June 26th, 2014
Liverpool’s first Career College for 14-19 year olds has been given the go-ahead to open its doors to students in September 2014.
Hugh Baird College in Bootle will be opening a Career College delivering specialist training for the hospitality and catering industry. It will be one of the UK’s first two Career Colleges opening alongside Oldham College in Greater Manchester.
Career Colleges, launched by Lord Baker last year, are a new innovation in employer-led education. The college has strong support from local industry which is part of a drive to support the Liverpool City Region’s key growth sectors.
Several employers have helped design the curriculum of each Career College and will very much be part of the delivery – offering relevant work experience, placements and mentoring to students. The latest development also crucially supports Hugh Baird College’s overall strategy for 14 to 16-year-old provision. In December last year, the college announced it would be delivering full-time courses for 14 to 16-year-olds for the first time in its history.
The 14 to 16-year-old curriculum focuses on key GCSE subjects such as English, maths, ICT and science and also offer three initial pathways for students to gain hands-on, work-related qualifications. The pathways include Hospitality and Catering, Construction, Engineering and Logistics and Public Services.
The Career Colleges Trust has granted licences for Hugh Baird College and Oldham College to open, following an intensive approval process. A further seven Colleges including Birmingham Metropolitan College and The City of Oxford College are working towards approval and expect to open in 2015.
They take advantage of the Government’s decision to allow FE colleges to recruit at 14 – increasing the range and choice of opportunities for 14-19 year olds. A Career College provides the opportunity to combine academic and vocational studies within a specific industry specialism, improving career prospects for young people in the local labour market.
Each Career College is supported by employers, who will help design and deliver the curriculum. Alongside rigorous academic teaching in maths, English and other core subjects, Career Colleges will offer ‘real-world’ challenges, coupled with work experience – enabling students to develop their wider employability skills.
Chairman of the Career Colleges Trust, Luke Johnson, says:
“Career Colleges provide young people with the opportunity to develop life-skills and gain practical experience within a specific industry – alongside a rigorous academic education. This is essential in today’s world, where we see so many skills gaps, yet still suffer from high youth unemployment. As a business owner myself, I know employers need young people to be ready for work, and able to adapt to the workplace. Career Colleges will help arm them with this essential know how.
“The Career Colleges at Oldham and Hugh Baird represent very different industries – Catering & Hospitality, and Digital & Creative Arts. Not only does this demonstrate the diverse nature of our innovative educational concept, but it highlights the different employer/industry requirements in various areas. Career Colleges are, quite rightly, led by employer demand.
“This project has come a long way in a short amount of time. I look forward to working with these pioneering Colleges, and indeed expanding the project further so more young people and businesses can benefit.”
Hugh Baird College principal and chief executive Yana Williams said:
“We want to offer educational choices to young people in Bootle and across the Liverpool City Region that equip them with life skills and prepare them for work while also ensuring they have a sound academic grounding. “The Visitor Economy has been identified by the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) as a key growth area with a range of employment opportunities for our learners. By focussing our Career College on the hospitality and catering industry, we are confident that we will help to ensure that employers’ needs are fulfilled in future years with highly skilled, work ready individuals with a clear understanding of the sector and employer expectations.
“Providing skills-based training for 14-19 year olds can help motivate young people and re-engage those who may have become disinterested with the wholly academic focus at many schools. We have already filled our Year 10 cohort for this coming September, demonstrating the support and need for Hugh Baird’s Career College.”
Ms Williams said Hugh Baird College can offer the 14-19 year old cohort smaller class sizes to be able to deliver greater personal help and attention. In addition, she said the college has a proven track record for teaching and learning excellence, as well as converting student learners into employment, apprenticeships, or further education and training.
Hugh Baird College chairman of the corporation Jim Brown said: “Designation as one of the first Career College’s in the country reflects the hard work that our governors, managers and staff invest in Hugh Baird College. “Our learners are at the heart of everything that we do and this recognition acknowledges that we are fully aligned to and take account of the needs of our local employers and that we are fully engaged in ensuring learners are offered relevant skills and qualifications. We are proud to offer a seamless education experience for our 14 to 19 year old cohort and this extends into Higher Education opportunities for those who want to continue their education beyond age 19 and for our adult learners.”
More than 60 prospects are being considered by the Trust for approval and it’s expected that within four years there will be around 40 Career Colleges around the country.
For more information about Career Colleges, please see www.careercolleges.org.uk
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