Harrogate College business newsletter – Spring 2026
21 April, 2026 11:43 am
Harrogate College prides itself on working hand in hand with local businesses and organisations to provide the skills and training they need to ensure that our economy grows and thrives. Our newsletter is a handy way of keeping our partners informed of developments at the college.
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  Dear partners, As we move into Spring we can reflect on some great examples of growth both in our students’ development and our working relationships with local partners. When it comes to getting a taste of what a future career might actually be like, nothing beats letting students visit a busy workplace to see its employees in action. We have been very fortunate in that regard recently, with prime examples being our Health T Level students spending a day at Spire Healthcare Harrogate and our construction and electrical learners being welcomed to Chaddick Construction’s Burnholme site, in York. Of equal value are visits to the college by expert guest speakers and we have been delighted to welcome some really big industry names, including James Morrison from Riso Gallo UK and Sarah Dickson, from Greggs, to college over the past few months. You can read about these and plenty of other inspiring events and site visits, including to several universities, in this edition of the newsletter. I hope you enjoy the read. Danny Wild Principal Harrogate College ___________________________________________________________  Healthcare A fact-finding visit to a local clinic Our Health T Level students have gained some valuable insights into the world of private healthcare. The learners recently visited Spire Healthcare Harrogate Clinic, on Hornbeam Business Park, where they were given a guided tour by General Manager Tim Cook. The group learned about the wide range of roles and services provided by Spire, and were also given a presentation about the clinic’s typical daily operations and tasks. They also enjoyed exploring some of the clinic’s facilities, including an MRI suite and day surgery unit – and learning about the importance of air purity and contamination control. Clinical Services Manager Penny Jackson meanwhile, along with members of the nursing team, also shared their professional experiences and discussed the differences between working in public and private healthcare. The visit was an inspiring and informative experience that really helped our students gain a deeper understanding of the realities of working in healthcare, and the career opportunities ahead of them. ___________________________________________________________  Hospitality A risotto masterclass from an industry expert Our Hospitality students were given a real treat before the Easter break – in the form of a cooking demonstration by the Managing Director of Riso Gallo UK. Jason Morrison, from the renowned Italian rice company, shared lots of practical tips with the learners as he made a signature risotto dish while stressing the importance of sustainable menu planning, food provenance, and professional cookery skills. Jason also used his visit to talk about Riso Gallo’s core values and environmental commitments, and gave a talk on sustainability within the risotto industry in terms of sustainable sourcing, responsible production and waste reduction. These insights, from a leading industry expert, really inspired the students who could link back what they learnt to their curriculum. Our association with Riso Gallo, meanwhile, is set to continue in May when two or our hospitality students will be competing in the national Young Risotto Chef competition in Leeds, which is organised by the company. ___________________________________________________________ .  Hair and Beauty Technical tips at Manchester What better way for aspiring hair stylists to pick up top tips than by visiting a professional hair care company’s studio? That is exactly what our Hairdressing Diploma students did recently when they headed to Wella Studios Manchester. During their visit the learners focused on refining their technical skills while exploring the latest trends in colour theory. It was an inspirational experience, and our students left the studio buzzing with fresh ideas, sharpened techniques and a renewed sense of creativity. ___________________________________________________________  Construction and Electrical Site visit shines light on sustainable techniques Our Construction and Electrical students recently visited Caddick Construction’s Burnholme site, in York. The visit, to a site where the developers are creating the City of York Council’s first zero-carbon homes, gave our learners some valuable insights into sustainable construction techniques. Seeing the site in operation also helped bring their classroom learning to life, and showcased the wide range of roles that are available within the industry. We are grateful to Project Director Jason Sims and Social Value Manager Debbie Watson, along with the wider Caddick team, for their continued support and for providing such a valuable experience for our students. ___________________________________________________________  Sponsorship opportunity Become a part of our exciting new campus We are delighted to announce that Techbuyer has become the first commercial sponsor of our £22m new campus. The sustainable IT solutions firm, which is one of our neighbours at Hornbeam Park in Harrogate, already works closely with the college on everything from student visits and joint projects to guest talks and work placements. Through the sponsorship agreement one of our new building’s state-of-the-art digital rooms will receive Techbuyer branding, while the company is committing to holding two visits a year to talk to students. CEO of Techbuyer Europe, Steve Sexton, said: “We’re incredibly proud to be the first business sponsor of the college’s new building; this reflects our long-term commitment to education and skills development in the area.” Please get in touch if you would like to discuss becoming a sponsor of our under-construction new campus, which will use purpose-built facilities and cutting edge technology to deliver top quality, industry-standard experience for our students. Three different sponsorship packages are available, and we are also open to discussing more flexible options to suit your business, whatever the size. The benefits include having your company’s name and colours featured in rooms, walls or furniture, plus a host of PR and social media opportunities. To find out more e-mail our Performance & Projects Coordinator at: Lynn-Yang.Liu@harrogate.ac.uk. ___________________________________________________________     Sustainability Fashion and food Partners from across North Yorkshire supported this year’s Sustainability Showcase at the college. Our annual celebration of all things ‘green’ was held just before the Easter half-term break, and featured interactive sessions, workshops and stalls from a variety of groups, including the Time Together Clothes Upcycling Project and Leeds City College’s RE: Workshop. Others lending their support included North Yorkshire Council’s Sustainability Team and local organisations Techbuyer, Harrogate Spring Water and Zero Carbon Harrogate. As always, our students were at the heart of the showcase with our Hospitality learners creating and serving an impressive array of sustainability-themed canapé dishes on the day. Our Hair and Beauty students, meanwhile, brought the event to a fittingly colourful conclusion by displaying the results of a competition that demonstrated both their creative flair and commitment to the environment. We would like to thank the British Trout Association and Delifresh for supporting the Hospitality team by kindly donating the ingredients for their dishes. ___________________________________________________________  Uniformed Protective Services (UPS) / Sport Conflict management and self-defence class Our UPS and Sport students have been picking up some key practical self-defence and conflict management techniques. Former police officer Geoff Crocker, and his colleague Andy Moodie, led a class that focused on how to stay safe and confident while handling challenges both on and off the sports field. Our learners got the opportunity to practice a variety of techniques in a supportive environment, while linking their studies with real-world safety and personal development skills. It also gave them a unique chance to learn from experience professionals with a background in law enforcement and security. ___________________________________________________________  ESOL Using language skills to serve the community Many of our ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) students work hard to improve both their own prospects and the communities they are part of. A great recent example of this comes in the form of Level 2 Community Interpreting student, Elina Kyrychok. Elina supported North Yorkshire Police by providing Ukrainian interpreting services at a local community group talk, where she helped officers communicate with Ukrainian residents. Her support ensured important messages about safety, support and reporting concerns were fully understood by everyone in the room. Hate Crime Sergeant for North Yorkshire Police, Nigel Collins, said: “It is so important to have a trusted community member in Elina, who can be a pivotal link to the local Ukrainian community with her interpreting skills.” You can read more about Elina’s story here. ___________________________________________________________  Hospitality Top level advice on allergens We were delighted to welcome a senior leader from bakery chain Greggs to the college recently. Sarah Dickson, who is General Counsel and Company Secretary of the company, came in to deliver an inspiring guest speaker session for our hospitality learners. During her talk, Sarah stressed the critical importance of allergen awareness within the food and hospitality industry in terms of keeping customers safe. She also shared valuable insight into how Greggs manages allergens and prevents cross-contamination, giving our students a real-world understanding of best practice within a large national company. The session was both informative and thought-provoking, and helped our learners appreciate the legal and practical aspects of food safety. We are grateful to Sarah for taking the time to support and inspire our students. ___________________________________________________________   A shout-out to our alumni So many of our students go on to do great and interesting things, in so many different sectors, and we’re proud of their successes. Hearing their stories – some of which are featured on our website’s alumni page, here – helps inspire future generations and shows them the incredible career opportunities that lie ahead. Many of them have really useful, and uplifting, words of advice for today’s students – take Mandy Barker, for example. Mandy studied Photography & Digital Imaging with us and has gone on to become an international award-winning photographic artist, whose work helps to raise awareness about plastic pollution in the world’s oceans. She has these words of advice for anyone who is preparing to take the first step towards their dream career: “Anything is possible. It takes hard work, but if you are determined and want to make an idea happen, there is nothing to stop you.” If you’re a former student, whether you graduated last year or many years ago, we’d love to hear from you! Joining our alumni network is a great way to reconnect, share your journey, and inspire current students. To get involved and share your story, simply scan the QR code above. We can’t wait to hear from you!Courses for businessesWe run a number of courses, at different points throughout the year, that could benefit your business. Upcoming sessions include Social Media Marketing for Business, a Social Media Analytics programme, and a Leadership and Management course. Follow this link to find out more and book your place. ___________________________________________________________  Creative Practice Picking up tips and inspiration on university visits Our collaborative work with universities gives our Art and Creative students really valuable experiences of higher education environments. In February, a group of learners enjoyed taking part in a 3D practical workshop at Leeds Beckett University, where they gained hands-on experience to support the 3D element of their course. They were also given a campus tour to see the facilities and gain an insight into university life. More recently, our students visited Leeds Arts University to take part in a selection of practical workshops including in filmmaking, animation, and illustration. They were inspired by the facilities and specialist creative spaces they saw in what is the only dedicated arts university in the north of England. Our students also visited Teesside University, where they spent the day participating in a series of specialist sessions within the university’s state-of-the-art media facilities. Working with industry-standard equipment and guided by expert lecturers and technical staff, the students took part in workshops designed to develop their skills, encourage creative thinking, and provide hands-on experience of a professional media environment. ___________________________________________________________  Partnership MP visits to support Colleges Week We work with many local and regional politicians who recognise the vital role that further education plays. So we were delighted to welcome Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Tom Gordon into college during Colleges Week in March, when we and sister colleges across the country were celebrating the theme of ‘skills for all’. Tom visited our catering and community interpreter classes, to see at first-hand how students are developing the skills to succeed in their careers. He said: “It is always a pleasure to visit Harrogate College. They provide a fantastic opportunity for learners to develop industry-ready skills, making jobs more accessible and opening up new opportunities.” Our Principal, Danny Wild, said: “Tom’s visit was a fantastic opportunity to showcase the breadth of learning taking place here. Colleges play a crucial role in promoting opportunity and integration across society.” ___________________________________________________________ We hope you’ve enjoyed this edition of our newsletter – we’ll be back with more next time! |