students and the business and wider community our college serves, as the new facilities will allow us to really take our training and courses to the next level. Meanwhile, the great work we are doing now, from our current campus, continues apace and continues to provide valuable opportunities for our students and the businesses and organisations they collaborate with through site visits, guest workshops, placements and more. You can read about some standout recent examples of this work in this edition. I hope you enjoy the read. Danny Wild Principal Harrogate College ________________________________________________________ Campus Milestone moment for our new college building We have marked a significant milestone in the development of our new £22m campus by holding a steel beam signing ceremony. The event, which celebrated the completion of the building’s skeletal frame, was organised in partnership with the developers, Caddick Construction, and brought together staff, students, governors and the construction team. The attendees used the occasion to sign a steel beam that will sit at the heart of our new college building, which will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities including a digital technology suite, replica hospital ward, electric vehicle workshop and renewable energy technology centre.Principal Danny Wild said: “Seeing the new campus take shape is a proud moment for everyone at college. Our rebuilt campus will create outstanding opportunities for our students, strengthening our ability to meet current and future skills.” ________________________________________________________ Uniformed Protective Services / Applied Science Putting CSI techniques into practice Teeside University has been helping students learn more about Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) techniques. Our Uniformed Services and Applied Science learners visited the university for an Introduction to CSI that included a seminar focused on the methodology behind note-taking and evidence gathering, including the process of lifting and storing fingerprints. They were also given a chance to put those skills to the test by collecting fibres and blood and came away with a deeper understanding of what the field of CSI, and the careers within it, involve. ________________________________________________________ Partnerships Harrogate College Employer Board – an invitation As one of our valued local business partners, we would like to invite you to join our Employer Board. Members will be able to help shape the future workforce, by advising directly on the skills they need and assisting us to ensure our courses reflect industry requirements and emerging trends.  They can also work with us to strengthen industry links, including through placements, projects and live briefs, and champion the college and its work with key stakeholders. If you are ready to help shape the next generation of talent and contribute to developing a skilled, confident and employable local workforce, please do get in touch. To find out more, contact: lynn-yang.liu@harrogate.ac.uk. ________________________________________________________   Hospitality Supporting – and learning from – leading chefs Our connections with the regional hospitality industry help us deliver top quality training – and we in turn are proud to support the sector. Part of that support involves opening up our professional-standard training kitchens for the Chef of the Year competition. The event, part of the 2026 Harrogate Hospitality & Tourism Awards, saw shortlisted chefs going head-to-head in a Masterchef-style contest to demonstrate their culinary finesse. Our students, meanwhile, provided support as commis chefs, gaining valuable experience of working under pressure. We look forward to continuing, and elevating our support for the industry from our new campus building. ________________________________________________________ Progression Focusing on the next steps Local businesses and universities visited college recently to talk to students about their potential next steps. Our internal Careers and Apprenticeship teams also played a key role in the Student Progression Network Event, which shone a light on the different paths that are available in a range of roles across multiple industries. Our learners also took part in a Bingo-style activity to encourage them to speak with the guests and build their confidence in a networking environment. ________________________________________________________ Sport / Uniformed Protective Services A spotlight on chiropractic care and physiotherapy Two leading lights of physiotherapy and chiropractic care have been sharing insights into the different routes into the industry. Local Doctor of Chiropractic Ben Grant and physiotherapist Jamie Noble, from Family Chiropractic and Physiotherapy Centre, also gave our UPS and Sport students a live demonstration during their visit to college. The learners also got to put questions directly to the guests in Q&A session that shed further light on careers within the sector. ________________________________________________________ Hair and Beauty Salon professional leads skills session Our students were given insights into what it takes to succeed in a busy salon courtesy of guest speaker Becky Rojan. Becky, from Phoenix Lounge Hair & Beauty in Harrogate, also treated our Hair and Beauty learners to a Level 3 colour masterclass during her visit, helping them to develop their technical skills. She spoke, too, about how to keep such skills up to date in an ever-involving industry. Visits from professionals like Becky are invaluable for our students, both in terms of raising their technical levels and gaining a better idea about the realities of their chosen industries. ________________________________________________________ Electrical The benefits of a modular approach Our Electrical students have been given an insight into the techniques behind a Hull-based specialist bathroom pod manufacturer. The visit to Walker Modular gave the group a real insight into how building operations can be carried out in factories – and how this modular approach can be more cost-effective while delivering more consistent quality. Our learners were also given a detailed explanation, backed up with a demonstration, of how the pods are wired and manufactured in a way that means they can be simply plugged in when they are put in place. We are grateful to the contractors building our new campus, Caddick Construction – who are a client of Walker Modular – for arranging the visit. ________________________________________________________ A shout-out to our alumni So many of our students go on to do great and interesting things, in so many different sectors, and we’re proud of their successes. Hearing their stories – some of which are featured on our website’s alumni page, here – helps inspire future generations and shows them the incredible career opportunities that lie ahead. Many of them gain what they need with us to go on to further studies – like Reece Longden, who started his college journey with us in 2017, initially studying IT before moving over to Creative Practice (Art and Design) two years later. After completing his studies with us in 2022, Reece went to our sister organisation, University Centre Leeds, where he gained a Bachelors degree in Film and Screen Media. He is now pursuing a Masters in Creative Practice with University Centre Leeds – and using the work to create our new campus in Harrogate as the inspiration for a film project. He said: “I never thought I would have created a film project related to Harrogate College though, which is something I am proud of! “A major part of my Harrogate College journey has been my tutors. They have all been absolutely brilliant, and I certainly wouldn’t have got to where I am now without their support and enthusiasm. “I’m excited and looking forward to seeing the new buildings taking shape at the college, but also I will miss the current building which has been the core of my educational journey ever since starting in 2017.” Reece aims to pursue film and photography related work once he completes his studies. If you’re a former student, whether you graduated last year or many years ago, we’d love to hear from you! Joining our alumni network is a great way to reconnect, share your journey, and inspire current students. To get involved and share your story, simply scan the QR code below. We can’t wait to hear from you! ________________________________________________________ Courses for businesses We run a number of courses, at different points throughout the year, that could benefit your business. Upcoming sessions include Social Media Marketing for Business, a Social Media Analytics programme, and a Leadership and Management course.  Follow this link to find out more and book your place. ________________________________________________________ We hope you’ve enjoyed this edition of our newsletter – we’ll be back with more next time!

Techbuyer has become the first sponsor of our under-construction £22m new campus.

The sustainable IT solutions firm, which has its headquarters at Hornbeam Park, already works closely with the college on everything from student visits and joint projects to guest talks and work placements.

It has also joined our Employer Board, which was set up to let local businesses collaborate with us to ensure the curriculum is delivering the courses and skills the region needs.

Techbuyer has now become the first commercial sponsor of the new campus which is set to open, furnished with state-of-the-art equipment to meet North Yorkshire’s priority skills needs, in early 2027.

Supporting education, skills development and innovation

The sponsorship will lead to one of the new main building’s digital rooms receiving Techbuyer branding, and to the company committing to two visits per year to talk to students.

CEO of Techbuyer Europe, Steve Sexton, said: “We’re incredibly proud to be the first business sponsor of the college’s new building; this reflects our long-term commitment to education and skills development in the area.

“Access to high-quality learning environments and current technology will help ensure students gain hands-on experience that mirrors the workplace.

“We believe the new building will become a hub for innovation and industry engagement, and help create clear pathways from education into skilled employment.”

Building on strong foundations

Techbuyer Europe’s Head of Marketing, Katie Fraser‑Smith, said: “We see this sponsorship as part of an ongoing partnership.

“From the outset, we’ve been impressed by the college’s commitment to equipping students with practical, industry-relevant skills. 

“We’ve been pleased to offer a range of opportunities to students, including work experience placements, careers talks, and insight sessions into our industry. These give them valuable exposure to real working environments and help bridge the gap between education and employment.

“We’re especially proud that two students who completed work experience with us have since gone on to secure permanent roles within our company. That’s a fantastic outcome for them and for us, and demonstrates the value of early engagement.”

An exciting new chapter ahead

Our new main building will be fitted with high-end kit, including a Virtual Reality studio and eight digital suites, to ensure it can keep pace with advances in technology.

Other new facilities will include a full replica hospital ward, an advanced construction centre and a renewable energy technology base.

Principal Danny Wild said: “It is great to welcome one of our key partners and neighbours, Techbuyer, as the first sponsor of our new college building.

“The company provides so many fantastic opportunities for our students and we have already achieved some great things together. We look forward to further developing this very rewarding working relationship as we move forward into an exciting new chapter for both the college and the region.”

Businesses interested in becoming a sponsor of the new campus, which brings with it a range of promotional opportunities and benefits, should e-mail: Lynn-Yang.Liu@harrogate.ac.uk.

We are excited to have renewed our partnership with Harrogate Town AFC.

Our continued support for the club’s Player Pathway Programme will see us extending the work we are doing to help young footballers explore their options both on, and off, the pitch.

Since beginning our sponsorship of the programme and its Emerging Talent Centre in 2023, this collaboration has resulted in a number of initiatives designed to shine a light on educational and work opportunities.

Inspiring and empowering the next generation

Those have included careers talks featuring presentations from local industry experts including our Principal, Danny Wild, who has a background in elite sports coaching.

He said: “It has been a pleasure to support Harrogate Town AFC’s Player Pathway Programme, and we are really excited to renew the partnership.

“The club, like our college, is focused on inspiring and empowering the district’s young people and opening up opportunities for them to shine and fulfil their potential.

“We look forward to working closely together over the next two years, and to holding further careers sessions to showcase the range of options that are available to the club’s young players.”

Creating lifelong opportunities

Harrogate Town AFC Director of Youth Football, Josh Falkingham, said: “This partnership with Harrogate College continues to be an important part of our youth setup.

“It gives our players a chance to explore the wider opportunities that come from being involved in football, from education to future careers. The alignment in values between the club and college means we’re not only developing footballers, but well-rounded young people who are ready to succeed in the path they choose.”

The club’s Commercial Director, Jo Towler, added: “We’re thrilled to continue building on our relationship with the college.

“Their investment and enthusiasm have had a real impact on our youth pathway and community engagement. It’s partnerships like this that make a tangible difference, combining education and sport to create lifelong opportunities for local young people.”

Our partnership work with local businesses is set to be taken to the next level through the formation of Harrogate College Employer Board.

The new body was proposed at the latest meeting of the college’s Employers’ Network as a way to build on the work we are doing to ensure employers can influence key areas like our curriculum and skills training programmes.

The theme of the meeting, chaired by Principal Danny Wild, was Strengthening Business Relationships: Driving an Employer-Led Curriculum.

The discussions focused on three key areas: 

• Co-designing the 2024-25 curriculum, through working closely with local employers
• Evolving business relationship by creating deeper partnerships
• Introducing Harrogate College Employer Board

An exciting new chapter

Danny said: “We are excited to share details of this new chapter of collaboration with local businesses and are looking forward to working together to create an influential, employer-led education experience for students and industry alike.

“Throughout the meeting, employers provided valuable feedback on strengthening ties between the college and the business community, and expressed strong support for establishing the new board – seeing it as an opportunity to have a more significant influence on the college’s offerings and priorities.

“We will be drawing up and sharing a new action plan, based on these discussions, and inviting employers’ network members to offer further feedback to shape the next steps of this promising partnership.”

Harrogate College prides itself on working hand in hand with local businesses and organisations to provide the skills and training they need to ensure that our economy grows and thrives. Our newsletter is a handy way of keeping our partners informed of developments at the college.

To receive future Harrogate College Business Newsletters directly to your inbox click here

Dear partners, While we are proud to have Harrogate as our base we are a college that is committed to helping train people across North Yorkshire. So we are delighted to now be offering a selection of adult courses in Ripon, which should open up our training to more people across the district. We are also keen to share the benefits of networking more widely, and recently held a successful first Harrogate College Employers Network event in Ripon to meet more business owners there. Even more excitingly, the college is preparing to enter a brand new phase by redeveloping our campus to make it ‘future-proof’ and ready to keep providing the training our employers, and district, needs for decades to come. Elsewhere in this edition you can read about our success at the Harrogate Business Excellence Awards, a visit to the college by Mike Kaye from Energy Oasis, and some of the wonderful business opportunities our students have been benefitting from. I hope you enjoy the read. Danny Wild Principal Harrogate College A new era on the horizon In our fast-moving world the skills our employers need are always evolving – and that means we, as educators, need to stay ahead of the curve. That is why we have an exciting, £22m campus redevelopment lined up. This scheme, which will involve replacing our current main building with a new one kitted out with state-of-the-art facitliies, will help us to keep meeting the area’s skills needs for decades to come. The rebuild will also see a new renewable energy centre created on site to ensure our students  pick up the expertise required by the blossoming green technology sector. The project received planning permission earlier this year but unfortunately, due to a local businessman applying for a judicial review, North Yorkshire Council is now having to re-run the process. So we are currently lobbying the Department for Education to extend the time limit for the funding it had set aside for this project, to make sure the rebuild progresses for the benefit of our coummunity, its residents – of  all ages – and businesses. You can find out more here. ——– Branching out into Ripon We want as many of the district’s residents and businesses as possible to benefit from our courses and training. So we are excited to be starting to offer a selection of courses for adults in Ripon, from Ripon Community House. These got underway with our introduction of a Progression into Care course, plus a ‘skills bootcamp’ on social media marketing, in June. Further skills sessions and courses are set to follow and should e more accessible from this base not just to residents in Ripon, but also the neighbouring communities of Pateley Bridge and Boroughbridge. ——– Business award success! We were delighted to emerge victorious, once again, in this year’s Harrogate Business Excellence Awards. The college won the award for Employee Health & Wellbeing, to the delight of Principal Danny Wild – who thanked everyone who contributed to creating a ‘unurturing and inclusive environment where people feel they have a voice to shape our culture’. He added: “This achievement is a testament to our collective efforts and dedication.” ——– Stately home visit Our hospitality students enjoyed a recent visit to Carlton Towers – a stately home that specialises in laying on weddings, corporate and private events. The learners began their day by foraging in the estate’s expansive grounds for fresh, local ingredients while learning about the importance of sustainability and seasonality in cooking. They then got to use the collected ingredients and put their culinary skills to good use in the stately home’s historic kitchens, where they experimented with different flavours. ——– An energising talk We were pleased to welcome an expert guest speaker from one of our key partners in the local green energy industry. Mike Kaye, the founder and manager of Energy Oasis, came in to share valuable insights with our electrical students about the varied career opportunities in the sector. The students also learned how many of the skills they have been studying could be used in real-life applications during their future careers. ——– Cooking up a victory We were honoured to once more host the ‘cook-off’ for the Harrogate Hospitality & Tourism Awards. Some of the finest local chefs used our catering facilities to create a variety of main courses from a mystery box of ingredients. A panel of expert judges including celebrity chef Steph Moon then used the results to pick the winner, who was later  announced – at a glittering awards ceremony in June – as Iain Wilkinson, from Storehouse Kitchen. ——– . ——– Talking to Ripon’s employers Harrogate College recently hosted its first employer network event in Ripon. The event aimed to cultivate partnerships and strengthen ties between the college and local businesses, to provide a platform for collaboration.Principal Danny Wild used the opportunity to talk about the many benefits enjoyed by Harrogate College Employers’ Network members – including the ability to have a direct say in what training the college provides.He also emphasised the value of the college’s skills bootcamps, which have just started in Ripon, and how they are being tailored to align with the needs of local businesses. ——– Student Spotlight: Student’s creativity on display The work our talented MA Creative Practice students produce is often one of the highlights of the college year. Harrogate’s residents have been enjoying the final project by Mel Linsey, who has created an eye-catching hanging installation at Westminster Arcade, Harrogate. The work was on display throughout May.We hope you’ve enjoyed this edition of our newsletter – we’ll be back with more next time!

Work with us! We are a college that prides itself on collaborating with the district’s businesses and community groups. To find out more contact Business Engagement Advisor Susan Roberts, email: Susan.Roberts@harrogate.ac.uk .