Professional Cookery students got a chance to hone their fish preparation skills while preparing a themed menu for St Patrick’s Day.

The Harrogate College students, who recently completed a unit focused on preparing and cooking fish, had to produce a four course meal for paying visitors at the March event.

The dishes they created were inspired by the theme of the Irish Coast. They included salmon pate (served with pickled cucumber and Guinness and treacle soda bread) and cod in white wine and chive sauce, with a traditional lamb stew also prepared as an alternative.

As always on dining nights, the college’s canteen area was transformed into a busy restaurant which, on this occasion, served about 40 guests.

A great success

Harrogate College’s Cultural, Contemporary and Heritage Studies Programme Manager, Jason Parry, said: “The evening put the students’ skills to the test and was a great success.

“The progress they have made was clear for all to see.”

The cookery students also recently enjoyed a trip to Leeds city centre where they were given a hotel tour, visited the Corn Exchange, sampled some dishes at Leeds Trinity, and took a ride on a water taxi.

After sampling the food at Trinity Kitchen the group took part in a challenge that wouldn’t have looked out of place on the BBC’s The Apprentice.

Based at Kirkgate Market, the students were divided into teams that had to gather specific information about seafood and meat, and find the most unusual fruit and vegetables.

The Leeds visit was arranged as a fun-focused reward for the students following months of hard work. 

Professional Cookery student Ellena Harrison-Wood said: “The Leeds trip was an amazing experience for us and the other hospitality students that came along.

“At the market we were shown the importance of shopping locally, and how important community cohesion is when it comes to the hospitality sector and good food in general.

“As for the Saint Patrick’s night meal, the customers had a great time and said we had improved massively since our first Italian night, last year.”

The college, which runs a range of hospitality and professional cookery courses, has been working closely with local businesses to help the sector recover from the impact of the pandemic.

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.

Harrogate College has hailed new proposals to put education at the heart of the UK’s sustainability drive.

The government’s Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy includes plans to introduce a new Natural History GCSE, develop a Primary Science Model Curriculum and promote carbon literacy training.

The Department for Education (DfE) believes those proposals will play a crucial role in the wider push to reduce the country’s environmental footprint.

Harrogate College, which is already working with local employers to provide a range of green skills training – including for the electric vehicle and retrofitting industries – has welcomed the move.

But it is urging the DfE to ensure that sufficient support for vocational training at post-16 level is included in its plans.

Funding vital for sustainability sector vocational courses

Our Principal, Danny Wild, said: “It is great to see the Department for Education taking positive action on sustainability, and there is much to be applauded in this new policy.

“Encouraging more young people to seek jobs in the green sector and learn the necessary, emerging skills that are needed, is vital as we work to produce a workforce fit for the challenges ahead.

“As a further education provider committed to sustainability and supporting the local economy, our college is continually tailoring its offering to do just that.

“We have already run successful retrofit courses and, from September, our curriculum will expand to include more sustainable construction training and courses on electric vehicle charging units.

“However, we need proper support and funding from the government to be able to keep providing and expanding such training as the demand for green skills continues to grow.”

Leading the way on carbon literacy training

Part of the new strategy involves an acceleration of the government’s plans to roll out carbon literacy training at all levels of education.

Education Secretary, Nadhim Zahawi, has also pledged greater support for teaching climate change awareness at all levels by 2023 – and new requirements will be introduced for further education teachers to build sustainability into their lessons.

Harrogate College is already ahead of the game in that regard, having completed its first carbon literacy training sessions for students and staff earlier this year.

Ensuring that carbon literacy training is provided is part of the college’s Sustainability Pledge, which outlines its ambitions to become a net zero carbon college by 2030.

The commitment was announced when the college hosted the launch of the first Harrogate District Climate Action Festival in October, 2021.

May 17 marks the 18th annual International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. The day was created to draw attention to the violence and discrimination which is still experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex people and all other people with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities or expressions, and sex characteristics.

The date itself was chosen to remember the World Health Organisation’s decision in 1990 to declassify homosexuality as a mental disorder. It represents a cultural landmark which can be used to draw worldwide attention to the plight faced by LGBTQ+ people; for example, in 37 of the countries the day is celebrated in, same-sex acts are still illegal.

The day of worldwide celebrations aim to act as a jump off point from which action can be taken. It aims to engage with institutions and policymakers involved in shaping laws across the globe, bringing about positive change worldwide.  

Every year a different theme is chosen. This year the theme which will shape the celebration is “Our Bodies, Our Lives, Our Rights”, a theme which highlights demands to freely express gender and sexuality without threat of violence or subjugation (and a timely statement given current goings on across the Atlantic with regards to Roe vs. Wade). 

Hopefully you can take inspiration from the great events being organised across the globe, which you can access via Twitter. You can also drop into the Harrogate College LGBTQ+ space on Tuesday or Thursday afternoons during enrichment time. This is a safe space for those who identify as LGBTQ+ and straight allies where we chat, play games, and organise college celebrations for LGBTQ+ History Month and Pride. If you have any questions about the society, please email megan.hawkswell@harrogate.ac.uk. 

Artists, sculptors and ceramicists at Harrogate College are preparing to welcome the public to their first North Yorkshire Open Studios event.

The artists – all studying for a Master’s Degree in Creative Practice – have been busy putting the final touches to their work, and workspaces, ahead of the Saturday 4 June showcase.

Featuring over 100 artists, Open Studios gives visitors an opportunity to view and buy bespoke pieces to suit every budget.

North Yorkshire Open Studios gives artists and makers a chance to open their studios, network, and show and sell their work directly to the public over the first two weekends in June. The artist-led event is run by a voluntary steering group of North Yorkshire based artists.  

Dr Annabel Smith, Programme Manager, MA Creative Practice at Harrogate College said: “We are delighted to be hosting our first Open Studios event in June. It gives many of our student artists the opportunity to showcase their work.

“The NYOS event has grown to become one of the major events in North Yorkshire’s cultural calendar, as well as one of the North’s most prestigious open studios events. The college is honoured to be included this year and is highlighting and showcasing work produced by our Year 1 and Year 2 MA Creative Practice students.

“We look forward to welcoming visitors and art buyers from across the district and further afield, who will be able to find out more about the artists, their work and their aspirations for the future.”

The exhibited work will include ceramics, paintings, printmaking and textiles and will be on view to the public in the college’s canteen.

The show takes place from 9am to 5pm.

For more information about the artists visit https://www.nyos.org.uk/

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 monthly 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

Business Newsletter – April 2022

Dear Partners, As a college focused on providing the green skills that our district needs we are always keen to announce new initiatives within this sector. A good example of this took place in April when we issued a press release all about how we are tailoring our courses to provide electric vehicle infrastructure training. Apprenticeships also have a vital role to play when it comes to plugging the national skills gap, so we are pleased to outline in this newsletter the steps we are taking to update our programmes and improve our offerings to best support local employers. Construction is one of the district’s key sectors, and we are delighted to be hosting a CITB funding awareness event at the college on Thursday 26 May when local firms will find out about grants, training and other forms of support.  One of the many events we held during March, for our Green Month, involved a visit from Too Good To Go, which works to reduce food waste by connecting people to restaurants and stores that have surplus, unsold food. We have now created an article all about the visit, as outlined below. We hope you enjoy the read. Danny Wild Principal Harrogate College — Meeting the electric vehicle challenge More training to support the country’s transition to electric cars will be introduced at Harrogate College this September. Harrogate, as recently widely reported in the media, has been revealed to be one of the ‘worst prepared areas in the UK’ in terms of supporting the shift to electric vehicles. Those findings were mainly based on the current scarcity of public charging points, with research showing that the district has just one for every 134 electric or hybrid cars. The college, however, is working hard to address the issue by teaming up with local specialists and providing technical courses to support the electric vehicle (EV) sector – and has just bought some charging units to use in training this September. Read the full story here. — Action on apprenticeships Recent figures have shown that apprenticeship numbers are falling nationwide – and especially in wealthier areas like Harrogate. Harrogate College, however, is taking action to reverse that trend by working closely with local businesses and tailoring its curriculum to deliver the skills they need. The college was part of a 100 in 100 recruitment campaign in February to encourage employers to take on an apprentice to ‘future-proof’ new and existing employees. Principal Danny Wild said: “While Harrogate is a relatively affluent town and many pupils who go on to study A Levels are likely to go on to university, we also need to factor in the increasing number of pupils who are interested in more practical options. “It is vital for businesses to understand how to recruit and support apprentices, and the college stands ready to support them. We work to ensure apprentices have the skills they need for the workforce. If we are to kickstart the economy by upskilling people, we need to promote apprenticeships as an option. “Through the 100 in 100 apprenticeship campaign and the employers’ network, there is plenty of opportunity for us to level up in the district. By addressing the employment and productivity gaps, we want to make sure no one is left behind regardless of what background or pathway they take.” The college currently works with more than 100 employers across industries such as hospitality, construction, science and pharmaceutical, as well as engineering. It consolidated its ties with those businesses by launching the Harrogate College Employers’ Network (HCEN) last October. Mr Wild added: “We are continually looking at ways to use our apprenticeship data so that we are better informed about how we can improve our programmes. We hope that as the employers’ network grows we can gather relevant data from all stages of the apprenticeship journey, both for the apprentice and employer, including on attendance at training right through to the endpoint assessment.” — Fresh thinking on food waste The college, which has made a Sustainability Pledge, is committed to promoting action that protects the environment – and recently introduced carbon literacy training for students and staff. As part of our Green Month activities in March, we brought together students and staff to educate them on the impact of food waste. An article all about the visit can now be read on our website, here. The college invited Lucy Mccarey, from Too Good To Go, to talk about the subject. Lucy, who has spent over two years fighting food waste and is passionate about the planet, introduced students to her top tips such as planning meals and storing food correctly – as well as using resources like the Too Good To Go app, where individuals can buy discounted food from organisations to prevent it being thrown away. —

Construction industry funding awareness event Harrogate College will be hosting a CITB (Construction Industry Training Board) funding awareness session for the local construction industry on Thursday 26 May. The event will give representatives from visiting businesses the chance to fiind out about what support, in terms of grants, funding and training opportunities, 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 we offer, and show visitors the facilities that their staff and apprentices could use in our construction department. Those attending will also be able to find out about how to access free training at the college, funded by Zero Carbon Harrogate, later in the year. To reserve your place contact Lorraine on 07713 034917 (email lorraine@nyctg.co.uk) or book on Eventbrite here. —

We hope you’ve enjoyed this edition of our Business Newsletter – we’ll be back with more next month!

More training to support the country’s transition to electric cars will be introduced at Harrogate College this September.

Harrogate, as recently widely reported in the media*, has been revealed to be one of the ‘worst prepared areas in the UK’ in terms of supporting the shift to electric vehicles.

Those findings were mainly based on the current scarcity of public charging points, with research showing that the district has just one for every 134 electric or hybrid cars.

Harrogate College, however, is working hard to address the issue by providing technical courses to support the electric vehicle (EV) sector – and has just bought some charging units to use in training this September.

Working with businesses to fill the green skills gap

Principal Danny Wild said: “As a college committed to sustainability, we are determined to support emerging green technologies, including those that will enable our transition to greener forms of transport.

“We have been developing our curriculum to provide electric vehicle infrastructure courses, while tailoring our motor vehicle courses to meet the changes in car ownership.

“In doing so we have also been working closely with local firms so we can provide the appropriately skilled, work-ready students they need.

“The electric vehicle sector is a rapidly growing one that represents a fantastic opportunity for both our students and local businesses, and our ever-evolving range of courses will keep adapting to serve that.”

Harrogate district’s electric vehicle future is bright

APS, which runs a national electric vehicle charger repair and maintenance service from its Harrogate HQ, has partnered with the college to set up a training and recruitment programme to meet the growing demand for EV service engineers.

Business Development Manager John Dyson said that was one of many reasons for optimism: “It is ironic that Harrogate has been criticised so strongly for a lack of action over installing EV chargers, when there actually is so much going on behind the scenes.

“Recent announcements by Transdev, that all Harrogate buses are to be electrified, and Harrogate Borough Council, which is to install 34 charge points in local car parks, gives a taste of just what is on its way!”

The college will introduce a new course, the Level 3 Award in the Installation and Commissioning of Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment, this September.

*For example, in this Harrogate Advertiser report.

Harrogate College, as part of Green Month, brought together students and staff to educate them on the impact of food waste.

The college invited Lucy Mccarey, from Too Good To Go, to talk about reducing food waste.

Lucy, who has spent over two years fighting food waste, and is passionate about the planet, introduced students to her top tips such as planning meals and storing food correctly – as well as using resources like the Too Good To Go app, where individuals can buy discounted food from organisations to prevent it being thrown away.

Fun fact

According to research, the UK wastes 2.5 billion tonnes of food yearly while 870 million go hungry. Food waste is also directly responsible for 10% of greenhouse gas emissions.

Students in the fight against food waste

Student representatives at the college are now looking into how they can reduce food waste in the college’s kitchens. A number of students also attended carbon literacy workshops, where they received information on reducing their carbon footprint and how to become more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

Making a difference

Megan Haskwell, Student Enrichment Coordinator at Harrogate College, said: “Waste reduction is a major factor in how we can protect our environment in the future. It can be difficult for young people to recognise the impact of waste, but it’s important to show them how small daily habits can make a big difference.

“Lucy’s webinar was both informative and inspirational. Most of us probably throw away far more over the course of a year than we think and the webinar highlighted what we can do better to reduce food waste.

“We’re continuing to promote the Too Good to Go app and sharing some of the key statistics  around college, so that more people learn about this.”

Harrogate College students have been snapping up the chance to enjoy a fully funded work experience adventure in the United States.

We have teamed up with Camp America to secure dozens of camp placements, for students aged 18 or over, in the States this summer.

More than 40 students have now signed up but more places are still available for anyone who applies by 17 April.

The experience is designed to hone students’ employability skills while giving them a chance to enjoy a different country and meet new friends.

All travel, accommodation and living costs will be covered on the trip via £5,000 of student funding from the Turing Scheme.

To find out more click here. A snapshot of what life on a Camp America placement is like, meanwhile, can be found here.