Harrogate College was honoured to welcome Harrogate Mayor Chris Aldred for a special Remembrance Day assembly that brought students, staff and visitors together in reflection and respect.

During his visit, the Mayor was given a campus tour by the Students’ Union, meeting learners and staff from a range of departments. He took time to chat with students about their studies and future ambitions, praising the Union for their warm welcome and hospitality throughout.

The assembly itself began with a poem read by Mayor Aldred, setting a poignant tone before the two-minute silence observed by the entire college community. Adding to the moment, children and staff from Nature’s Little Learners Nursery at Hornbeam Park joined everyone in marking the silence together.

Ahead of the assembly, our Uniformed Public Services (UPS) students demonstrated their discipline and teamwork by leading a march, organised by Electrical tutor and former Army officer Sean O’Connell.

The Mayor commended the college community for coming together in such a respectful and inclusive way, highlighting the importance of remembrance and shared reflection.

It was a moving occasion that showcased the college’s community spirit and the pride our students takes in representing Harrogate College.

Harrogate College joined forces with local employers and community partners over the summer to shine a spotlight on apprenticeships and their power to strengthen local industries.

The Growing Ripon’s Future event, held earlier this year, brought together businesses, training providers and civic leaders to explore how apprenticeships can drive growth, boost skills and keep talent in the local area.

Supporting Local Opportunity

Lilla, Ripon BID Manager, emphasised how vital it is to create opportunities that help young people stay and thrive locally:

“At Ripon BID, it’s something we really encourage – young people having opportunities in Ripon. There’s a fantastic bus service to Harrogate, and we really want to see our young people given opportunities that keep them in the area and help our local economy thrive. Apprenticeships are a great way to do that – they’re flexible, open to adults as well, and they allow our independents to train up young people while managing costs.”

Building the Trades of Tomorrow

From the college side, staff and tutors shared their passion for apprenticeships and their impact on both learners and employers.

Electrical assessor Ben explained how the programme is designed to give apprentices vital, hands-on experience:

“We’re really building up our apprentices’ portfolios of evidence, helping them demonstrate their skills naturally in the workplace. My main passion is to build construction within the north and get people into trades – the apprentices of today will be the tradespeople of tomorrow.”

Louise Williams, Deputy Head of Apprenticeships, shared her personal connection:

“I was an apprentice 21 years ago. Sitting in a classroom wasn’t for me – I wanted to be hands-on and earn while I learned. That ethos hasn’t changed, even though we’re 20 years further down the line. Apprenticeships help businesses grow, whether by developing existing staff or bringing in new talent.”

Expanding Apprenticeships and Adult Learning

Nicola Nash, Deputy Director of Curriculum, highlighted how the college is expanding its apprenticeship and adult learning offer:

“We’ve been growing apprenticeships over the last few years and we’re adding even more, from pharmacy and accounting to property maintenance. Whether you’re leaving school or changing career as an adult, we’ve got a wide range of opportunities. We’ve also introduced short courses like community interpreting and social media marketing, running many of these right here in Ripon.”

Connecting Employers and Apprentices

Behind the scenes, Sue Roberts, Business Engagement and Work Placement Coordinator, connects learners and employers:

“I work with both employers and future apprentices – the goal is to bring the two together. We’ve introduced new courses like property maintenance and hairdressing, and we’re seeing lots of repeat business from employers who want to take on more apprentices after a successful first experience.”

And for learners who need extra support before moving into work or further study, course leader Robin spoke about the college’s Personal and Social Development course:

“It’s about enabling students who’ve had a difficult pathway through education to rebuild confidence and skills in a non-traditional way. Seeing them progress gives me so much joy – that’s why I’ve kept going.”

Looking ahead

With new apprenticeships launching this autumn and continued collaboration with local businesses, Growing Ripon’s Future showcased just how much potential there is when education and employers work hand-in-hand.

Harrogate College continues to support learners of all ages into skilled careers – building the workforce of tomorrow, right here in North Yorkshire.

To find out more about apprenticeships at Harrogate College, contact our team at apprenticeships@harrogate.ac.uk or call us on 01423 879 466

There was plenty of excitement at Harrogate College as our Level 3 vocational learners collected their results on Thursday 14 August.

The hard work and dedication of our students has paid off, with many securing top grades and preparing to take their next steps into university and the world of work.

Triple Distinctions for Business student

Among those delighted was Mansoor Dawoodzai, who achieved a Triple Distinction on the Level 3 Extended Business Diploma.

Mansoor said: “I’m feeling proud that all the hard work paid off. Next, I’m planning to go to university to study Business and Management.

“The course was good – I had teachers who supported me with my work, gave advice, and encouraged me to keep going. The support at college has been great and helped my confidence grow.

“If I had to describe Harrogate College in three words, I’d say: supportive, friendly and inspiring.”

Exploring new opportunities

Fellow Business student Jodie Parry also secured an impressive Triple Distinction on her Extended Diploma.

She said: “I’m feeling absolutely over the moon. I’m off to Sheffield Hallam University in September.

“The course was a rollercoaster – a few units were really interesting and a few were okay – but I always had my tutors supporting me and pushing me when I really needed it.”

“Keep your mind open and never close a door to one option. You’re always able to change your mind and staff are so supportive”

Looking to the future

With results now in, both Mansoor and Jodie are excited to take their next steps into higher education, where they’ll build on the strong foundation they developed at Harrogate College.

Principal Danny Wild said:

“We are so proud of our students for their hard work and achievements. These results reflect their commitment and the support of our staff, with all now progressing into university, apprenticeships and employment. We wish them every success in the future.”

Harrogate College has secured planning permission from the Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Planning Committee to proceed with a £22 million campus rebuild. The plans were passed unopposed by councillors.

In addition to a new state-of-the-art main campus building, the planned facilities also include a renewable energy technology centre. Harrogate College is undertaking this rebuild to strengthen its ability to offer cutting-edge courses in priority growth sectors for Harrogate and the wider North Yorkshire region, including advanced manufacturing, low carbon construction, retrofit, sustainable energy, health science, and hospitality. 

The improved facilities that learners will benefit from include a mock hospital ward, a digital technology suite, an electric vehicle workshop, and a construction centre focused on modern building methods. 

Harrogate College are now awaiting written confirmation from the council before commencing the project.

Harrogate College’s Principal, Danny Wild, said: “It is immensely pleasing to have now secured planning permission to pursue this forward-looking, innovative and value for money investment into Harrogate’s educational infrastructure.

We are now awaiting written confirmation from the local authority to proceed with Harrogate College’s rebuild.

The new campus will enable increased breadth and quality within the curriculum on offer at the college, allowing us to better support local and regional skills needs. As the only general further education college in the area, I’m excited to see the benefits these new facilities will bring local young people, adults and the economy.” 

Primarily funded through £20m secured from the Department for Education, the project signals the Government’s recognition of the need for investment to improve further education provision in the local area. The additional £2m has been sourced through Luminate Education Group, of which Harrogate College is a member. 

Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Planning Committee’s decision to grant approval for the rebuild follows a protracted legal challenge caused by the launch of a judicial review that delayed the project.  

During this delay, the project received high profile support from both the local MP and the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire. Each made strong representations to the Department for Education to ensure the project’s funding remained available. 

Tom Gordon, Member of Parliament for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said: “The Harrogate College rebuild represents an important opportunity to provide more young people with access to skills and training, while helping to build a workforce that meets the needs of local employers. As the town’s only general further education college, it has a key role in our community’s long-term future. Since my election, I’ve worked hard to push the Government to follow through with the funding commitment made by the previous government. This redevelopment will strengthen our local economy and open up more opportunities for people to gain the training they need to succeed.”

The key reason behind rebuilding Harrogate College’s current main building, which is an old office block that was never intended for educational purposes, is to meet growing student demand through closer alignment of the college’s curriculum with regional economic growth areas.

At present, there is significant unusable teaching space within the current building, which the college is now outgrowing. The new campus aims to better meet student demand for courses, with new purpose built buildings allowing for an overall growth in the number of learners at the college.

David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said: “Everyone in our region should have the chance to thrive – that means connecting our communities to the opportunities that matter. Harrogate College’s redevelopment marks a big investment for the future of our region, giving people the skills and training needed for tomorrow’s jobs and helping our local economy grow.”

Construction is due to begin on the rebuild in the coming months, with the new buildings set to open their doors to students in the 2026 academic year. 

Turning Passion into Practice

Two entrepreneurial Level 3 Business students at Harrogate College, Theo Eastment and Noah Eardley, recently showcased their event management skills by organising a successful Supercar Show in Bingley. This event formed part of their compulsory Event Management unit, which challenges students to plan, deliver and evaluate a live event as part of their coursework.

Hailing from Ilkley, Theo and Noah chose to build on the success of a similar event they hosted in 2024. By replicating their tried-and-tested formula, they were able to apply classroom knowledge to a real-world setting – while indulging their shared love of cars.

Driven by Passion and Purpose

Theo explained their motivation:

“We started doing these events because we have a passion for cars and have always loved attending supercar shows. We thought – why not host our own, in our own way? We want to pursue this in the future because we believe it’s important to enjoy what you do for work.”

“For us, working with cars has always been the dream. We also see a lot of growth potential in this industry and believe we can build a successful business around it.”

Events That Make an Impact

Their most recent event took place on Sunday 11 May in Bingley and attracted around 500 visitors. Their debut event in Ilkley drew in over 1,000 attendees – demonstrating strong demand and a growing following. Importantly, both shows were more than just displays of horsepower and luxury; they raised funds for local charities including Ilkley Food Bank and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

In addition to ticket sales and donations, the students secured paid sponsorships from partners within the automotive industry, boosting revenue and increasing the professional standard of their shows.

Learning in Action

The practical experience has offered Theo and Noah invaluable lessons in planning, promotion, logistics, stakeholder management and budgeting – skills central to both their college course and future careers.

“We were actually inspired to organise our first show during the Harrogate College Open Day,” said Theo. “When Rosemary, our tutor, mentioned the event management unit, we decided to put together a show that summer, right after our GCSEs.”

Both students credit their tutors, David and Rosemary, for providing continuous guidance and support. “They’ve always been available to help us with questions and advice, which has made a real difference.”

Looking to the Future

With two successful events under their belt and glowing feedback from attendees, the duo is already planning their next Supercar Show, provisionally scheduled for August or September 2025.

Keep an eye out on our TNE Supercar Shows (@tne.supercarshows) as we will post information there as soon as it’s booked

Harrogate College’s hospitality students played a key supporting role in a high-pressure cook-off that saw four of the town’s most promising chefs compete for the prestigious Chef of the Year title.

Part of the 2025 Harrogate Hospitality & Tourism Awards (HHTA), the event was held in the college’s professional-standard training kitchens and gave Harrogate College’s hospitality students the opportunity to support the event through logistics and food preparation.

They worked closely with the competitors – observing, assisting, and learning from the region’s culinary elite – gaining valuable insight into real world culinary environments.

The finalists were challenged to create two standout dishes – a refined amuse-bouche and an impressive main course – under the watchful eyes of industry judges and with just 90 minutes on the clock.

Adding to the challenge, the chefs had to work from a mystery box of ingredients revealed on the day, using only equipment provided on-site, with the exception of one personal item. To ensure a fair judging process, the competition was carried out blind, with dishes delivered to the judging panel anonymously.

Danny Wild, Principal of Harrogate College, said: “We were absolutely delighted to host this year’s Chef of the Year cook-off. Not only was it a fantastic showcase of local culinary talent, but it also gave our students the chance to see the very best of the industry in action – right here on campus. Supporting the next generation of chefs and helping to raise the profile of hospitality in Harrogate is something we’re very proud to be part of.”

The event, designed to shine a spotlight on the exceptional hospitality talent in the region, forms part of the lead-up to the main awards evening on Monday 2 June, where the overall winner will be announced.

Tom Gordon, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough and an advocate for the town’s famous hospitality and tourism sector, said: “Events like these provide a brilliant way to celebrate and champion the vital role hospitality plays in our local economy. The culinary skill and creativity on show is truly inspiring, and it’s great to see Harrogate College playing a central role in nurturing future talent.”

Harrogate’s Hospitality and Tourism Awards have been running now for 17 years to celebrate the best of the best that the town has to offer. With hospitality representing a central feature within Harrogate’s economy, these awards capture the imagination of all who work directly or indirectly in hospitality and tourism, as well as many of the general public who use the many bars, restaurants, hotels, cafes and other supporting attractions.

Simon Cotton, Organiser of Harrogate Hospitality & Tourism Awards, said: “The Chef of the Year is one of the most prestigious of the 12 categories in the awards and is a very much sought-after accolade. Several years ago, with the help of Harrogate College, the competition stepped up a significant level, with the introduction of a blind cook-off in the college’s catering kitchens.

“Working with Harrogate College is an absolute pleasure and it is fantastic that their young student chefs work alongside the competitor chefs helping develop their own skills and hopefully inspiring the next generation.”

The cook-off highlighted the creativity, technical skill and passion that exist within Harrogate’s hospitality scene – offering a taste of what’s to come at the Harrogate Hospitality & Tourism Awards in June.

Harrogate College held its first careers session in partnership with Harrogate Town AFC, welcoming young players from the club’s U14 to U16 Player Development Centre (PDC). The event aimed to inspire and inform these aspiring footballers about the many routes their passion for the game could take them, both on and off the pitch.

The evening opened with an engaging talk from Danny Wild, Principal of Harrogate College, who drew on his background in elite sports coaching. His transition from sports to education leadership resonated particularly well with the young audience, demonstrating how skills developed in sport can open doors to a wide range of careers.

Brody Pattison, Harrogate Town’s content creator, followed with a unique and relatable perspective. Starting a YouTube channel at just 13, Brody carved out his own path into a role he now thrives in – showing that creativity and initiative can lead to exciting opportunities within the world of football.

Sarah Barry, CEO of Harrogate Town AFC, closed the speaker segment with an inspiring talk about her journey to becoming a chief executive. Her story, full of determination and resilience, offered a real-life example of where ambition and hard work can lead.

Practical guidance came from Anita, part of the college’s transitions team, who gave an overview of the various options available after GCSEs.

Her advice helped demystify the decision-making process and provided useful tips for choosing the right next step, whether that be A-levels, vocational courses, or apprenticeships.

Parents who attended the session shared glowing feedback. One, with two sons in the U15 group, said: “I found the talks really interesting. I wasn’t sure how my two lads would take it but both listened attentively throughout – this isn’t always the case! I’m keen for them to explore what they might do in the future and using one of their passions, football, was a good way of doing this. More of this please.”

Another commented, “The host and all the speakers were very good. I think if we’d had time to ‘mingle’ at the end, we’d have stayed and asked a few questions of each of the speakers. We’ll definitely be at the next one!”

A parent of a U14 player added, “The careers talk was very informative and gave the boys a wider perspective on the journey their love of football can take them. The speakers were passionate and gave the boys a good insight into the different paths careers can take and said the focus was ‘if you put your mind to it, you can achieve anything.’”

Jo Towler, Commercial Director at Harrogate Town AFC, praised the partnership, saying, “Harrogate College is a vital resource for the local educational and business community, and we appreciate their support for our club and the wider Harrogate District. Our collaboration on the recent careers session adds an important educational element to helping us inspire and develop young people in their future career choices and pathways.”

This session builds on two years of meaningful collaboration between Harrogate College and Harrogate Town AFC, with both organisations continuing to explore ways to support and inspire the next generation through the power of football.

Image credit: Brody Pattison

Three Canadian students have enjoyed a packed visit to Yorkshire as part of Harrogate College’s exciting new cultural exchange programme.

The students, from Nova Scotia Community College, were welcomed to the college where they met staff and students, took a tour of the campus, and even joined in with a business class taster session.

The visit was part of the return leg of the recent cultural exchange which saw a group of Harrogate College learners travel to Canada in March.

To give the visitors a flavour of local life, the day continued with a trip to Ripon – led by some of the students who had taken part in the Canadian adventure themselves.

Building global connections

Harrogate College’s Principal, Danny Wild, said:

“It’s been fantastic to host our visitors from Canada and show them some of the best of Yorkshire. The exchange programme is all about helping our students build new skills, broaden their horizons and create international connections – and it’s brilliant to see those aims being realised on both sides of the Atlantic.”

A big highlight for the Canadian students was how interactive and engaging the lessons were compared to the lecture-style format they were used to. They all spoke positively about the strong sense of community and collaboration at the college, and commented on how useful and relevant the curriculum-linked trips seemed in bringing classroom learning to life.

The cultural exchange programme is part of a wider commitment to offer learners enriching, real-world experiences that build confidence, independence and global awareness.

Following the success of this first exchange, the college is now exploring options for future international learning experiences.

Our Business students have been picking up tips – and promoting North Yorkshire – during a trip to Canada.

Three lucky Level 3 learners, Grace Payler, Dan Rushton and Lily Bell, travelled to the country thanks to funding from the Turing Scheme.

During their visit, the trio enjoyed an educational visit to a Quesada Burritos & Tacos restaurant, and took part in a sustainable tourism class at Georgian College, in Ontario. They also managed to squeeze in some incredible sightseeing opportunities and other leisure activities.

Working on a marketing campaign

Dan said: “On the first day, we went down to Quesada in Barrie, met with the owner and asked them questions about the business and how it was marketed.

“Whilst we had lunch, we worked on a marketing task; discussing new ways to market the business to increase its sales.”

Another day began with some snow tubing fun, before the students – who were accompanied on the trip by our Business course leader, David Gaunt – headed to Georgian College.

Tourism insights and one-off experiences

There, they joined a class to present a slideshow about Harrogate and North Yorkshire’s visitor economy and learn about sustainable tourism in Canada.

David, meanwhile, taught a lesson on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and how it varies across different countries, to degree students.

It wasn’t all hard work, however, and the Harrogate group also found time to visit Niagara Falls and take in an ice hockey game.

Grace said: “I loved visiting Niagara Falls and seeing so many different things I never thought I would be able to see.

“We attended a Barrie Colts ice hockey game with members of the international team and a Canadian student who will be part of a reciprocal visit to Harrogate College. It was a great new experience for me.”

Adapting to unexpected challenges

The trip also turned into a real test of adaptability and independence when flights were unexpectedly cancelled both ways. The students, along with David, had to quickly adjust plans and find solutions to navigate these disruptions.

Fortunately, they received invaluable support from two Barrie residents, Jean Maurice and Bill, who are connected to the international conifer network. Their kindness and generosity in assisting the group through the travel difficulties made a huge difference, ensuring they could still make the most of their trip. This experience not only highlighted the importance of resilience but also showed the strength of international connections and community support.

A life-changing trip

Reflecting on the trip as a whole, Lily said: “Canada was great, it grew my confidence and allowed me to develop new skills such as presenting, using a slideshow that we had created before the trip.”

Dan added: “Going to Canada was incredible, it has really given me a new outlook on college life and it has improved my organisational skills because we had to be ready on time for each day’s events.

“The experience has also led me to feel more confident in myself.”