Harrogate College joined forces with local employers and community partners over the summer to shine a spotlight on apprenticeships and their power to strengthen local industries.

The Growing Ripon’s Future event, held earlier this year, brought together businesses, training providers and civic leaders to explore how apprenticeships can drive growth, boost skills and keep talent in the local area.

Supporting Local Opportunity

Lilla, Ripon BID Manager, emphasised how vital it is to create opportunities that help young people stay and thrive locally:

“At Ripon BID, it’s something we really encourage – young people having opportunities in Ripon. There’s a fantastic bus service to Harrogate, and we really want to see our young people given opportunities that keep them in the area and help our local economy thrive. Apprenticeships are a great way to do that – they’re flexible, open to adults as well, and they allow our independents to train up young people while managing costs.”

Building the Trades of Tomorrow

From the college side, staff and tutors shared their passion for apprenticeships and their impact on both learners and employers.

Electrical assessor Ben explained how the programme is designed to give apprentices vital, hands-on experience:

“We’re really building up our apprentices’ portfolios of evidence, helping them demonstrate their skills naturally in the workplace. My main passion is to build construction within the north and get people into trades – the apprentices of today will be the tradespeople of tomorrow.”

Louise Williams, Deputy Head of Apprenticeships, shared her personal connection:

“I was an apprentice 21 years ago. Sitting in a classroom wasn’t for me – I wanted to be hands-on and earn while I learned. That ethos hasn’t changed, even though we’re 20 years further down the line. Apprenticeships help businesses grow, whether by developing existing staff or bringing in new talent.”

Expanding Apprenticeships and Adult Learning

Nicola Nash, Deputy Director of Curriculum, highlighted how the college is expanding its apprenticeship and adult learning offer:

“We’ve been growing apprenticeships over the last few years and we’re adding even more, from pharmacy and accounting to property maintenance. Whether you’re leaving school or changing career as an adult, we’ve got a wide range of opportunities. We’ve also introduced short courses like community interpreting and social media marketing, running many of these right here in Ripon.”

Connecting Employers and Apprentices

Behind the scenes, Sue Roberts, Business Engagement and Work Placement Coordinator, connects learners and employers:

“I work with both employers and future apprentices – the goal is to bring the two together. We’ve introduced new courses like property maintenance and hairdressing, and we’re seeing lots of repeat business from employers who want to take on more apprentices after a successful first experience.”

And for learners who need extra support before moving into work or further study, course leader Robin spoke about the college’s Personal and Social Development course:

“It’s about enabling students who’ve had a difficult pathway through education to rebuild confidence and skills in a non-traditional way. Seeing them progress gives me so much joy – that’s why I’ve kept going.”

Looking ahead

With new apprenticeships launching this autumn and continued collaboration with local businesses, Growing Ripon’s Future showcased just how much potential there is when education and employers work hand-in-hand.

Harrogate College continues to support learners of all ages into skilled careers – building the workforce of tomorrow, right here in North Yorkshire.

To find out more about apprenticeships at Harrogate College, contact our team at apprenticeships@harrogate.ac.uk or call us on 01423 879 466

Turning Passion into Practice

Two entrepreneurial Level 3 Business students at Harrogate College, Theo Eastment and Noah Eardley, recently showcased their event management skills by organising a successful Supercar Show in Bingley. This event formed part of their compulsory Event Management unit, which challenges students to plan, deliver and evaluate a live event as part of their coursework.

Hailing from Ilkley, Theo and Noah chose to build on the success of a similar event they hosted in 2024. By replicating their tried-and-tested formula, they were able to apply classroom knowledge to a real-world setting – while indulging their shared love of cars.

Driven by Passion and Purpose

Theo explained their motivation:

“We started doing these events because we have a passion for cars and have always loved attending supercar shows. We thought – why not host our own, in our own way? We want to pursue this in the future because we believe it’s important to enjoy what you do for work.”

“For us, working with cars has always been the dream. We also see a lot of growth potential in this industry and believe we can build a successful business around it.”

Events That Make an Impact

Their most recent event took place on Sunday 11 May in Bingley and attracted around 500 visitors. Their debut event in Ilkley drew in over 1,000 attendees – demonstrating strong demand and a growing following. Importantly, both shows were more than just displays of horsepower and luxury; they raised funds for local charities including Ilkley Food Bank and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

In addition to ticket sales and donations, the students secured paid sponsorships from partners within the automotive industry, boosting revenue and increasing the professional standard of their shows.

Learning in Action

The practical experience has offered Theo and Noah invaluable lessons in planning, promotion, logistics, stakeholder management and budgeting – skills central to both their college course and future careers.

“We were actually inspired to organise our first show during the Harrogate College Open Day,” said Theo. “When Rosemary, our tutor, mentioned the event management unit, we decided to put together a show that summer, right after our GCSEs.”

Both students credit their tutors, David and Rosemary, for providing continuous guidance and support. “They’ve always been available to help us with questions and advice, which has made a real difference.”

Looking to the Future

With two successful events under their belt and glowing feedback from attendees, the duo is already planning their next Supercar Show, provisionally scheduled for August or September 2025.

Keep an eye out on our TNE Supercar Shows (@tne.supercarshows) as we will post information there as soon as it’s booked

Harrogate College’s hospitality students played a key supporting role in a high-pressure cook-off that saw four of the town’s most promising chefs compete for the prestigious Chef of the Year title.

Part of the 2025 Harrogate Hospitality & Tourism Awards (HHTA), the event was held in the college’s professional-standard training kitchens and gave Harrogate College’s hospitality students the opportunity to support the event through logistics and food preparation.

They worked closely with the competitors – observing, assisting, and learning from the region’s culinary elite – gaining valuable insight into real world culinary environments.

The finalists were challenged to create two standout dishes – a refined amuse-bouche and an impressive main course – under the watchful eyes of industry judges and with just 90 minutes on the clock.

Adding to the challenge, the chefs had to work from a mystery box of ingredients revealed on the day, using only equipment provided on-site, with the exception of one personal item. To ensure a fair judging process, the competition was carried out blind, with dishes delivered to the judging panel anonymously.

Danny Wild, Principal of Harrogate College, said: “We were absolutely delighted to host this year’s Chef of the Year cook-off. Not only was it a fantastic showcase of local culinary talent, but it also gave our students the chance to see the very best of the industry in action – right here on campus. Supporting the next generation of chefs and helping to raise the profile of hospitality in Harrogate is something we’re very proud to be part of.”

The event, designed to shine a spotlight on the exceptional hospitality talent in the region, forms part of the lead-up to the main awards evening on Monday 2 June, where the overall winner will be announced.

Tom Gordon, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough and an advocate for the town’s famous hospitality and tourism sector, said: “Events like these provide a brilliant way to celebrate and champion the vital role hospitality plays in our local economy. The culinary skill and creativity on show is truly inspiring, and it’s great to see Harrogate College playing a central role in nurturing future talent.”

Harrogate’s Hospitality and Tourism Awards have been running now for 17 years to celebrate the best of the best that the town has to offer. With hospitality representing a central feature within Harrogate’s economy, these awards capture the imagination of all who work directly or indirectly in hospitality and tourism, as well as many of the general public who use the many bars, restaurants, hotels, cafes and other supporting attractions.

Simon Cotton, Organiser of Harrogate Hospitality & Tourism Awards, said: “The Chef of the Year is one of the most prestigious of the 12 categories in the awards and is a very much sought-after accolade. Several years ago, with the help of Harrogate College, the competition stepped up a significant level, with the introduction of a blind cook-off in the college’s catering kitchens.

“Working with Harrogate College is an absolute pleasure and it is fantastic that their young student chefs work alongside the competitor chefs helping develop their own skills and hopefully inspiring the next generation.”

The cook-off highlighted the creativity, technical skill and passion that exist within Harrogate’s hospitality scene – offering a taste of what’s to come at the Harrogate Hospitality & Tourism Awards in June.

Harrogate College held its first careers session in partnership with Harrogate Town AFC, welcoming young players from the club’s U14 to U16 Player Development Centre (PDC). The event aimed to inspire and inform these aspiring footballers about the many routes their passion for the game could take them, both on and off the pitch.

The evening opened with an engaging talk from Danny Wild, Principal of Harrogate College, who drew on his background in elite sports coaching. His transition from sports to education leadership resonated particularly well with the young audience, demonstrating how skills developed in sport can open doors to a wide range of careers.

Brody Pattison, Harrogate Town’s content creator, followed with a unique and relatable perspective. Starting a YouTube channel at just 13, Brody carved out his own path into a role he now thrives in – showing that creativity and initiative can lead to exciting opportunities within the world of football.

Sarah Barry, CEO of Harrogate Town AFC, closed the speaker segment with an inspiring talk about her journey to becoming a chief executive. Her story, full of determination and resilience, offered a real-life example of where ambition and hard work can lead.

Practical guidance came from Anita, part of the college’s transitions team, who gave an overview of the various options available after GCSEs.

Her advice helped demystify the decision-making process and provided useful tips for choosing the right next step, whether that be A-levels, vocational courses, or apprenticeships.

Parents who attended the session shared glowing feedback. One, with two sons in the U15 group, said: “I found the talks really interesting. I wasn’t sure how my two lads would take it but both listened attentively throughout – this isn’t always the case! I’m keen for them to explore what they might do in the future and using one of their passions, football, was a good way of doing this. More of this please.”

Another commented, “The host and all the speakers were very good. I think if we’d had time to ‘mingle’ at the end, we’d have stayed and asked a few questions of each of the speakers. We’ll definitely be at the next one!”

A parent of a U14 player added, “The careers talk was very informative and gave the boys a wider perspective on the journey their love of football can take them. The speakers were passionate and gave the boys a good insight into the different paths careers can take and said the focus was ‘if you put your mind to it, you can achieve anything.’”

Jo Towler, Commercial Director at Harrogate Town AFC, praised the partnership, saying, “Harrogate College is a vital resource for the local educational and business community, and we appreciate their support for our club and the wider Harrogate District. Our collaboration on the recent careers session adds an important educational element to helping us inspire and develop young people in their future career choices and pathways.”

This session builds on two years of meaningful collaboration between Harrogate College and Harrogate Town AFC, with both organisations continuing to explore ways to support and inspire the next generation through the power of football.

Image credit: Brody Pattison

Harrogate College is hosting a special event to help members of the local construction industry find out about funding and training opportunities.

The CITB (Construction Industry Training Board) funding awareness session takes place at the college on Thursday 26 May.

The event will give attendees the chance to find out about what support, in terms of grants, funding and training, is available.

The session runs from 8.30am to 9.30am and will include three short presentations including from John Long, of CITB, and Lorraine Kirbitson, from North Yorkshire Construction Training Group.

A representative from the college will also give an overview of the courses and apprenticeships that we offer, and show visitors the facilities that are available in our construction department.

Those attending will also be able to find out how to access free training at the college, which is being funded by Zero Carbon Harrogate, later in the year.

The event is open to anyone working in the trades. To reserve your place contact Lorraine on 07713 034917 (email lorraine@nyctg.co.uk) or book on Eventbrite here.

Harrogate College is pleased to be hosting this event as part of its ongoing support for local building sector and our commitment to responding to employers’ needs. If you would like to be updated about similar events and training, join the Harrogate College Employers’ Network.

Adults across Harrogate were invited to get a taste of the curriculum during the college’s Have a Go Fortnight, as part of the national Festival of Learning.

The festival runs each year to celebrate the benefits of lifelong learning, such as improved wellbeing, increased confidence and developing new skills.

Over two weeks, adults aged 19 and over took part in a range of taster sessions to discover a range of diverse subjects. The tasters included still life drawing, ceramics and print, film and animation, hairdressing and computer software.

Alison Carney, Creative Arts Tutor at Harrogate College, said: “The still life drawing session was really positive and enjoyable, it was great to see new faces in a relaxing and social environment. All attendees were keen to know more about the course; it was great to see them all engaged and eager to learn.”

Alex Watson, who attended the still life drawing taster, said: “I chose this taster as I’ve always been interested in art and I love to learn. 

“The session was brilliant; I enjoyed meeting the other attendees and the tutor, Alison, was fantastic! She was incredibly encouraging and friendly in her professionalism.”

If you’re aged 19 or over and would like to discover the range of courses at college, take a look at our adult course page here.