Swindon business leaders hear about the value of Apprenticeships
May 3rd, 2012
Local businesses heard current thoughts on how external business factors will impact their organizations at the Swindon/M4 Business Leader’s Forum today. Over fifty representatives attended this Swindon Chamber of Commerce event at the De Vere Hotel.
Speakers included Steve Hughes from the British Chambers of Commerce, Paul Johnson from Swindon and Wiltshire Local Economic Partnership, Alex Pyatt from Withy King and our own New College Swindon Principal Graham Taylor.
Graham discussed the increasing importance of Apprenticeships, the available government funding and the benefits of Apprenticeships to the employer.
“Most employers are not aware of the range and scope of Apprenticeships today or the funding that is open to them if they want to go down this route. There is a perception that your typical apprentice is male, aged 16-21 and employed in an industry like plumbing or construction at a very junior level. However, this is not the case – the top three most popular Apprenticeships last academic year were Customer Service, Health and Social Care and Retail. These were closely followed by Business Administration and Management. Whilst Apprenticeship training for the 16-18 age group is free, those for the 19-24 and the 25+ are part-funded by the Government.”
“Apprenticeships are all about employment and skills development; they are not just a vocational training course. This cost –effective training can provide a great return on investment as apprentices tend to be eager, motivated, productive, flexible and loyal. In the current economic climate, why not grow and develop your own staff? New College can work closely with employers to provide a full service with Apprenticeships, finding the best solutions to meet business need and offering additional bespoke training where necessary.”
New College opens its doors to Higher Education
May 1st, 2012
New College is opening its doors on the 3rd May for an Open Evening showcasing degree level courses.
Whether people are considering a university level course straight after studying A Levels, or are looking to get back in education after a number of years, New College has a range of courses to suit.
In partnership with BPP University College, you can now study for a full degree in Swindon! We are offering BSc Business Studies and LLB Law, with competitive tuition costs and full or part-time study options.
New College offers Foundation degrees in Health and Social Care Practice, Early Years, Education Studies for Teaching Assistants and Professional Photography. A foundation degree is a two year course with a strong work based element. You can opt to study for a further year to obtain a full degree at one of our partner universities. We also run a full degree programme in English, Psychology, Sociology.
Alongside degree courses, New College has launched a suite of university level HNCs and HNDs. New Courses announced include Computing, Early Years, Textiles, Applied Biology, Health and Social Care, Sports Coaching and Uniformed Public Services.
New College produces excellent results on its Higher Education programmes, with small class sizes and a broad course choice offering locals the chance to study for a degree right on their doorstep – removing the need for costly student accommodation.
Between 5pm and 7pm on the night, New College’s tutors will be on hand to discuss course details and requirements, and be able to answer any questions on the range of qualifications available.
For those who would like to study for a degree, but may not have the right qualifications, New College runs Access courses which are equivalent to GCSEs and A Levels, to bridge the gap between existing qualifications and a degree course.
For more information, and to register visit www.newcollege.ac.uk/he.
New College Higher Education open evening is on the 3rd May 2012 between 5-7pm
New College Swindon celebrates World Book Night
April 24th, 2012
New College celebrated World Book Night on Monday April 23rd by giving away free copies of some of the selected World Book titles.
World Book Night is a celebration of reading and books which sees tens of thousands of passionate volunteers gift books in their communities to share their love of reading. 23rd April is also the birthdate of William Shakespeare.
Students and staff received free copies of six of the designated World Book Day which included the following:- Sleepyhead by Mark Billingham, Harlequin by Bernard Cornwell, Misery by Stephen King, How I live Now by Meg Rosoff, Small Island by Andrea Levy and Touching the Void by Joe Simpson
Lee Hancock, New College’s Librarian commented:
“We were delighted to take part in this annual event. As a further education college at the heart of community learning, we feel that it is essential that people are encouraged to discover the enjoyment and engagement of reading. World Book Night gives people the opportunity to do just that”
myNCS@Swindon extended to Year 12s
April 23rd, 2012
New College and Swindon College are teaming up this year to provide the Swindon National Citizen Service summer programme for Year 11s. The scheme has now been extended to include all Year 12 pupils or those who turned or are turning 17 between Sept 1st 2011 and August 31st 2012.
Students who take part in this free programme will experience an outdoor adventure residential, work within the local community, and design and deliver a social project addressing an issue they are passionate about.
These young people will spend over 2,000 hours helping Swindon communities to tackle the issues that matter most to them. Previous projects have included helping the homeless, teaching kids sport and refurbishing local youth centres.
A call is being made to all 16-and 17 year-olds in Swindon to get involved with the second year of National Citizen Service. They will gain valuable life experience and new skills, make friends from all walks of life and prepare themselves for their futures – while playing a part in making their communities better.
New College Swindon’s Director of Customer Service and Marketing Amanda Walton said:
“We’re delighted to be involved with this project. Participating in this exciting scheme will give Year 11 and 12 pupils a really fun and worthwhile experience that they can use on future job or university applications.”
For more information, students can visit www.newcollege.ac.uk/myncs
New College STEM Day
March 27th, 2012
Pupils from local schools had the opportunity to hear presentations from VIPs in the fields of science, technology and engineering, meet local employers and representatives from universities and view demonstrations at this recent event.
It was designed to celebrate “STEM” subjects (science, engineering, technology and medicine) at New College and showcase our new facilities and range of courses.
Key note speeches came from the following VIPs:-
Dr Jonathan Hare, a research scientist who helped contribute to the Nobel Prize winning C60 research and is a presenter or contributor to programmes including BBC’s COAST, Rough Science, Tomorrow’s World and Horizom
Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, a fellow of the Royal Society who helped to discover Pulsars with Anthony Hewish and has won many awards including the Herschel Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society for outstanding work in the area of observational astrophysics, and is a fellow of the Royal Society.
Dr Christopher Frost from the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, part of the Science and Technology Facilities Council.
Employers and universities who were present included Catalent, QuinetiQ, Robogals, Dyson, Rolls Royce, the Army and the Universities of Bath and Bristol.
Swindon launch of ‘Spirit Level’
March 13th, 2012
Colleges from the South West Area have been working together to produce a new DVD ‘Spirit Level’. This DVD aims to explain, celebrate and sustain support for Multi-faith Chaplaincies in Further Education Colleges around the UK, and New College and our Chaplaincy Team Leader Derek Ormston are both featured.
So we’re inviting Staff and Students to come to a launch celebration.
‘Spirit Level’ will be shown (22mins), with an opportunity to meet others informally.
New College (room BF05), Queen’s Drive, Swindon SN3 1AH
Thursday 15 March 2012 6.30 – 7.30pm
Healthy New College
March 7th, 2012
New College has been working with the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) to obtain a National Healthy Colleges Award
New College Swindon is now a recognised Healthy FE College. The college is committed to continuous improvement in the range and level of health support services for its staff and learners. New College works with local health support services and organisations in the continuous improvement of its health services for staff and learners, and actively engages its staff and learners in the promotion of health and well-being.
Money Saving Expert advises New College Students
February 7th, 2012
Martin Lewis, the brains behind MoneySavingExpert.com, has been working with New College to help educate students on the importance of Personal Finance.
It is New College’s aim to have all 16-18 year olds schooled and qualified in Personal Finance during their time at the college.
Martin Lewis has produced a dedicated web video purely for New College students, covering the importance of budgeting, spending within your means and spending your money cleverly. This video will be used as part of the College’s Finance week.
Local North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson is Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Financial Education for Young People, which recommends financial education should be compulsory in every school’s curriculum.
Ahead of these plans, New College has launched Personal Finance courses, and all students will be completing a Personal Finance qualification in March as part of the annual Progression and Personal Finance day.
Swindon apprentices are the key to business success
January 18th, 2012
Apprenticeships are increasingly popular among businesses, as both a great way to upskill existing staff members and a cost effective way to bring in new staff.
Over half of companies that already recruit an apprentice believe that they offer greater value than hiring university graduates.
Apprenticeships have been shown to increase productivity, improve competitiveness and provide a committed and competent work-force. Apprenticeships ensure your workforce have the practical skills and qualifications needed now and in the future.
Nine in ten employers view apprentices as key to the future success of their business over the next two years, as they fight their way out of recession.
New College Swindon offers a variety of apprenticeships with a proven track record. In 2010/11 the achievement rates of the college stand at 91%, well above the national average.
New College offers flexible training, and wherever possible training is provided in the workplace, working in partnership with the employer.
The range of Apprenticeships offered at New College includes Accountancy (AAT), Business and Administration, Childcare and Young People’s Workforce, Customer Service, Health and Social Care, Management, Team Leading, Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools, Retail, Warehousing/Logistics, Payroll, Bookkeeping, Hospitality, Beauty Therapy, Laboratory Technician, Environmental Conservation, Business Improvement Technique, and Facilities Management.
Some of the newest apprenticeships on offer at New College are also the fastest growing and most popular apprenticeships in the country.
An increasing number of housing apprentices are being employed in the current climate, leading into roles as Housing Assistants, to Housing Support Officers and Community Support Officers. Housing apprenticeships focus on both people and property, and train apprentices in assessing housing needs and dealing with associated problems.
Environmental Conservation is also one of the fastest growing apprenticeships with a range of relevant job roles from Recycling or Conservation Officer to Ecologist or Environmental Management Officer. It covers roles that deal with the protection of rural and urban landscapes, plants, animals and countryside. The scope of environmental conservation stretches from local issues (such as community recycling) to national ones (including global warming).
An increasingly popular apprenticeship is Payroll, which is suitable for a wide number of job roles varying from Payroll Assistant or Payroll Administrator, up to Assistant Payroll Manager or Team Leader.
For more information about apprenticeships at New College, please call Kate on 01793 732892 or email apprenticeships@newcollege.ac.uk.
New College’s New Annexe
November 8th, 2011
Our new Annexe had a celebrated opening on the 3rd November.
England Rugby legend and TV star Matt Dawson officially opened the Annexe, with support from local MP’s Robert Buckland and Justin Tomlinson, and New College Principal Graham Taylor.
Matt said: “It is clear that New College are pioneers in developing the opportunities given to young people. They do a sterling job and the facilities are superb.
“It is a real privilege to declare the new New College Annexe officially open.”
The new Annexe provides space for a 35% increase in students, as well as additional parking spaces.
Located within the new building is a one-stop shop for Student Services to help with information, advice and guidance, increased Additional Learning Support facilities and a new Enrichment Centre.
Business and Enterprise, Science and Maths, and a new Hair and Beauty Salon ‘Distinction’ also have their own specialist areas, along with dedicated HE and adult learning facilities.