Harrogate College Business Newsletter – May 2023

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 – May 2023

Dear partners,

We were proud to be nominated for three Harrogate Advertiser Business Excellence Awards this year – and are absolutely delighted to now be able to say that we have been crowned winners in one of them! Read on to find out more.

May has been a busy time in college (despite all the Bank Holidays), and started off in fine style when we welcomed the local Chef of the Year finalists in to compete for the trophy.

We were also pleased to share some great news about two of our supported interns who are working at Harrogate Hospital – another success story for our partnership work with local employers.

Your Harrogate’s King of the Courses competition, meanwhile, is continuing to spark interest in our courses while providing some light-hearted fun for the station and its listeners/readers. We include an update on presenters Nick and Pete’s latest challenge in this edition of the newsletter.

I hope you enjoy the read!

Danny Wild
Principal
Harrogate College

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Harrogate Business Excellence Awards
As this great photograph (taken by Gerard Binks Photography) shows – we were one of the winners at the Harrogate Advertiser Business Excellence Awards 2023!

We scooped the Sustainability Award on the night, in recognition of our work to deliver vital green skills training while reducing our own carbon footprint.

Principal Danny Wild said: “As a college that is fully committed to playing its part in tackling the climate emergency and supporting our businesses as they embrace green technology, we are delighted to see our sustainability work being recognised like this.”

The college was also a finalist in the Business in the Community and Employee Health and Wellbeing Award categories.

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Awards for hospital interns
We’re proud to share the news that two of our supported interns have received a national award.

Lewis Grayston and Charlize Barik, who are both based at Harrogate Hospital, were recognised for their progress and achievements by Hft, a charity that supports over 2,500 adults with learning disabilities.

The pair were two of only 20 interns and graduates, from across England and Wales, to receive the award.

Find out more.
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A ‘hair-raising’ challenge for presenters Nick and Pete
Nick Hancock and Pete Egerton, from Your Harrogate, have been coming to the college regularly since April to try their hand at all kinds of skills.

Their latest King of the Courses challenge saw the duo receive some quick, expert training on the art of hair styling, before putting what they learnt to the test on two ‘training heads’.

To find out how they fared, and more about the competition and the pair’s previous results, click here.
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College welcomes top chefs for ‘cook-off’
We were glad to welcome some of the Harrogate district’s top chefs on Tuesday 2 May.

As has become an annual tradition, the finalists of the Harrogate Hospitality & Tourism Awards‘ Chef of the Year contest used the college’s catering facilities for their ‘cook off’.

The contestants were each challenged to create a delicious main course from a mystery box of ingredients.

The winner will be revealed at an awards ceremony on 12 June.

Work with us! We are a college that prides itself on collaborating wth the district’s businesses and community groups. To find out more contact Business Engagement Advisor Susan Roberts, email: Susan.Roberts@harrogate.ac.uk .

We hope you’ve enjoyed this edition of our Business Newsletter.

Harrogate College Business Newsletter – November


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 – November 2022
Dear partners,

Sharing our vision for the future, and explaining how we can help businesses and organisations in the district prosper, is a major part of the college’s work.

Hospitality is one of our key sectors, so I was delighted to be asked, along with other guest speakers, to talk at the recent Helping Harrogate Hospitality event.

Our commitment to sustainability and supporting green industries is also one of our top priorities, and it was satisfying to see our efforts recognised at the 2022 Green Gown Awards, where we reached the finals.

Harrogate College prides itself on providing an inclusive and supportive learning environment, where everyone can flourish – including disabled and neurodivergent students. So we are proud to showcase some of the achievements of our learners in this edition, which coincides with UK Disability History Month. 

We have also been hearing from some of our first T Level students about how they’ve been finding these exciting new technical qualifications, which blend academic learning with industry placements.

I hope you enjoy the read.

Danny Wild
Principal
Harrogate College

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Creating paths into hospitality
Harrogate College prides itself on constantly evolving to provide the skills our key local industries most need.

Principal Danny Wild was one the key speakers at Helping Harrogate Hospitality on 25 November. The event, held at Goldsborough Hall, was organised by Philip Bolson of Mr B Hospitality in partnership with the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub.

Speaking on Supporting Hospitality for the Future, Danny told the guests and other speakers how the college was encouraging students to see the full range of opportunities that the sector offers.

Read the full story here.
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Recognition for our sustainability work
Our commitment to sustainability has been recognised by a major environmental awards scheme.The Green Gown Awards celebrates examples of exceptional green projects that are being carried out by education institutions across the country.Harrogate College reached the finals this year after being shortlisted for the Tomorrow’s Employees category. The judges were impressed by the partnership work the college is doing to provide retrofit training, deliver green skills based on local feedback, and embed sustainability into its courses.

Principal Danny Wild said: “This recognition will inspire us to work even harder to become a centre of green excellence and, as outlined in our Sustainability Pledge, become a net zero college by 2035.”

Read more here.
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Thumbs-up for T Levels
T Levels, with their unique mix of work-based training and classroom education, are appealing to increasing numbers of people – and especially those interested in getting a ‘head start’ into their careers.

They are also designed to help plug our local and national skills gap, and, through their vocational emphasis, improve the quality of our future workforce.

We recently asked two of the college’s Digital and IT students, Adrian and Claire, about how they have found the T Level experience so far, and what advantages it has brought.

Both of them rated the blended learning style – which involves doing 80% of the course in the classroom, and the other 20% on a quality industry placement – as a key attraction, and cited plenty of other benefits too.

Read the full story here.
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Overcoming barriers in study and work
UK Disability History Month, an annual celebration of the achievements of people living with a disability, runs from 16 November to 16 December.

This year, the theme for UK Disability History Month is ‘Disability, Health and Wellbeing’. Unfortunately, there can still be a level of misunderstanding when it comes to some of the challenges disabled and neurodiverse people can experience.

Here at Harrogate College, we have a number of remarkable students who overcome challenges every day and who have gone on to enjoy personal, academic and career success. 

We spoke to three students about their experiences of wellbeing within education and how the college has supported them along the way.

Read more here.

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Work with us! We are a college that prides itself on collaborating wth the district’s businesses and community groups. To find out more contact Business Engagement Advisor Susan Roberts, email: Susan.Roberts@harrogate.ac.uk,

We hope you’ve enjoyed this edition of our Business Newsletter.

Harrogate Business Newsletter – October


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 – October 2022
Dear partners,

We are delighted to include reports in this edition of three very positive events that the college has hosted over the past few weeks.

In October, some of the district’s key businesses sent along representatives to the annual meeting of the Harrogate College Employers’ Network, to hear more about how it is helping firms thrive.

Then on 2 November we had two events on the same day. Our Student Recruitment Fair gave employers a chance to talk directly to appropriately trained students about potential vacancies that might fit around their studies.

That was followed, in the evening, by our hosting of Retrofit for Landlords, which was held in partnership with Harrogate District Climate Change Coalition. Part of our continuing drive to promote sustainability and green skills, this event shone a light on the many benefits of eco-refurbishment.

Read on to find out more!

Danny Wild
Principal
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Harrogate College Networking meeting explores opportunities
Representatives from some of the district’s highest profile businesses took part in the 2022 annual meeting of Harrogate College Employers’ Network (HCEN).The event, held on 20 October, gave local employers an opportunity to reflect on the achievements of the last year and suggest how the college could further support the needs of their industries.Existing and prospective members also heard more about what benefits the employer network offers, and how they can get involved in shaping the skills and training of the future workforce.The meeting also offered attendees a first-look at the proposed Pathway to Employment Programme, which, among other things, would support the costs and challenges relating to recruitment and employee retention.

Read the full story here

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Landlords hear about the benefits of retrofitting
The district’s landlords have been finding out about the benefits of ‘eco-refurbishment’ at an information event hosted by the college.

Retrofit for Landlords, run in partnership with Harrogate District Climate Change Coalition, took place on Wednesday 2 November. Seventeen local landlords heard from expert guest speakers about how they could go about retrofitting their properties, thereby cutting tenants’ energy bills while reducing carbon emissions.

Harrogate College’s Principal, Danny Wild, said: “Improving the efficiency of our district’s rented properties is a crucial part of the wider push towards sustainability, so it was encouraging to see such a good turnout.

“As a college, we are committed to reducing our own carbon emissions while delivering the green skills training our economy needs.”

Click here for the full story.

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A Bustling Recruitment Fair
Harrogate-based employers have been meeting and interviewing our students about exciting potential opportunities.

Representatives from 10 businesses visited Harrogate College on Wednesday 2 November to take part in a Student Recruitment Fair.

The event, set up through the Harrogate College Employers’ Network (HCEN), let local companies talk directly to students – all with customer service training experience – about their work.

They were also able to hold interviews with some students about positions with part-time, study-friendly hours – resulting in at least two job offers being made on the day.

Read the full story here.

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Work with us! We are a college that prides itself on collaborating wth the district’s businesses and community groups. To find out more contact Business Engagement Advisor Susan Roberts, email: Susan.Roberts@harrogate.ac.uk

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

Harrogate College Business Newsletter – September 2022

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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 – September 2022
Dear partners,

As we head into the autumn we are more focused than ever on consolidating our ties with local businesses to deliver a truly employer-led curriculum.

The Harrogate College Employers’ Network, which allows businesses to have a direct influence on our training and skills offer, is a key part of that strategy. Some 25 organisations came to the network’s launch event last autumn, and we are looking forward to welcoming many more to the 2022 annual meeting in October.

One of the new initiatives to have emerged through feedback from the network is our Student Employer Programme. This allows employers to hire students with the skills they need directly from the college, on a flexible, part time basis. Read on for more details of the programme’s Recruitment Fair, in November.

Sustainability is another of the college’s core values and we are continually looking at ways to introduce courses and host events to support the green skills agenda. We are therefore delighted to also share, this month, news of an upcoming retrofit awareness evening aimed specifically at property owners.

We hope you enjoy the read.

Danny Wild
Principal
Harrogate College
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Annual meeting of the Harrogate College Employers’ Network
The Harrogate College Employers’ Network (HCEN) is inviting businesses across the district to get involved – and reap the benefits.

Set up to allow employers to have a direct influence on the courses and training the college provides, the network will hold its annual meeting on Thursday 20 October. Open to prospective as well as existing members, the 10am to noon event will be a chance to hear about the progress HCEN has made over the past year, plus the rewards it offers.

Attending businesses will also be able to tell the Principal, Danny Wild, about what they would like to see from Harrogate College, its curriculum and the network going forward.

Those attending will also hear about the Student Employer Programme, which allows employers to hire students with the skills they need directly from the college, on a part-time basis that fits around their studies.

Read the full story here.
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Retrofit for Landlords
Landlords can find out about the benefits of retrofitting at an information evening at Harrogate College this autumn.

Retrofit for Landlords, which is being held in partnership with Harrogate District Climate Change Coalition, takes place from 6pm to 7.30pm on Wednesday 2 November. Designed to explain how ‘eco-refurbishment’ of properties can improve efficiency, cut energy bills and reduce carbon emissions, the event will feature several presentations.

Guest speakers will include Sarah Stark from Harrogate Borough Council, who will be sharing details about a new council grant that can be used by landlords and answering questions about EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) regulations.

Places can be booked here.
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Harrogate College Recruitment Fair
This event, organised through the Student Employer Programme, takes place from 10am to 2pm on Wednesday 2 November.

It will be a chance for employers to come into college to talk about work opportunities and interview students who have had customer service training.

Job offers – on a basis that ensures the students can continue to meet all of their studying requirements – can also be made on the day.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this edition of our Business Newsletter – we’ll be back with more next month!

Harrogate College Business Newsletter – July 2022

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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 – July 2022

Dear partners,

We are delighted to share the news that the college has secured £16 million to help fund a major transformation of our campus.

You can read more details about the plans below. In essence, the project will consist of replacing our main building with a new, sustainable property that has been purpose-built to deliver quality technical and vocational training.

Such training will play a vital role in helping the local economy flourish. Equally important will be the district’s ability to attract investment and expand its existing workforce. 

In his opinion piece on the college’s website this month, James Haddleton explains how Harrogate College Employers’ Network will assist in that capacity.

Creating work-ready students with the kind of problem-solving and green skills that are so valued by our businesses, meanwhile, is a vital part of what we do. So we are also pleased to share with you details about an electric conversion project that a couple of our Motor Vehicle students recently completed.

We hope you enjoy the read.

Danny Wild
Principal
Harrogate College

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College secures £16m to replace its main campus building
We have been awarded £16m of government funding to transform our campus.

The money, from the Department for Education’s Further Education Capital Transformation Fund, will allow us to completely replace the main building.

The £20m project (the £16m will be combined with an existing, £4m budget) will result in a sustainable new purpose-built facility for technical and vocational education.

This will support priority growth sectors for Harrogate and North Yorkshire such as advanced manufacturing, low carbon construction, retrofit, sustainable energy and bioeconomy, health science and hospitality.

The energy-efficient new building will include a workshop unit that provides large scale facilities aligned to industry needs. This will complement the college’s existing tech centre which is home to its motor vehicle, electrical, joinery and welding workshops.

Read more here.
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Sparking learning into life
Two Motor Vehicle students recently put their skills to the test – by creating their own e-bikes. The Level 2 students were looking for a more reliable mode of transport. So when an opportunity to convert their bicycles into e-bikes presented itself at college, they seized it.

Student Aidan Stone said: “I converted my bike by taking off the back wheel and fitting a new one with the motor attached to the wheel, then I fitted the battery and controller to the frame and wired everything up.

“I needed a more reliable mode of transport than an e-scooter. This helps me get to work and to college, and it has better range. We learned about the electrics of vehicles which helped me a lot when wiring my bike up.”

Read the full story here.
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Opinion: The future success of Harrogate’s economy rests on its ability to attract investment and grow its existing workforce

The future success of Harrogate’s economy rests on its ability to attract investment, grow its existing workforce and expand current enterprises with the support of education institutions such as Harrogate College, writes Haddletons’ Chief Executive Officer, James Haddleton.

As part of its ongoing commitment to support the local economy, Harrogate college has set up an employers’ network aimed at delivering the skills and courses local firms need. This initiative has come at an opportune time as the economy continues to recover from the effects of the pandemic. 

Harrogate College is the ‘one-stop shop’ in the district for your skills needs and should be the first place to visit, whether you are in trade or in a profession.

The college is currently part of a ‘100 in 100’ campaign, which aims to get 100 apprentices hired in as many days and the significance of this campaign is one the district desperately needs. 

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

Harrogate College Business Newsletter – June 2022

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 – June 2022

Dear partners,

As the college’s academic year comes to an end, we can reflect on a year of achievement, including lots of activities that have strengthened links with our partners.

We are always looking at ways to give our students experience of real workplaces by teaming up with local businesses. So we are delighted to share details of two great examples of that, involving Techbuyer and RHS Garden Harlow Carr.

We also share some more details of our exciting Student Workers Programme, which has been launched in response to feedback from Harrogate College Employers’ Network.

One of the great joys of working for the college is seeing the life-changing support that we can give to our students, and especially those who have extra obstacles to overcome. So it is a pleasure to share the success story of one of our former Beauty Therapy students, Megan Knight, who is now a valued employee at Hazlewood Caste and Spa.

Such stories demonstrate the real value we can add to lives and the local workforce.

We hope you enjoy the read,

Danny Wild
Principal
Harrogate College
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Hospitality students impress RHS Garden Harlow Carr
‘A really successful collaboration’.

That’s the tasty verdict on a design-the-menu project that Harrogate College has just completed for RHS Garden Harlow Carr.

Hospitality students were asked to create a hypothetical menu, with a focus on sustainability, for the new café Harlow Carr is creating at the former Harrogate Arms pub.

The challenge involved the students splitting into sub-teams to come up with different ideas. Their completed menus ended up featuring everything from vegetable lasagne to an eggs Benedict and smoothie combo, along with some inventive twists on traditional family favourites.

Each sub-group had to then explain their concepts, and provide samples of their dishes for tasting, during an end-of-project presentation. The Harlow Carr team was impressed with the results, and gave positive feedback across the board.

Read the full story here.
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Student-Workers programme – a collaborative approach to match our students with business recruitment needs
Our Student-Workers scheme, which launches in September, has been made in direct response to feedback we’ve had from local businesses.

Focused on helping some of the district’s key sectors, including health and social care and hospitality, it will match up suitably-skilled students with positions where they can work hours to suit their studies.

The programme is designed to benefit both parties, with employers filling staffing gaps while the students gain valuable work experience.

Students who enrol will have six weeks of customer service training and work preparation ahead of our ‘job shop’, where employers come into college to interview them for roles in their businesses.

To get involved, please get in touch with danny.wild@harrogate.ac.uk.
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Digital media students make most of Techbuyer work placement
A high-profile local business has praised Harrogate College students for the fresh thinking they contributed during a work experience placement.

Three Digital Media students joined the Techbuyer Group, a sustainable IT solutions provider that operates globally with its roots firmly in Harrogate.

One was welcomed by Techbuyer’s marketing team while the other two joined the firm’s sister company, Ortial, for the week-long placement.

Techbuyer, a member of the Harrogate College Employers’ Network, was delighted with how the students got on and the contribution they made.

Read the full story here.
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Megan lands her dream job
When Megan Knight switched from university to study Beauty Therapy at Harrogate College, she was worried about feeling overwhelmed.

Megan is autistic and knew there would be both learning barriers and sensory triggers, due to all of the creams, oils and other substances involved, to overcome while pursuing her studies.

But the college’s staff worked closely with her to draw up an action plan that would remove obstacles and give Megan the very best chance to succeed – and it worked. Megan, who is in her twenties, went on to excel at her course at both Level 2 and 3, and the college continued to support her when she started applying for spa therapist jobs.

Read the full story here.
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We hope you’ve enjoyed this edition of our Business Newsletter – we’ll be back with more soon!

Harrogate College Business Newsletter – April 2022

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!

Harrogate College Business Newsletter – March 2022

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

Harrogate College Business Newsletter – February 2022

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 – February 2022
Dear Partners,

As we enter a new month the environment, which is always one of our top priorities, becomes our main focus in terms of on-campus activities.

Harrogate College is embracing March as Green Month and will be hosting all kinds of events, ranging from litter picks to art competitions, to raise awareness. Aimed at both our students and staff and the wider local community, the month will involve several events featuring local businesses and organisations.

In February, meanwhile, we were pleased to hold two events as part of our ongoing commitment to the local economy (and, in retrofitting’s case, its environment) – a retrofit awareness evening along with a week of sector-specific Harrogate College Employers’ Network sessions. Both were well attended and generated lots of positive feedback, which will help us as we plan future events.

We are also delighted to report here on some great funding news for the charity we have been working closely with on retrofit initiatives, Zero Carbon Harrogate.

We hope you enjoy the read.

Danny Wild
Principal
Harrogate College

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Networking in specialist areas
The Harrogate College Employers’ Network was established last autumn to help local firms, including those with connections to the college, link up and discover mutually beneficial links.

Our successful launch event was open to any interested businesses and in February we followed this up with a week of sector-specific networking events.

These took place between Monday 14 and Friday 18 February and covered Energy & Construction, Digital, Business & Finance, Health & Social Care, Hospitality & Retail and Education & Training. The feedback that has been gathered will help us influence current courses, start new short courses, develop bespoke upskilling programmes for businesses, and create direct employment opportunities for our students with local employers.

If you would like to get involved, please don’t hesitate to contact us. All are invited to the next Employers’ Network event on Thursday 16 June. This will be a celebration of the network and an opportunity to share details about the impact, to date, of the feedback it has generated.

To sign up click here
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Retrofit success – and funding boost for a valued partner
We have been promoting the many benefits of retrofitting – the energy efficiency skills needed for eco-renovation – for a number of months now, in an initiative that has involved close collaboration with Zero Carbon Harrogate.

In January the college teamed up with People Powered Retrofit to hold a two-day Foundations of Eco-Retrofit course, aimed specifically at construction industry professionals, that proved a big hit and was fully booked. Then on February 17 we staged a second retrofit awareness event, featuring expert speakers from local businesses and representatives from Zero Carbon Harrogate, that also proved popular.

We are now delighted to share the news that Zero Carbon Harrogate, following its link-ups with the college, has received grants totalling more than £135,000 to pursue further retrofitting projects.

The money, from Ofgem’s Energy Redress Scheme and the National Lottery’s Together for our Planet fund, will pay for a major retrofit programme, including training and engagement, in the Harrogate District.
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Green Month
As part of its commitment to the green agenda, March will be ‘Green Month’ at Harrogate College, with a schedule of environmentally-focused events lined up for students and the wider Harrogate community.

The activities will include panel discussions, litter picks, environmentally themed art exhibitions, wildflower planting, poster competitions and more.

Many of the events are open to local residents, as well as our students and staff, and will involve the participation of local businesses and other organisations.

For full details follow the Green Month events link here
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We hope you’ve enjoyed this edition of our Business Newsletter – we’ll be back with more next month!