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.

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Business Newsletter – November, 2021 Dear Partners, Welcome to our monthly newsletter which provides updates on how Harrogate College is working closely with businesses to provide an employer-led curriculum that delivers the in-demand skills to best support our local economy. As part of that we recently launched an Employers’ Network which we now have some exciting follow-up events planned for in 2022. Encouraging more adults back into education is part of the wider challenge of filling the nation’s skills gaps, so the college has also been pleased to put on a number of free taster sessions for over-19s, in support of the Festival of Learning, to show the opportunities we can offer to adult learners. Promoting sustainability by providing the green skills that are increasingly in demand as we transition to a more circular economy is also a key part of what we do, and our students recently demonstrated their environmental credentials by supporting Green Jumper Day. Also included in this edition are details on how our students enthusiastically backed I Will Week, and some very positive recent media coverage for the college. I hope you enjoy the read and wish you the very best for the festive season! Danny Wild Principal Harrogate College ——————– Retrofitting success The college kicked off November by teaming up with Zero Carbon Harrogate to host a Retrofit Awareness event, aimed primarily at construction industry professionals but also open to the public. The 30 attendees, who heard from expert speakers about the skills and techniques that are needed to help homeowners increase the efficiency of their properties, gave positive feedback about the usefulness and quality of the information that was shared on the night. The college is now busy developing retrofit skills courses and will be announcing full details of these early in the new year. If you think your business could be involved, get in touch with holly.hansen-maughan@harrogate.ac.uk ——————– HCEN – Next steps in 2022 Collaborating with local businesses to provide the skills that will help them flourish is central to what we do. The launch of Harrogate College Employers’ Network in October was a great opportunity to bring businesses from lots of different sectors together and hear about their training needs. We are now pleased to announce further network events for the coming year, starting with a series of industry-specific sub-group meetings to encourage in-depth conversations between employers in connected fields. These will be held from 14 to 18 February and each will include an open table discussion plus a chance to network, while enjoying complimentary tea and cake. The sessions will cover Energy & Construction, Health & Social Care, Hospitality & Retail, Digital, Education & Training and Business & Finance. Then on June 16 the college will be holding a feedback event for employers to meet and look back on the first year of the network, review progress and agree on the way ahead. Network members, who take part in quarterly discussion groups, enjoy a number of benefits including discounts on courses and free advertising and promotion across the college’s media platforms. For full details about both events and how to book a place click here ——————– Green is the colour Staff and students donned green on Friday, November 26 for Green Jumper Day, an environmental initiative designed to raise awareness of climate change while getting people to wrap up – while turning their heating down. The college’s involvement attracted messages of support from groups like Zero Carbon Harrogate and attention from the local media, including Your Harrogate, which interviewed Student Enrichment Officer Megan Hawkswell. She told them: “Obviously sustainability is going to be really important for the future, for all of our students. It’s where all the jobs are going to be; we’re really committed to providing them with the skills for all those jobs so getting them involved in Green Jumper Day is the real start point of that.” Donations to Green Jumper, a not-for-profit environmental organisation which funds tree planting projects and awareness-raising talks for young people, were also collected on the day. Click here for more. ——————– Having a go and lifelong learning We put on a number of special taster sessions in November as part of our support for the national Festival of Learning campaign, which celebrates lifelong learning. The sessions, designed to encourage adults to find out more about the exciting educational and re-skilling opportunities the college offers, covered a range of subjects including still life drawing, ceramics and print, film and animation and computer software for interior design. Ceramics and still life drawing were both popular choices, to the delight of Creative Arts Tutor at Harrogate College, Alison Carney. She 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.” The tasters were organised during the college’s Have a Go Fortnight for the Festival of Learning. For more information click here ——————– Leading the way – Principal explains the challenges, and opportunities, ahead Principal Danny Wild was the focus of an in-depth article in The Stray Ferret, recently, where he talked about his duties in the ‘hot seat’ of leadership – and the college’s specialist role in delivering vocational and technical training. Danny also elaborated on how the college was delivering green skills, forging ever closer bonds with local businesses, and providing apprenticeships. His interview with the online news site also describes how the college and its facilities have benefitted from the substantial investment it has received since being taken over by Luminate Education Group two years ago. Click here for the full article. ——————– Where there’s a will… As a college, kindness is one of our primary values and we aspire to be an important part of our local community and to support social initiatives. Our students demonstrated their commitment to social action recently by taking part in #iwill week, a celebration and promotion of social action amongst young people. Activities on the day included a student social media takeover on the Students’ Union Instagram page and a pop-up cake stand in reception, where students could find out more, suggest future social action projects and share information about causes they care about. ——————– We hope you’ve enjoyed this edition of our Business Newsletter – we’ll be back with more next month!

Students and staff across Harrogate College came together to raise awareness of climate change by wearing green jumpers.

In its first year, Green Jumper Day is the brainchild of Harrogate Man, Alec Walton and his daughter, in a bid to encourage the community to help the environment.

The father-daughter duo inspired the college’s staff and students to wear green jumpers, turn down the heating to conserve energy and raise money for the cause.

Megan Hawkswell, Student Enrichment Coordinator at Harrogate College, was responsible for organising the event at college.

“The aim of this day was to increase awareness of climate change across the college and encourage individuals to take action. We strive to live our core values, one of which is being progressive. Therefore, it is essential that we develop skills and awareness in our students that will prepare them for the changing world we live in and future jobs in the green economy. 

“Enhancing students’ understanding of environmental issues is a great first step towards building these valuable green skills. Students will have the opportunity to develop these skills further in the new year with our Carbon Literacy Training.

“Learners are encouraged to get involved with environmental campaigns and activities through our enrichment programme. We’ll also be hosting a range of events and activities for students, staff and the wider community for Green Month in March.”

Holly Hansen-Maughan, Partnerships and Development Lead, is a keen advocate for environmental sustainability and recently attended COP26.

“As a college, we are dedicated to tackling environmental issues; we have made a sustainability pledge and aim to be a centre of green excellence. The success of Harrogate’s Climate Action Festival has demonstrated the level of interest and work going on across the region, which we’re committed to being involved in.”

Listen here to Megan talking about the importance of getting involved with the day. 

Four Art and Design Foundation Diploma students with an aptitude for attire have taken home the trophy for an upcycled outfit competition as part of a local fashion show.

The show was organised by women’s group, the Harrogate Soroptimists in aid of Just B, a locally-based support group for bereaved children, young people and adults.

Sustainable fashion took centre stage with outfits sourced from Saint Micheal’s community stores. As part of the show, a creative competition went out to Soroptimists and local schools and colleges to create an upcycled outfit. 

Combining a passion for patchwork with their denim desires, a group of inventive Harrogate College students designed a sustainable outfit made from deconstructed second hand jeans in a bid to win the competition.

Annabel Smith, Lecturer at Harrogate College, supported students with the project.

“The Harrogate Soroptimists were keen to emphasise the waste crisis that the fashion industry contributes to every day. Held on the same day as COP26, the event was a timely reminder that we need to take care of the planet; reducing clothing waste is one small change that everyone can make.

“From concept to creation, the students carefully crafted each step of the clothing-making process. They began with a moodboard from which they designed the idea for the jumpsuit and created drawings of their desired final outcome. The group worked on the outfit every lunchtime for three weeks!

“The team got amazing feedback from the event attendees; everyone was very impressed and James got a huge round of applause on the catwalk.”

Designed by James Cape, Drew Johnson, Igor Rafinski and Zoe Moseng, the outfit won first place.

Drew Johnson added: “This competition was a fantastic opportunity for us to work innovatively. I was responsible for the original design, so once we settled on the theme of old workwear, I made multiple digital sketches of jumpsuits and overalls. From there, we cut up several pairs of jeans and eventually sewed all the patches into a larger pair.”

Group member, Igor Rafinski, has always been inspired by musicians’ attire.

“It was an incredibly proud moment for our group to win the competition, especially after seeing how much effort everyone in the competition had put in. The show promoted the various ways to upcycle simple items into contemporary fashion pieces and motivated attendees to try it out themselves – all helping to save the planet!”

Students from Harrogate College are using their culinary and creative skills to come up with a new, sustainable menu for RHS Garden Harlow Carr.

Hospitality students have been asked to devise a hypothetical fresh bill of fare and concept for a new café that is being created by converting the former Harrogate Arms pub.

Harlow Carr, which owns the Grade II Listed property, grows plenty of fresh produce which will feature prominently in the new establishment’s dishes. 

The Harrogate College group, who are being led by seven Level 2 Professional Cookery students, recently visited the site to be briefed on their task. They also enjoyed a tour of the grounds, plus a chance to try their hand at potting.

An exciting collaboration that reflects our values

The initiative represents the start of a closer partnership between the college and Harlow Carr, who worked collaboratively to find the right project.

Harrogate College’s Cultural, Contemporary and Heritage Studies Programme Manager, Jason Parry, said: “This is an exciting project that has a focus on sustainability and working with the produce grown on the site.

“It ticks so many boxes for us in terms of the college’s values and aspirations – sustainability, ‘food to fork’, carbon reduction and seasonality – along with menu and service design, work experience and responding to a client brief.”

Fresh produce at RHS Garden Harlow Carr

Pitching for success

He added: “The project will be followed up throughout the year with Harlow Carr, who will do a progress check with the students in January.

“Ultimately it will end up with the students giving a ‘Dragon’s Den’ style pitch to Harlow Carr staff, with small groups presenting their ideas around the menu, and the service, and showing how they have worked to meet the client’s brief.”

Harrogate College, as part of its wider drive to become a centre of green excellence, recently launched a Sustainability Pledge which sets out its commitment to becoming net zero carbon by 2030.

For more details on hospitality courses at the college click here

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

Dear Partners, Welcome to our monthly newsletter which provides updates on how Harrogate College is working with businesses to provide an employer-led curriculum that helps our local economy thrive. We are delighted to share some of the inspiring things that have been happening during October along with details of upcoming events. Many, such as our Retrofit Awareness evening, Climate Action Festival launch and our new Sustainability Pledge, reflect the college’s commitment towards securing a more sustainable future. Those events, along with others like the launch of our Employers’ Network, are good examples of how we are collaborating closely with our local business community to ensure we offer the skills and training that’s needed as we seek to shape a greener, stronger, and fairer economy. I hope you enjoy the read. Best wishes, Danny Wild Principal Harrogate College ———————– Retrofitting for the future The college teamed up with Zero Carbon Harrogate on 1 November to host a very successful, free Retrofitting Awareness event. The evening was an opportunity for construction industry professionals, plus interested members of the public, to hear from expert speakers about the skills that are needed to meet a growing demand from homeowners to make their properties more energy efficient. Sponsored by Bettys & Taylors, the event attracted about 30 people and featured presentations by guest speakers Adam Harper, a Chartered Construction Manager and certified passive house tradesperson, and Chris Wilde, MD of Yorkshire Energy Systems Ltd.Consolidating our links with businessDelivering an employer-driven curriculum that provides local employers with the skills and workforce they need, and thereby secures some terrific career opportunities for our students, is at the heart of what we do. The launch of the Harrogate College Employers’ Network on 21 October represented the next stage in that journey and proved a fantastic success, with no fewer than 25 of the district’s businesses taking part. Network members receive a range of benefits including discounts on college courses, a chance to shape the curriculum to meet their skills needs, and an opportunity to recruit students directly from courses they helped to design. More on the launch here ———————– Green Jumper Day The college will be asking students to don green on November 26 to support this awareness-raising day for climate action. Everyone will encouraged to wear a green jumper, and turn the thermostat down a bit, to support the campaign. Students will also be able to make (optional) donations to Green Jumper, a not-for-profit environmental organisation which funds tree planting projects and awareness-raising talks for young people. Click here for more ———————– Inspiring a greener way of living Our hosting of the launch event for the first Harrogate District Climate Acton Festival attracted some great media coverage. The event, held on campus on 2 October to kick off a three week festival that had been arranged by Harrogate District Climate Change Coalition, attracted hundreds of people and more than 30 sustainability-focused exhibitors. Among those taking part were eDub, pictured here, who specialise in the electric conversion of well-loved vehicles, including campervans. The launch generated lots of positive news reports, all reflecting the college’s credentials as an environmentally responsible institution that is committed to becoming a centre of green excellence. Examples can be viewed here, in The Stray Ferret, here, in the Harrogate Advertiser and on YourHarrogate, here  ———————– Living our Values at Harlow Carr Hospitality students have started an exciting project with RHS Garden Harlow Carr. A group have taken up the task of designing a new menu and concept for the catering facility that is being restored on site. The project will have a focus on sustainability and using the produce that is grown at Harlow Carr. The participating students were recently briefed and then given a tour of the gardens, along with a chance to do some potting. Harlow Carr will be checking in on their progress in the new year and the project will conclude with the students making a Dragon’s Den type pitch, presenting their menu ideas and showing how they tie in with the client’s brief. ———————– A pledge for the planet The college, which plays a key role in training students in the green skills that businesses need to thrive in a more sustainable world, has issued a pledge to work towards becoming net zero carbon by 2030. The pledge is an ongoing commitment and will involve publishing annual updates to show the college’s progress towards this goal. Becoming a net zero college as soon as we can will require working collaboratively with businesses, community groups, charities and more. It will also involve speaking up for sustainable practice to support a circular economy that drives a fairer, greener society. At college, the move will involve making changes to reduce energy consumption, create energy generation, alongside dedicating areas for wildlife and planting – all while making students and staff aware of environmental issues and climate action. The college’s pledge has already attracted media attention, and is mentioned in this podcast on FE Week. For more on the pledge click here

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

Harrogate College has partnered with independent alternative provision, Strive for Education, to provide alternative routes for students who do not have access to mainstream education on a full-time basis.

The college has been working closely with Strive to deliver weekly workshops that include woodwork and construction, as part of the organisation’s vocational learning programme.

Les Potter, Deputy Head of Cultural, Heritage & Contemporary Studies at Harrogate College, said: “Strive is a value-based organisation with a keen focus on helping young people overcome barriers to achieve their goals and creating a strong learning environment that enhances academic achievement.

“We are proud to be working alongside them to facilitate and deliver alternative programmes to their students in a nurturing and inclusive environment, and supporting them to reach their full potential.”

Andy Brown, Head of Centre at Strive for Education, said: “The collaboration between us and Harrogate College has provided our young people with an amazing opportunity to access fantastic facilities that replicate industry standards.” 

Andy said that enabling learners to experience this has provided a level of engagement and learning that the organisation would have struggled to replicate.

“The support of the college has allowed students to sample what studying construction skills is like and will provide them with more varied post-16 options and opportunities. I would like to thank them for developing this collaborative partnership that will most certainly add to the learning experiences and life choices of our young people.”

Some of the district’s key businesses have signed up to Harrogate College Employers’ Network.

The college welcomed representatives from 25 organisations to the scheme’s launch event on Thursday 21 October.

The network is part of a drive to customise the college’s courses to meet the needs of local firms. It aims to use feedback from its members to shape the college’s curriculum and give companies what they require in terms of training, upskilling and skills – both for now and the future.

The network aligns with the government’s ambitions to ‘level up’ skills as outlined in the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill, which stresses the importance of ensuring education and training ‘meet the needs of employers’.

Big names including Techbuyer, Energy Oasis, UBU Care, Anchor, and Henshaws College were among the employers who attended the opening event to hear more about how they could help shape the curriculum.

Network members – who enjoyed a welcome reception and lunch at the launch, with dishes that had been prepared especially by the college’s cookery and hospitality students – receive a number of benefits, including:

• Discounts on courses
• Free advertising and promotion across the college’s media platforms and activities
• Invitations to the college’s networking events
• The chance to provide feedback on training and recruit students directly from courses they helped to design

Identifying and addressing skills gaps

Harrogate College’s Partnerships and Development Lead, Holly Hansen-Maughan, said: “It was fantastic to see these employers come together, sit in industry groups and give genuine feedback on their skill gaps.

“They also explained the upskilling that they need and how they want to move forward with the college.

“We had employers from the largest sectors in the Harrogate District taking part – care, hospitality, retail, technology and digital, construction and energy, finance, education and training. 

“It is brilliant to see employers engaged in the work to improve our students’ outcomes, our businesses’ workforces, and our district’s growth.

“The network will continue to grow and I would urge any businesses interested in joining to get in touch. Members receive multiple benefits in return for meeting twice a year, with others in their industries, to provide feedback to the college.”

Shaping an employer-led curriculum 

College Principal Danny Wild, who delivered a presentation at the launch, added: “This network represents another important stage in our drive to deliver a truly employer-led curriculum at Harrogate College.

“Such an approach, informed and shaped by our businesses and their needs, allows firms to fill gaps and run sustainably, thereby increasing their productivity.

“It also means our curriculum can stay relevant and provide the workforce required for innovation and business development.

“This in turn produces ‘work ready’ students who graduate with improved industrial knowledge, skills and behaviour.”

To join the Harrogate College Employers’ Network or find out more send an email to holly.hansen-maughan@harrogate.ac.uk

Are you looking to develop your expertise and learn something new? 

At Harrogate College, we are all about providing life-changing opportunities through quality education and training that is tailored to meet the needs of our local employers and community.

This year, we’re inviting adults aged 19 and over to come into college to discover our range of diverse subjects, as part of the Festival of Learning.

Festival of Learning

The Festival of Learning is a national campaign which celebrates lifelong learning for adults. 

The festival’s mission is to demonstrate the benefits of adult learning and raise awareness across the country. Some of the key reasons to engage in adult learning include:

• Wellbeing: Wellbeing is at the heart of adult learning, enabling learners to meet new people and improve self-esteem.
• Flexibility: Adult education can be a flexible service that accommodates other commitments, such as families and jobs.
• Opportunities: There are adult learner providers across the district that can offer personalised and specialised learning experiences.
• Confidence: Lifelong learning enriches the lives of learners, providing them with better opportunities and the ability to adapt to unexpected changes.

Take part in our Have a Go Fortnight

If you’re interested in adult learning, but aren’t sure which course is for you, why not come down to college and get a taste of our diverse curriculum areas?

Our Have a Go Fortnight will be running from 1 to 12 November at Harrogate College, which prides itself on providing exceptional education and training within a nurturing and inclusive environment.

Over these two weeks, we’re inviting all adults across the region to learn something new, enhance employability and improve wellbeing through our bespoke adult taster sessions.

Our available taster sessions include:

• 3 November: Have a Go Hairdressing from 6.15pm to 7.15pm. 
• 4 November: Still Life Drawing from 4pm to 5pm. 
• 4 November: SoundScapes – Introduction to film and animation from 4pm to 5pm. 
• 9 November: Ceramics and Print from 4pm to 5pm. 
• 11 November: Computer Software Interior Designs from 4pm to 5pm. 

Ongoing events

As part of the Festival of Learning, we’re working with local partners across the district to deliver programmes and events that develop the skills and support the mental health and wellbeing of adults.

Discover our upcoming events here.

Hundreds of people turned out to ensure the first Harrogate District Climate Action Festival got off to a flying start.

The three-week event was launched at Harrogate College on Saturday 2 October when more than 30 sustainability-focused exhibitors talked to visitors, many of whom had reached the venue by bicycle.

They were treated to everything from environmental talks by expert guest speakers to encounters with friendly therapy sheep, an electric converted campervan, a passive house and bike-powered smoothies.

Guests also enjoyed live music courtesy of Leeds Conservatoire, inspired by the theme of climate, and an array of vegan and vegetarian food prepared by Harrogate College students.

A window of opportunity

Chair of festival organisers the Harrogate District Climate Change Coalition (HDCCC), Professor Neil Coles, said: “It’s great that we’re here and all willing to take action against climate change.

“There’s a window of opportunity for us to take action collectively and it’s not just about business and government, it’s about all of us as well. Through small actions, done collectively, we can make a big difference.”

Harrogate College Principal Danny Wild, stressing the vital role that education providers have in delivering the green skills that are needed by employers to secure a greener future, said: “We need to be at the centre of providing the local economy with the right skills.”

Green skills for a green future

The college is focused on becoming a local centre of green excellence and under its Sustainability Pledge is committed to becoming net zero carbon by 2030. Mr Wild also announced that all of its full-time students will be studying a carbon literacy qualification this year.

He added: “We’re going to require people to acquire new skills at all levels of the workforce.

“So when we’re in conversation with businesses we’re talking to them about the skills they need for upskilling. From the college’s point of view we need to be addressing those skills needs now.”

Professor of Earth Observation at the University of Leeds, Andy Shepherd, echoed those sentiments while outlining just how urgently action is needed.

He told the audience that the Earth is currently losing a staggering one trillion tonnes of ice a year but identified several areas where action could make a difference.

Those included building earth-monitoring satellites, fixing our climate models and adapting our cities (and homes) to be more efficient and sustainable.

He said: “We need to upskill the workforce and do it now and make sure we can afford these changes and make them in a reasonable timeframe. We need to become a nation of retrofitters.”

New ways of thinking about technology and transport

Event sponsor Techbuyer – along with its sister businesses Ortial and Interact – had an eye-catching exhibit set up right beside the college’s front entrance, which gathered a lot of attention.

The display included a bicycle sculpture made out of redundant IT parts and a sandpit filled with examples of now obsolete devices.

Marketing and Design Manager at Ortial, Tiffany Mazza, said the idea was to shine a light on the high environmental cost of new technology and the drive to constantly replace it with ‘the next big thing’.

She said: “We need to start thinking about buying more sustainably and upgrading what we have, instead of throwing out and replacing.”

Another outdoor exhibitor that proved popular was eDub, which specialises in electric vehicle conversions – and has found a profitable niche focusing on converting iconic models including campervans and Vespa scooters.

Sustainable farming and housing – with a vision of the future

Cath Wilson from Corn Close Care Farm at Pateley Bridge, meanwhile, was taking part – supported by two volunteers – to promote the concept of sustainable wool and grazing.

The therapy sheep she brought along, Tiny and Dave, proved a big hit especially with younger visitors.

And James McKay from the University of Leeds attracted plenty of attention as he was putting the finishing touches to a painting of The Stray, in Harrogate, as it might look in a more sustainable future. 

The work is part of  a Royal Academy of Engineering project, The Art of a Sustainable Future, which James is leading.

Visitors also enjoyed looking around a model passive house, built to be virtually carbon zero, which had been installed in the college grounds by Pure Haus.

Inspiring start to three weeks of action

Reflecting on a busy day packed with positivity, Harrogate College’s Partnerships and Development Lead, Holly Hansen-Maughan, said: “We were really busy and have had so much positive feedback from visitors.

“We are proud to have been able to host the launch of this important festival and wish to express our sincere thanks to everyone who exhibited, contributed and came along.

“We hope some of the ideas that were shared go on to inspire lots of people to take action.”

Further festival events will include a Net Zero business conference at Harrogate Convention Centre on Friday 15 October and a Sustainability Conference for Children on Thursday 14 October.For more details visit hdccc.info/whats-on