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.

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, March 2022 Dear Partners, March was Green Month at Harrogate College and we were delighted to collaborate with local businesses, community groups and residents on a variety of environmental events. To tie in with the month, we also introduced our carbon literacy training for students and staff as part of our ongoing commitment to sustainability. Always pleased to work closely with local firms, we were pleased to team up with two Harrogate College Employers’ Network members in March – one who came in to give a talk, while another welcomed a visiting group of our students. Some hospitality students, meanwhile, gained valuable insights into the demands of large-scale catering by visiting Rudding Park, where they were given a guided tour. And two of our Creative Practice MA students, who have now set up their own studio space, impressed the public with their fantastic final year showing. We hope you enjoy the read. Danny Wild Principal Harrogate College Green shoots – and carbon literacy Some local businesses played a leading role in our Green Month activities during March. Techbuyer & Ortial Technologies gave a workshop on Sustainable Technology and How It Affects You. Twelve students and three members of staff took part, and enjoyed a presentation followed by a practical session which involved opening up laptops to see which components were salvageable. Other Green Month events included a talk on Designing the Purposeful Career, a presentation from food waste charity Too Good To Go, and an art competition. Meanwhile, as part of the college’s push to reduce our environmental impact, we have begun to train all of our staff and students in carbon literacy. We are excited to also offer this training to local businesses. For more on Green Month click here. ————————— Rudding Park trip Our hospitality students enjoyed a guided tour of Rudding Park as part of their enrichment activities – and to prepare them for a week of work experience with a variety of local businesses. The trip gave them a fantastic opportunity to see a large, full-scale catering and food production operation up close – and to sample some of the food the hotel grows in its own kitchen garden. Read the full story here. —————————— Building business links Tracey Hopkins from Springfield Healthcare visited the college to give a ‘day in the life of a healthcare worker’ talk to some of our Level 3 learners. Tracey also gave tips about future careers in the sector during a really engaging presentation. Course leader David Gaunt, meanwhile, took a group of Business level 3, year 1 students out to visit a high profile local firm, Techbuyer. The students were shown around all of the business’s departments and briefed about the next stage of their link-up, which will involve going through mock interviews. David said: “This will form part of their grade for the course and is obviously excellent real world experience.” —————————— Art and commerce Two of our students who have been studying a Master’s degree in Creative Practice have wowed members of the community at their final year exhibition. Presenting their work at Hopewell Studios in Knaresborough, Gill Owen and Helen Hopper showcased their journey of studying at Harrogate College. Friends, family and guests were invited to attend the show, alongside the Mayor of Harrogate, Trevor Chapman, and his wife.  Now their studies are complete, Gill has taken on the role of technician in the college’s ceramics department, while Helen is considering further development of her practice in exploring glass. The pair have also set up their own studio space at Spa Studios. Read more here. ——————————- We hope you’ve enjoyed this edition of our Business Newsletter – we’ll be back with more next month!

Harrogate college went green in March, as part of its ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability.

The college has been  promoting green business practices across the district over the past 18 months and in that time has launched various initiatives such as the Retrofit event and course, as well as taking part in Harrogate’s first Climate Action Festival last year.

There was something for everyone on a month-long calendar, from learning about the facts about climate change and how to live ‘greener’, to students supporting and pledging daily actions to reduce their impact on the environment such as walking or cycling to college, and using public transport for longer journeys.

Staff and students also participated in wildflower planting, hosted an art exhibition  and held  a series of educational webinars.

Megan Hawkswell, Student Enrichment Coordinator at Harrogate College, said: “We have an ongoing commitment to work in an environmentally-friendly and sustainable way. 

“We wanted everyone to be included this month, from those working in the office or at home, to people who just wanted some helpful eco tips for their family.

“Together with our staff, students, and stakeholders, we’re doing our bit to be greener.  We’re beginning to make long-standing changes that will leave a positive impact on the environment and the local community. We believe that schools and colleges should continue to teach this as part of the curriculum.”

Other activities included coming up with suggestions for what the college can do more of to support students to take care of the environment, including increasing the amount that is recycled in college and reducing  single-use materials that are sold or or given out, as well as teaching more about environmental issues.

Litter picking heroes

While the students contributed and learnt more about sustainability, they also went the extra mile, with more than 20 students and staff taking part in a litter picking exercise around the college site.

Megan said: “We collected litter and cleaned up areas of the campus. The huge strides we need to create  clean parks and streets we all want to see in the district, are made up of small individual steps in our own environment. We want to empower everyone so they can collect litter in their area. 

“As well as protecting wildlife from getting injured by discarded litter and improving the look of our local environment, this was also the start of clearing the site of the new college garden, ready to begin planting with our wildflower seed event on  29 March.” 

The college has also planned another litter picking event, which will take place on 10 May. Students and staff will also be visiting Redcar Beach to take part in a beach cleanup project.

Raising the green profile through art

Students from across the college have also used the transformative power of the arts to promote awareness, by creating a series of art pieces and posters connected to environmental issues. 

All art pieces and posters were displayed across the college, and some of the work included an upcycled outfit , fast fashion infographics produced by an electrical installation student and a poster promoting cycling to college which was created by a Creative Media student.

Fighting Food Waste

The college invited Lucy Mccarey, from Too Good To Go to talk to students 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.

Megan said: “ 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.”