Annual Review 2015 - 2016 Transforming Lives, Supporting Business www.gloscol.ac.uk Contents From the Chair 2 From the Chair and the Principal and the Principal Chair’s Welcome Further Education Colleges (FE) make the difference 3 Our Provision between the next steps on to the ladder of a worthwhile Meeting the Skills career, or settling for low paid jobs. Colleges are the choice of significantly more young adults than universities Needs of the County each year and help ensure a professional, technically skilled workforce can help grow the UK economy. 4 Investing to Meet the The Board of Gloucestershire College believes passionately in the value of Further Education in the county Needs of the County to meet the demands of labour markets, employers and students. 5 Transforming Lives That is why it is determined to continue its mission to upskill students and help them progress into a world of better paid work. Gloucestershire College students must leave for their destinations Student Success equipped, not just by training but also by hands-on experience. That is why, in 2015, the College invested directly in successful businesses, such as Graduations at no.9 and Chelsea Bar and Brasserie to name but two of several, in which students become immersed in the real world of work 6 Supporting Business and use the practical skills they have learned. Initiatives like these, combined with an increased emphasis on the teaching of Science, Technology, English and Maths (STEM), will ensure students leave work-ready to meet the needs of Gloucestershire’s employers. 7 Supporting our The world of FE is changing, significantly and fast! That is why Gloucestershire College is changing Community too, as part of its Strategic Plan, to provide greater organisational agility and a more effective operation which maintains and enhances the focus on students and employers as the key drivers of the organisation. The Board is proud of the way staff are responding positively to the new culture. 8 Students Supporting The Board has no doubt that its strategy of prudent use of current resources alongside bold our Community investment will ensure that the future, for all its stakeholders, will be full of opportunity. 9 Working in Partnership Graham Ripley, Chair of Governors 10 Staff Equipped to Principal’s Welcome Our mission statement “Transforming lives, supporting Support Success business” underpins everything we aim to achieve at Gloucestershire College, which is to ensure our students leave with the qualifications and skills they need to be 11 Leadership Team employable and in-demand by businesses. Across our three campuses in Cheltenham, Gloucester and the Forest of Dean we successfully deliver a broad range of apprenticeships and professional and technical training in high-growth industries including engineering, construction, IT, health and social care, business, finance and tourism. As a member of the GFirst LEP Board, I am proud to work in partnership with local businesses, voluntary organisations and local authorities to drive economic growth in Gloucestershire, by ensuring the College attracts, trains and retains skilled students to support business growth and create business and investment opportunities. We currently work with more than 900 local employers but we need the ongoing support of Gloucestershire businesses to ensure the College is able to continue to train and grow the workforce of the future. To achieve this, and to meet the needs of the local community, we have invested significantly in improving our facilities during the past year, and have ambitious plans to relocate and build a new campus in the Forest of Dean, as part of the Cinderford Northern Quarter project. This, coupled with our industry-experienced and passionate staff, enables us to provide first-class education, innovation and inspiration for the next generation, cementing Gloucestershire College as a remarkable place to learn, develop and flourish. Matthew Burgess, Principal and Chief Executive 2 GC Annual Review 15/16 Our Provision Meeting the skills needs of the county Gloucestershire College is a modern, career-focused college of further and higher education, with three main campuses in Cheltenham, Gloucester and the Forest of Dean. Our provision is driven by the needs of the county, with staff at all levels actively engaging with GFirst LEP, employers, industry bodies and the local authorities to respond to current and future skills needs. We deliver courses at Level 1 to Level 7, equivalent to a master’s degree, in a range of academic courses and professional and technical training. Our programmes support students at every stage of their career: progression from school or college to university level, professional development and back-to-work support. All students develop skills in their chosen field, gain an academic and industry-recognised qualification, develop wider skills such as team-working and communication, and enhance their career prospects. “Our courses are highly focused and relevant, and are taught by experienced practitioners active in their fields.”Vice Principal Peter White In 2015 GC Jobsmart helped get 93 unemployed people back in to work through our coaching and qualification-based programme, which is supported by employers who commit to providing job interviews and opportunities to those who complete the course. After meeting some of the 25 talented higher apprentices from GC at GE Aviation Cheltenham, David Owen, CEO at GFirst LEP, commented: “The quality, confidence and knowledge of the Gloucestershire College higher apprentices were superb. All of those we met were making a real difference at GE Aviation and being given significant responsibility by the company – a testament to how well developed they are. “Apprenticeships provide a great way for young people to gain invaluable experience and qualifications whilst earning money. What was very clear from the visit was that the apprentices are working on projects that are real, and having an impact on GE locally as well as internationally.” Overview of what we offer: Occupational Area Cheltenham Gloucester Forest of Dean Route FT PT App FT PT App FT PT App A Levels ✓ ✓ Arts and Media ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Business, Management and Finance ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Catering and Hospitality ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Construction and Building Services ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Early Years ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Engineering ✓ ✓ ✓ English and Maths ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ESOL ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Health and Social Care ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ IT and Computing ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Motor Vehicle ✓ ✓ Public Services ✓ Sport and Fitness ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Teacher Training ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Travel and Tourism ✓ Key: FT: Full-time PT: Part-time App: Apprenticeship GC Annual Review 15/16 3 Investing to Meet the Needs of the County Responding to the requirements of employers and students to make sure our facilities match the latest industry standards, we annually reinvest over £1m to upgrade our Case Study equipment and facilities, to ensure we are developing students who have up-to-date skills and experience. Development of engineering degree to meet employer need During 2014/15 over £1.7m was invested to create three first-class STEM Centres for the county. These centres are dedicated to improving Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths skills and include the Cheltenham Construction Centre, the Gloucester Engineering Centre and the Forest of Dean Construction Centre. Recognising our contribution to raising skills within the county, GFirst LEP contributed £800,000 towards the centres as part of its Growth Deal, which has upskilling the county’s STEM skills as integral to its Growth Strategy. £70k came from the Higher Education Funding Council to support high level STEM provision. Feedback from employers and students highlighted that students successfully completing their Electronic and Computer Engineering qualifications at the College wanted the opportunity to take their qualifications to a higher level, to meet employer skills needs and advance themselves in their profession. Brian Fowler, Head of Engineering, who has significant industry experience, most recently as the Business Partner for the South West for SEMTA (Science Engineering And Manufacturing Technologies Alliance), took up the challenge and, working with the University of West of England, developed our first full engineering degree which launched successfully in September 2015 with 16 Wider Contribution to Gloucestershire students from blue-chip companies across As well as delivering on the skills agenda: Gloucestershire. • we are one of the larger employers in Gloucestershire, with over 1,000 members of staff who predominantly live in Gloucestershire and contribute to the economy, • we bring £750,000 of direct investment from overseas students studying at the College and £1m of indirect investment through their subsistence and entertainment expenditure. GC House In a UK first, GC has bought a house in Gloucester as a renovation project for our construction and building services students, in order to further develop their skills and provide them with practical experience of working on-site, which will ultimately benefit their future employers and the local economy. Over 400 students will have the opportunity to work on the house, with completion planned for summer 2016 and support received from businesses including E G Carter, Howdens Joinery, Buildbase, Nicks Timber and Johnstones Paints, as well as the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). 4 GC Annual Review 15/16 Transforming Lives Student Success We celebrate