8 0 0 2 r e m m u S Onwards and upwards As Higher Futures reaches the end of its first year of operation, we hope to capture the essence of what we have achieved during 2007/08 in this newsletter. There are snapshots of a number of successful events over recent months, involving stakeholders, learners and partners, and an overview of two important evaluations published this year - our own strategic Interim Network Review and the national evaluation of Lifelong Learning Networks, commissioned by HEFCE. A range of activities are taking place across all five sectors, most of which will continue into next year, and the network team has expanded to an impressive 39 colleagues across our partner institutions, having started with 25 a year ago. That illustrates the pattern of growth over the past 12 months and capacity we now have to develop further in 2008/09. Thank you to everyone involved, and our partners and stakeholders for their continued support of Higher Futures. Whirlowbrook Hall, Rob Harrison venue of our first Director stakeholder forum Higher Futures is the Lifelong Learning Network Stakeholder (LLN) for South Yorkshire and its travel-to-study area, including North Derbyshire and North forum Nottinghamshire. We are one of 31 LLNs nationally, funded by the The first Higher Futures Higher Education Funding Council for England. stakeholder forum was held at Our aim is to create a network to transform higher the end of February. We education progression pathways and opportunities welcomed 44 participants to for vocational and work-based learners. Whirlowbrook Hall for an introductory session; sector- Our principal partners are: specific discussions; a session on • Barnsley College information, advice and guidance; lunch and networking. Participant • Chesterfield College feedback was very positive and • Dearne Valley College the sector and IAG teams will be • Doncaster College taking forward a variety of ideas • Longley Park Sixth Form College and projects to engage our stakeholder audience. • North Nottinghamshire College • Northern College Read about more Higher Futures • Rotherham College of Arts and Technology events inside. • The Sheffield College • Sheffield Hallam University (lead partner) • Thomas Rotherham College "It felt as though there was a real • The University of Sheffield opportunity for employer opinion to be heard." Participants at the first Higher Futures stakeholder forum Health and social care An eventful few months careers higher education conference A small selection of some of the successful events Higher Futures has organised or supported during the first half of 2008. Students from across the region attended Higher 'Go higher - stay local' progression opportunities fair Futures' first specialist higher education and Interactive experiences and performances attracted more than 700 careers conference in students to the 'Go higher - stay local' fair at the HUBs (Sheffield Hallam February. Nearly 200 University students' union) in learners from Level 3 April. Organised by Aimhigher health and social care Nearly 200 students attended the health South Yorkshire and and social care careers conference courses participated in supported by Higher Futures, the hugely successful the event featured fashion event at the Mega Centre in Sheffield. Delegates enjoyed shows, musicians and break a wide range of workshops, including getting into dancing demonstrations. nursing, working in care, social work and probation, Student fashion show at the 'Go occupational therapy, and interactive sessions from higher - stay local' progression St John's Ambulance and counsellors from opportunities fair Rotherham College of Arts and Technology and the Sheffield College. Work-based learning higher education event Employers and learners were invited to attend this engineering-focused event at Chesterfield College in April. It offered the opportunity to speak with a range of experts and advisers on the engineering sector, the benefits of higher education, finding the right course, and Learners and employers attended available support. the work-based learning event Development Officer. A Foundation Year and additional student numbers have also Sector updates Foundation Degree in engineering at Sheffield supported growth in the Public Service Hallam University have utilised some of our Diploma run at Dearne Valley College and Curriculum development and adaptation by additional student numbers, and work on students studying sports coaching, Higher Futures is gathering pace, coupled with progression agreements is ongoing. development and management degree negotiations on 15 progression agreements. programmes at Sheffield Hallam University. Health and social care Early years Mapping work has concluded that the sector Sustainable communities Sector and IAG teams are working closely offers great diversity in career routes, with a Three 'sustainable communities' Foundation together, and collaborative agreements with large continuing professional development and Degrees have been developed by Northern Sheffield Hallam University have been put in work-based learning component. Sector College and the two universities. The University place to deliver a Foundation Degree in Early Development Officers at Sheffield Hallam of Sheffield is now running the second group Years at Chesterfield College and Dearne Valley University and the Sheffield College have been on its Fd in Working with Communities, College. Progression agreements are in working on progression agreements with supported by our additional student numbers, development for the Sheffield Hallam partner further education colleges and and has developed a new 'top-up' year to the University programmes in Childhood Studies, Sheffield Hospitals Trust. Growth on BA (Hons) Working with Communities, with Early Childhood Studies and the Early Years Foundation Degrees in Youth and Community some learners progressing directly to MA level. Foundation Degree. Work and Working with Children, Young People Meanwhile, Sheffield Hallam University and Families have also been supported by welcomed its first cohort onto the Fd in Engineering additional student numbers. Sustainable Communities and a group of 17 A Foundation Degree in Control Technology women onto a new a Level 4 bridging module, has been created (see article 'Firm foundations'), Public wellbeing 'Building sustainable communities'. with a further Fd in Materials Technology in the Colleagues at Sheffield Hallam University and pipeline. Proposals for a bridging module to Dearne Valley College have mapped all the support women into engineering are in Level 3 progression routes into higher development and a review of the mathematical education and have begun working on skills required to progress in engineering has progression agreements focusing on Sports begun, following the appointment of a Maths Science and Sports Management. Our Firm foundations Tackling the skills shortage: University. In spring 2008, draft curriculum Higher Futures worked with employers content was circulated to stakeholders and to create a new Foundation Degree in employers for comment. Their feedback led Control Technology to a few amendments, and the final programme was validated on 22 May 2008. In 2006, engineering and manufacturing employers approached the Manufacturing Dr Mark Thompson, at Sheffield Hallam CoVE (Centre of Vocational Excellence) University, said, "Partnership working is one of requesting a specialist, vocationally-based the major assets of the Higher Futures qualification between Apprenticeship and initiative. This collaboration between Sheffield degree level. They came together in early 2007 Hallam University and Rotherham College of to discuss their skills and training requirements. Arts and Technology is an excellent example of how the network can benefit employers When employers indicated that they required and learners to bolster skills in the engineering specialist training, Tony Oakley and Mark sector, and the region. Thompson, our specialists based at Rotherham College of Arts and Technology and Sheffield "The collaboration has allowed the two Hallam University, began working on a institutions to draw upon their respective solution. strengths to design a course that we could not have developed independently, resulting in a You can contact Tony Oakley at Rotherham Tony Oakley said, "They all required similar skill course that I believe will be advantageous to College of Arts and Technology on 01709 722 sets based around a generic need for skills in employers, learners and the two institutions." 824 or [email protected] instrumentation and control technologies. Tony added, "The Foundation Degree in If you work in one of our priority sectors and "It was clear more investment was required if Control Technology will be offered from would like to discuss a potential skills or we were to address some of the skills September 2008, with an initial cohort of 22 training gap, please contact a member of the shortages." learners. Higher Futures sector development team. During the summer and autumn of 2007, the "It will be team-taught across two institutions Find their details online at feasibility of the Foundation Degree was - Sheffield Hallam University and Rotherham www.higherfutures.org discussed between Rotherham College of Arts College of Arts and Technology." and Technology and Sheffield Hallam or contact us on 0114 225 3626. IAG at the University of Sheffield Spotlight on... Mike Bruce joined Higher Futures in the summer of With such