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

Full and part-time adult education and training programmes are now available to more people and businesses across the county.

Adults looking for training opportunities local to Ripon, Pateley Bridge and Boroughbridge can now study a selection of our courses at Ripon Community House. 

From June 2024, the college will be running a six-week Progression into Care course, as well as a series of short adult learning programmes that will act as ‘skills bootcamps’ for those interested in developing skills within a particular area. 

The first skills session, which begins on Monday 10 June, focuses on social media marketing and is specifically tailored to teaching small businesses and entrepreneurs how to market a company to online audiences.

Further courses, including in GCSE maths and English, are set to follow in September. And the college is exploring the practicalities of offering more options, including in health and social care, at Ripon Community House as the year progresses.

Courses for adults starting in June

Explore the below courses in more detail

• Progression into Care
  Do you want to work in the NHS or the care sector? This short 6-week free course will help you to either begin or further progress your career in care.
  
• Social Media/Marketing For Business
  This social media course will provide you with up-to-date techniques and tools you need to create successful social media marketing plans.
  

Reaching out across the county

The new offering is part of a collaborative push with North Yorkshire Council. It is hoped that launching these courses in Ripon will provide the local community with an adult education and skills training service that caters to all residents of the wider Harrogate district.

“Harrogate is a great town that we’re proud to support, but it isn’t easily reachable for many people in other parts of the county,” says Principal Danny Wild. 

“Having a course delivery site in Ripon, which is also easier to reach for people who live in places like Pateley Bridge and Boroughbridge, is an important step towards being more accessible to our community.”

Programme manager Matt Hanson added: “We’re really excited to be offering adults in the Ripon area the opportunity to study with us.

“The skills bootcamps, as well as our GCSE offerings, are an important step towards job progression. We are also looking forward to working with Ripon’s businesses to create courses that meet their needs and build on the strengths of the local workforce.”

The college works closely with local businesses to ensure it is providing the training they need and hopes its move into Ripon will encourage more employers from the area to join its flourishing employers’ network.

Looking to learn something new? Browse our full range of courses for adults.