WELCOME

WELCOME FROM THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Board of Directors are seeking to appoint additional members to the Board’s Advisory Body to help it build on the excellent regional and national reputation that the College has established. The College has over 10,000 learners and 1,000 staff located across seven campuses throughout the counties of Carmarthenshire and . The College offers a broad range of academic and vocational programmes across all sector subject areas that range from Entry to level 7. The College delivers Further Education, Work Based Learning, Higher Education, Adult and Community Learning, Commercial Training and supports a large number of 14-19 School pupils in accessing vocational provision at the College or in specialist centres. The College is a warm, friendly learning community where learners come first and there are excellent staff and learner relationships based around a culture of mutual respect. There is a strong bilingual ethos reflecting the College’s location in a Welsh-speaking heartland. The Board would like to thank you for taking an interest in joining our Advisory Body. COLEG SIR GÂR AND COLEG CEREDIGION

THE COLLEGE

Over 10,000 learners study at the College, with The County of Carmarthenshire is part tertiary around 3,000 studying full time vocational with four 11-16 partner secondary schools in diplomas or tertiary A level provision. There Llanelli. The remainder of the County and the are over 1200 apprentices funded through the County of Ceredigion operate school VI forms. ‘B-WBL’ Work Based Learning (WBL) consortium Excellent, nationally recognised, partnerships and over 900 higher education learners are established with both 11-16 and 11-18 registered with the University of Trinity schools across the region and over 1,000 school Saint David (UWTSD). pupils access vocational provision annually. The College has a turnover of around £40M Coleg Sir Gâr and Coleg Ceredigion have been (Coleg Sir Gâr £34M and Coleg Ceredigion £6M). formally integrated since 1 August 2017 and FE accounts for approximately £20M, HE £5M, from 2018-19 will be funded and inspected as WBL £4M and other activities (including trading, one College. However, they remain separate projects, research & EU funding) £11M. The legal entities with Coleg Ceredigion a wholly trading income includes the operation of a 700 owned subsidiary of Coleg Sir Gâr. The colleges acre commercial dairy farm with a 900 strong currently hold the Estyn quality profiles of ‘Good’ dairy herd. (Coleg Sir Gâr) and ‘Adequate’ (Coleg Ceredigion) resulting from inspections conducted in 2013. The College has excellent accommodation and specialist facilities on many of the campuses which include a farm campus at Gelli Aur, Llandeilo, and Carmarthen School of Art which has a history in the town dating back to 1854. The College’s headquarters are located at Graig Campus, Llanelli, where a £4M Innovation and Performance centre is currently being built alongside a newly establish full size 3G pitch. Ambitious plans are also in place to redevelop the College’s Pibwrlwyd campus at Carmarthen with the support of Welsh Government. At Ceredigion, a project is currently underway to improve students’ social and learning spaces. The College is at the forefront of promoting skills and employability and leads the Inspiring Skills Excellence project for Welsh Government across Wales. Allied to this, the College has an excellent record of success in regional, national and World Skills competitions with learners reaching four World Skills finals in Calgary, London, Sau Paulo and Abu Dhabi since 2009. VISION

VISION

• Our College will always put the needs of the learner first and our primary focus will be to develop ambitious, highly skilled, resilient and employable learners who improve their self-esteem and are confident to take their place in the workforce of the future. • All our actions will be defined by our core values and behaviours. • We will achieve excellence in teaching and learning practice and have the highest standards in learner outcomes, leading to successful progression for all learners. An ambitious workforce development programme will drive improvement at all levels. • Our curriculum will be innovative and will evolve to meet the ever-changing demands of global industry, and our curriculum pathways will facilitate progression through an integrated Dual Sector University. • We will be a safe and caring College that improves the wellbeing of learners and staff. • We will sustain and improve partnerships that bring real benefit to the learner. We will remain at the heart of the community, discharging our civic duty and we will be recognised as a bilingual College in Wales, championing the Welsh language and culture. • Financial resilience, based on diversified income streams, will be of paramount importance to us and we will drive operational efficiency and effectiveness to maximise our business performance. • A sustainable, contemporary, estate and cutting-edge resources will provide an outstanding environment for learners to be successful in their future careers. PARTNERSHIPS

PARTNERSHIPS

The College has a proud and enviable record of partnership. Here are just a few examples that the College is currently active in supporting: • B-WBL - a consortium of training providers who collaborate to provide training across Wales that delivers across 23 Apprenticeship sectors and Traineeship programmes in 17 local authorities in Wales. • Carmarthenshire County Council - supporting local services, regeneration, the delivery of Adult and Community Learning, the Beacon Bursary and 14-19 partnerships - including the Bryngwyn School based Vocational Skills Centre, Llanelli. • CYFLE - a multi award winning (including a Queen’s Award for Enterprise) regional Shared Apprenticeship scheme that currently employs over 140 apprentices - the largest Shared Apprenticeship scheme in the UK. • Public Services Board - a collection of public bodies, including the County Council, Health Board, Natural Resources Wales, Police and Fire and Rescue Service, working together to improve the well-being of the County. • Regional Learning and Skills Partnership - which analyses and influences the provision of skills based on regional economic need, to support growth and key infrastructure projects in each region. • Scarlets Regional Rugby - developing players for the Scarlets Academy, the Scarlets Regional Rugby squad and Wales’ national squad. • Swansea Bay City Deal - supporting projects that include the development of ‘Yr Egin’ in Carmarthen, which will see S4C relocate to the town to stimulate a new digital and creative cluster in Carmarthen; and the Life Science and Wellness Village at Llanelli, that will integrate business development, education, healthcare, leisure, tourism, wellness support and research in life-sciences in one location. VALUES AND BEHAVIOURS

VALUES AND BEHAVIOURS

The College’s values and behaviours were developed with the support of staff and centre around three core principles: Purpose, Passion and Professionalism. TRINITY SAINT DAVID (UWTSD)

UNIVERSITY OF WALES TRINITY SAINT DAVID (UWTSD)

The University of Wales Trinity Saint David is a dynamic and ambitious institution with campuses across three counties in West Wales and in Cardiff (the Wales International Academy of Voice), Birmingham and London. Coleg Sir Gâr and Coleg Ceredigion are colleges within the UWTSD Group, a dual sector University Group providing a vibrant system of education to provide progression routes from entry level to doctoral studies. These opportunities are connected to the needs of employers and respond to the economic and social needs of Wales within a wider global context. The UWTSD Group has established a new educational ‘system’ of universities and colleges committed to educating students of all ages and backgrounds, and to stimulating economic development in the region and across Wales and beyond. The UWTSD system is transforming the delivery of higher education and training in Wales. Central to this model is a sustainable planning framework that encompasses, nurtures, stimulates and promotes the development of coherent educational pathways across a wide range of institutions. Coleg Sir Gâr has been part of the UWTSD Group since 2013 and Coleg Ceredigion has been a subsidiary of Coleg Sir Gâr since 2017. The University’s Royal Charter is the oldest of any university in Wales and England after the universities of Oxford and Cambridge. campus was founded in 1822 and received its Royal Charter from King George IV in 1828. The Carmarthen campus was the first centre for teacher training in Wales established in 1848. His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales is the University’s Royal Patron. GOVERNANCE

GOVERNANCE

The model of governance set out in the Articles of Association makes a clear distinction between the role of governance and the role of the Principal. The governing body comprises an 18 place Board with the support of a 24 place Advisory Body. Collectively they are all referred to as governors.

Board The Board sets the strategic direction of the college and how it conducts its business. The Principal makes policy and strategy proposals to the Board, implements the policy and strategy set by the Board and manages the day-to- day running of the college and its staff.

The Board of Coleg Sir Gâr currently comprises of 17 members all of whom have relevant experience in education, business and/or community affairs and in addition are interested in making a contribution to their community.

The Board is responsible for: 1. the determination of the Educational character and mission of the institution and for oversight of its activities; 2. the effective and efficient use of resources, the solvency of the institution and for safeguarding its assets; 3. approving annual estimates of income and expenditure; 4. the appointment, pay and conditions of service of the Principal and the Company Secretary; 5. setting a framework for the pay and conditions of service of all other staff.

The Board meets on four occasions each year; a minimum of once per term.

Advisory Body The Advisory Body of Coleg Sir Gar seeks to bring relevant knowledge and experience from outside the college to work with and support Board members in bringing governance oversight to bear on current college activity.

Members of the Advisory Body sit on one of three committees: • Curriculum & Standards Committee; • Planning & Resources Committee; • Audit & Risk Management Committee.

These meet three times a year, usually on a Thursday starting at 16:00 and lasting approx 2 hours. All Advisory Body meetings are held in the Board Room, Graig Campus, Llanelli. THE ROLE OF GOVERNOR TERMS OF OFFICE

THE ROLE OF GOVERNOR TERMS OF OFFICE

It is important that the college’s governing body prison sentences may not be eligible to become All new governors are appointed are for a period of four years (except understands what students and employers need Governors. All Governor appointments are parent governors who are appointed for two years). Those appointed so it looks for governors from a wide range of subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to the Advisory Body can apply to serve a second term too before backgrounds – professional and business people check and disclosure of financial and/or personal they have to retire. If a vacancy arises on the Board during their Term as well as students, parents and college staff. interests. of Office they may be invited to transfer from the Advisory Body to There is no one type of person best suited to the Board at which point their terms of office is restarted at zero become a governor: the most important qualities College governors are volunteers so are not depending on the type of vacancy and the skill set of governors eligible are an interest in further education and a desire to paid. Assistance may be available with any extra for appointment. contribute to the life of the college. costs such as travel to meetings. New governors, whether to the Board or Advisory Body, can All Governors have to fulfil basic eligibility criteria. expect training and support; starting with an Individuals who have been bankrupted or served induction into the role. THE SELECTION PROCESS

THE SELECTION PROCESS

The Board is keen to ensure that its membership reflects the strategic needs of the College and the diversity of the community it serves by making sure there is an appropriate balance of skills and expertise on the Board. For this reason, we have a well-established appointment process for new governors.

• Stage One We encourage expressions of interest from appropriate businesses, community and professional organisations and advertise in social media and local press. • Stage Two We acknowledge expressions of interest and ensure all have access to an Applicant Briefing Pack via email and the college website and we ask those who wish to take this further to submit a formal application by email supported by a CV. • Stage Three All the information provided will go forward to the Search and Governance Committee where they will match skills and experience against the Governors’ role description and specification and to any identified gaps in the skills matrix. • Stage Four If applicants have the skills and experience we need we will invite them into college for an informal discussion. • Stage Five If they are still interested in becoming a Governor their expression of interest will be formally considered by the Search and Governance Committee and a recommendation for appointment would go forward to the Board for approval. Where there is more than one match for a vacancy individual suitability will be considered alongside other candidates. The person who is considered to possess the most desirable skills balance will be proposed. WHAT IF I HAVE A QUESTION?

WHAT IF I HAVE A QUESTION?

Questions on any aspect of the role are welcomed and should be addressed by email to the Company Secretary/ Clerk to the Board.

Marcus Beaumont Company Secretary and Clerk to the Board Coleg Sir Gâr/Coleg Ceredigion Graig Campus Sandy Road, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, SA15 4DN Inspiring learners | Fulfilling potential | Achieving excellence

www.colegsirgar.ac.uk | www.ceredigion.ac.uk