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

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

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

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

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

An exciting collaboration that reflects our values

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

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

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

Fresh produce at RHS Garden Harlow Carr

Pitching for success

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

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

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

For more details on hospitality courses at the college click here

Harrogate College prides itself on working hand in hand with local businesses and organisations to provide the skills and training they need to ensure that our economy grows and thrives. Our monthly newsletter is a handy way of keeping our partners informed of developments at the college.

To receive future Harrogate College Business Newsletters directly to your inbox click here

Business Newsletter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Identifying and addressing skills gaps

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

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

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

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

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

Shaping an employer-led curriculum 

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

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

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

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

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

Saving the planet can be fun!

That’s the message organisers want visitors to the launch of the first Harrogate District Climate Action Festival (CAFé) to take home after enjoying a great day out.

The three-week event will be launched at Harrogate College on Saturday 2 October when dozens of exhibitors will be talking about, and showing, how they are adapting to secure a more sustainable future.

What Does the Future Look Like? is free to attend, runs from 10am to 4pm and aims to inspire visitors while shining a light on all kinds of green innovations.

Live music, educational sheep and some digital orienteering

The day’s entertainment highlights are set to include:

• A special lunchtime musical performance, based on the theme of climate, by students from Leeds Conservatoire
• A visit by Dave and Ozzy, two sheep from Corn Close Care Farm, tied in to a sustainable wool talk
• An interactive orienteering quiz run by Techbuyer and Ortial Technologies
• Bicycle-powered smoothies, courtesy of North Yorkshire Rotters

The college’s hospitality students will also be selling food they’ve prepared especially for the occasion. And, at 2pm, festival organisers Harrogate District Climate Change Coalition (HDCCC) will announce the winner of its ‘climate friendly ideas’ schools competition.

Inspiring ideas – and a great day out

Harrogate College’s Partnerships and Development Lead, Holly Hansen-Maughan, said: “Supporting district-wide efforts to secure a greener and fairer future, and providing the green skills that will be needed as we move to a stronger, circular economy is a key part of the college’s work and values.

“This launch day for the district’s first ever Climate Action Festival will be packed with activities that have been designed to entertain, as well as educate, to ensure visitors experience the best of both worlds.

“We would urge everyone to come along and find out more about sustainability and the things we can all do to make a difference – while also enjoying a great day out with some really fun attractions and activities.

“We can’t wait to welcome visitors and get the whole festival off to a flying start!”

The launch, sponsored by Techbuyer, will also include keynote speeches from Andy Shepherd, Professor of Earth Observation at the University of Leeds, and Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones.

The full itinerary for the day includes:

From 10am – 4pm: Over 30 outdoor exhibits including: a model passive house, built on site; electric cars; a map of the world to walk on and follow technology journeys; models of different energy supplies; demonstrations of building and heating systems; information on how homes and businesses can change for the better; digital orienteering activity; furry friends to play with whilst you learn about sustainable wool.

11am-12 noon: Welcome and Keynote speeches from: Neil Coles, Chair of HDCCC; Danny Wild, Principal of Harrogate College; Andrew Jones, MP for Harrogate & Knaresborough; Professor Andy Shepherd, from the School of Earth & Environment, University of Leeds; Clive Wilson, author of Designing the Purposeful World; Trevor Chapman, Mayor of the Borough of Harrogate.

12 noon: A bespoke musical performance by Leeds Conservatoire.

2pm: Festival organisers HDCCC will announce the winner of its ‘climate friendly ideas’ schools competition.

The CAFé as a whole, which runs until 21 October, has been organised to provide a green focal point for the district just before the government hosts the 26^th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow on October 31.

The festival will also include a Net Zero business conference at Harrogate Convention Centre on Friday 15 October and a variety of fringe events, including a Sustainability Conference for Children on Thursday 14 October.

For more details visit hdccc.info/whats-on

A free webinar series that was started to keep businesses and students in touch during the pandemic is about to resume.

Harrogate College teamed up with the Department for Work and Pensions to launch in October, 2020. 

The scheme involves the college hosting webinars, featuring local businesses, that are streamed to students and jobseekers to help boost their employability skills and keep them informed of potential opportunities.

An electrifying new start

The online venture proved a hit over its first, ten-session run. Now the college is preparing to launch the second season on Tuesday 5 October with a session featuring eDub – a business that specialises in electric car conversions.

The webinar starts at 1pm and will be an opportunity to find out more about the company and ask questions. Individuals from eDub will also talk about their own career journeys and share insights into how to break into their line of work.

Feedback from the businesses that took part in the first round of Meet an Employer was overwhelmingly positive, with many commenting on what a great opportunity it was to showcase their services while giving something back.

Some of the webinars led to follow-up, one-to-one conversations and even job offers.

Keeping up the momentum

Harrogate College’s Partnerships and Development Lead, Holly Hansen-Maughan, said: “We had such a positive response from the first round of Meet an Employer. The webinars can be viewed by students from across Luminate Education Group – which includes Harrogate College, Leeds City College and Keighley College – and interested jobseekers.

“The scheme was started to help boost job opportunities and mobility, initially during lockdown, while allowing the college to serve its community which is always our number one goal.

“It was very successful and with a new programme of webinars now about to start we are aiming to keep the momentum going.

“We’re hoping lots of students and jobseekers will sign up to take part and I would urge other local businesses who haven’t done so yet to get in touch to see how they can get involved.”

To book a place on the next webinar click here. Details of further Meet an Employer sessions will be added to harrogate-college.ac.uk/contact/events as the year progresses. Any businesses interested in getting involved should e-mail Holly.Hansen-Maughan@harrogate.ac.uk for more details.

The countdown to the first ever Harrogate District Climate Action Festival has begun.

There is less than a month to go now until the festival’s launch, What Does the Future Look Like? , at Harrogate College.

Featuring exhibitors from across the county and beyond who will be showcasing innovations in sustainability, the event runs from 10am to 4pm on Saturday 2 October and is being sponsored by Techbuyer – an IT business with sustainability at its core.

The launch will be followed by three weeks of activities, including a Net Zero Business conference and a Sustainability Conference for Children, put together by festival organisers the Harrogate District Climate Change Coalition.

A good fit

Techbuyer may now be a global success story but its roots and headquarters remain in Harrogate. Here, Techbuyer UK’s MD, Mick Payne explains why the business is excited about playing a key role in the Climate Action Festival by supporting its launch.

Q: Why is Techbuyer backing the first Harrogate District Climate Action Festival?

Techbuyer was invited to join the Harrogate District Climate Change Coalition board meetings in late 2019, and has been part of the organisation ever since. It is wonderful to see the coalition’s work take wings with an event like this one, which should raise awareness of the issue locally. It is also nice to support a community event with a positive message.

Q: Do you think the company’s business model, which has refurbishing previously used, refurbished equipment at its core, aligns well with the goals of a green economy?

Yes. There has been a lot of talk about ‘Building Back Better’ after the pandemic, and green jobs are a big part of that. Most people think of these as in renewables, but refurbishment is a big potential growth area too. Following the Right to Repair laws introduced this summer, the Green Alliance estimates that 450,000 jobs could be created in repair and reuse of manufactured goods over the next 15 years to replace manufacturing new equipment.

You also have to look at what goes into initially producing the hardware. The enterprise equipment we deal in requires a lot of carbon to produce. Mining, manufacture, transport to assembly and first use, mean that the average server uses just under a metric ton of carbon in the pre-use phase. Refurbishment and reuse helps reduce the need for that by extending useable product lifespan. It helps with materials shortages too.

What many people don’t realise is that some of the rare materials that go into ICT are predicted to run out in just a few decades’ time. These same materials are also needed to build renewable infrastructure like wind turbines and solar panels. So by making best use of resources in IT, you are helping the green economy develop in energy production too.

A bike to remember

Q: What can you tell us about the amazing looking bicycle you’ll be bringing along to the festival’s launch day at Harrogate College?

One of our marketing gurus commissioned the bike from local artist Steve Blaylock to help publicise the UCI Championships in 2019, as well as raising awareness of the rising global tide in e-waste (now approximately 53m tonnes a year and growing fast).

There was a similar idea around Mount Recyclemore this year for the G7 meeting but ours was earlier and an actual bike! She – I think we named her Victoria Pedalton – is made out of almost 1,000 redundant IT parts and weighs 60kg. She has heatsinks as the pedals and seat, 20 server rails moulded to construct the frame, hundreds of server memory modules and a server fan which gives the bike a set of eyes. She will be available for photos at the community event but not to sit on. It’s a bit too delicate for that!

We can do something about it

Q: How do you think the district and its businesses / organisations are placed to meet the environmental challenges that lie ahead as we try to minimise the damage of global heating?

I think the key to this is attitude and belief. When you look at the numbers, they are a challenge but the good news is that we are in a position to do something about it. That is part of what the festival is about – showing people alternatives for the future and encouraging them to take positive steps.

Q: What can visitors look forward to during the festival, and what would you say to anyone who is interested in coming along / getting involved?

The community launch event is going to be great. There are loads of activities that have been set up by the organisations exhibiting. We’ll be bringing down laptops so people can get to know what’s inside ICT and how it can be upgraded. There will even be pieces for people to work on themselves.

We are also looking at a fossil hunt of obsolete technology with our sister company, Ortial. I believe they are also putting together an interactive trail with QR codes for your phone. There will be electric bikes on show too, and a passive house, so it will be a good event to come to, spend some time, see something interesting and maybe learn something along the way.

I would say come along and get involved! There are also community events happening later in the month for the festival so, if you have an idea, contact the organisers.

Students and staff at Harrogate College have been praised for achieving exceptional GCSE and A level results despite a ‘challenging ‘year.

The college has been celebrating a successful results week that saw many of its students achieve or exceed their target grades.

Grades rose across the country again this year as Teacher Assessed Grades were once more used in lieu of exams.

Principal Danny Wild said the achievements of Harrogate College’s students were all the more praiseworthy given the many challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.

A testament to our teachers and students

He said: “We are extremely proud of our students and their achievements during what has been a challenging year for all.

“Fifteen of our courses saw 100% of students passing, and our overall achievement for all students is good.

“And 90% of our English and maths students passed with our high grades, 5-9, which is outstanding.

“It truly is a testament to our teachers who have worked tirelessly to ensure learners have been supported throughout the year, academically and pastorally.

“Our results have been exceptional and we’re looking forward to seeing our students progress further.

“The ongoing development of our degree offer means that students can stay with us if they choose to, giving them a local higher education experience.

“We are here to support young people with their next steps and would encourage them to give us a call on 01423 879466, email contact@harrogate-college.ac.uk, or visit harrogatecollege.ac.uk.” 

Referring specifically to the college’s GCSE students, he added: “They have worked hard to provide the evidence for their grades, completing tasks such as mock assessments and mini tests.

“This is demonstrated in the achievement of high grades for Maths GCSE students, at 10.2% above the national rate, and GCSE English students, 1.2%. above the national rate.

“Well done to all and good luck for the future.”

New beginnings for adult learners

A number of adult learners were among the GCSE success stories at Harrogate this year.

Nicola Jeffreys is looking forward to moving onto an Access course after passing English and maths. She said: “This means everything! It’s a new beginning for me.

“I’ve always lived my life for my kids – now I can live for me.”

Jacob Ibbetson was also celebrating getting his maths and English GCSEs after narrowly missing out last year. He said: “I am so happy I passed. It is partly down to my English and maths tutors for encouraging me and sticking with me through lockdown.

“I can now go on to do an animal management course and get on with my career.”

Holly Rushworth, who didn’t get her GCSEs at school, was also celebrating passing English and maths.

She said: “I can’t believe I’ve done it.

“I want to do radiography and passing my GCSEs gives me everything I need.”

Businesses are being offered a chance to help create the workforce they need – by joining the Harrogate College Employers’ Network.

The network will be launched on Thursday 21 October when some of the biggest names from the district’s business community, including Techbuyer, will be among the attendees.

Keen to support the local economy, the college wants to hear from local employers about the exact skills they need so that it can tailor its courses accordingly.

Principal of Harrogate College Danny Wild, who will be taking part on the day, said the aim of the new network was to deliver a truly employer-led curriculum.

Tailoring courses to match the needs of our community

He said: “We value the input of local employers and believe they should help shape our curriculum so they can access the skills and training they need now and in the future.

“That is why we are launching the Harrogate College Employers’ Network.

“This is an opportunity for employers to influence the content of our courses so that they get the skilled employees they need coming through.

“We are launching this network to serve and match the needs of our community and hope lots of local businesses will join up, contribute and reap the benefits.”

A multitude of benefits

Performance and Projects Coordinator at Harrogate College, Holly Hansen-Maughan, added: “The network will be an opportunity for employers to influence the content of the college’s courses so that they are provided with what they need.

“Joining involves participating in discussion groups quarterly and brings with it a multitude of benefits, including free advertising and promotion across the college’s media platforms and events.”

Network members will also get:

• Discounts on courses for their business
• The chance to explain the skills they need, and to provide feedback on training
• Invitations to stakeholder networking events
• The opportunity to recruit students directly into their business from the courses they helped to design

The initiative coincides with the Government’s drive to ‘level up’ skills across the country, as outlined in the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill.

A key part of the Bill, as outlined by Apprenticeships and Skills Minister Gillian Keegan, is to ensure that the education and training that is on offer ‘meets the needs of employers and local communities’.

TheHarrogate College Employers’ Network launch event will run from 10am to 1pm on Thursday 21 October and include a networking buffet lunch at noon.

For more details visit Events  or email: Holly.Hansen-Maughan@harrogate.ac.uk.