On Course by Blackpool Gazette

Ainsley Harriott ‘I’m sure many Blackpool and The Fylde College students will progress to great things’

Construction courses to put you on path to a great career

Pages 12-13

Page 14

January 2009

oncourse

■ A concept view of the Further Education College

Building a bigger, better future BIG things are happening at Blackpool and The Fylde College – three big things to be precise. The College recently announced its ambitious plans for the future, including a new Further Education College at Sands Way in Central Blackpool, as well as a new Nautical Campus at Fleetwood. In addition, the College is set to open a new £10million university building

College will be at heart of resort’s regeneration

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at the Palatine Road Campus in September. These three huge developments mean that almost £200m will be invested in

further and higher education in the town and, in the process, will put Blackpool and The Fylde College at the very heart of the regeneration of the resort. The College has made an application to the Learning and Skills Council for funding to build the new Further Education College and Nautical Campus and a decision will be made in the ﬁrst part of 2009. The FE College is planned

to open in 2013 and the Nautical Campus in Fleetwood should welcome its ﬁrst intake of students in 2011. The College’s Principal and Chief Executive, Pauline Waterhouse, said: “The scale of our proposals and the exciting vision of the future will provide world-class educational facilities.” ● Turn to page 2 for more details and pictures of the proposed developments.

2 oncourse • January 2009

New beginnings

‘‘

The scale of our proposals and the exciting vision of the future will provide world-class educational facilities...

Pauline Waterhouse Principal

An aerial view of the Further Education Campus, looking towards the Tower

Another aerial view, showing the front of the Further Education Campus on Central Drive

An artist’s impression of the proposed Higher Education Campus at Palatine Road

A concept view of the entrance to the proposed new Nautical Campus at Fleetwood

Our vision for a brighter future 3

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AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURING

CUSTOMER SERVICE QUALITY FOR TOURISM

BUILDING SERVICES

Blackpool and The Fylde College has published all information about the courses it intends to offer in good faith based on current government funding advice. The College reserves the right to cancel any class and to vary the time, location, direction and content of any class it provides and the associated fees. Blackpool and The Fylde College hereby expressly excludes liability for any indirect or consequential loss arising from its actions and limits compensation to a maximum of a full refund or any fees paid or the offer of a class of equivalent value.

oncourse • January 2009

Contents Workforce Solutions

Art, Media and Performance

Improve the skills of your employees with a flexible package of high-quality training in a range of vocational subjects.

Gain an insight into a fun course on Flash Animation, courses designed to help teachers with theatrical production and effective voice use, plus another in digital photography.

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Pages 4-6

Apprenticeships Earn while you learn – we have a huge range of courses available and employers can feel the benefit, too

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Academic Studies Find out about Foundation Degrees in Communication and Media Writing, as well as a vocational course in Spanish and a full-time Access to GCSE course.

Acccess and Continuing Education All about the Skills for Life programme and our Stepping Stones courses

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Discover more about our First Aid courses as well as a number of part-time Further Education courses in Child Development, Education, Health and Social Care.

Take your pick from accounting, counselling, business management and many more.

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Catering and Food Production Celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott drops in, while there are opportunities in hospitality, catering, confectionery and food safety

Pages 12-13

Construction/ Engineering and Computing There’s a wealth of courses on offer in both Schools, from brickwork and plastering to manufacturing engineering

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State-of-the-art facilities and great courses in many subjects.

Health, Care and Early Years

Business and Professional Studies

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Hair, Beauty and Related Therapies

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Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality The College celebrates awards success and there are many part-time courses available

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Financial help and enrolment A guiding hand through the maze of financial help available to students and all the information you will need to help you enrol on our courses.

Pages 18-20

Adult Community Learning Give us your feedback! See the advert in the Gazette today for a full listing of Courses in the Community (courses without a qualiﬁcation), or telephone Carr Head Adult Centre on 01253 883601 or visit our website www.blackpool.ac.uk/community for a full list of courses.

Alternative options IF you would like to receive this supplement in an alternative format, please contact the Learning Support Team on Tel:01253 504356, Textphone (Minicom): 01253 355755 or Email: learningsupport@blackpool.ac.uk.

www.blackpool.ac.uk/community For more information about courses, including location, days, times and length, visit our website or telephone 01253 504343

YOUR feedback is required! We would really welcome any comments you may have (whether positive or negative) on the style and layout of the new Adult Supplement. Please forward your comments to visitors@blackpool.ac.uk Or by post to: Marketing Dept Blackpool and The Fylde College Ashﬁeld Road Bispham Lancs FY2 0HB

A message from the Principal... YOU may already have read about the exciting developments planned for Blackpool and The Fylde College. We are very excited about the plans, as the three major building projects, two in Blackpool and one in Fleetwood, will create some of the best learning facilities in the country. A new building will extend our existing University Campus in Palatine Road, Blackpool. This building, housing a new Learning Resource Centre, student services facilities and refectory, will open in September 2009. Therefore many of you coming to enrol at the College this year will be among the first to benefit from what we believe will be a fantastic facility. We plan to build a brand new Further Education campus in Sands Way, Blackpool, which will replace the College’s main campus in Bispham. This represents a tremendous opportunity for the College to provide first-class educational facilities for Blackpool’s future, and also enables us to be right at the heart of the town’s regeneration, which continues to gather pace. In addition, a new, larger Maritime and Nautical campus is planned for the College’s existing site in Fleetwood. Together, these building projects will create a college for the 21st century, a world-class centre of vocational and academic learning. It will provide a range of services, from links with schools and employers, through the full range of further education options, to university-level study and beyond. As a potential adult learner, this is a wonderful time to come and join us. We aim to ensure that education and training opportunities are accessible to everyone and so we offer a comprehensive range of courses at all levels, at a variety of locations throughout the Fylde Coast. I am always proud of what the talented students of this College achieve and this is due in no small part to the tremendous professionalism and dedication of our tutors. All our staff appreciate the demands and pressures of adult learning. Whether you choose to study full- or part-time, you can be assured of their guidance and support throughout your course. Please do take the time to read through this supplement. We believe that we have a programme suitable for everyone, whether you are hoping to improve your career prospects or take on a new challenge. We very much look forward to welcoming you to the College. Pauline Waterhouse Principal and Chief Executive

4 oncourse • January 2009

Employers and educators join forces to develop world class skills In his seminal report on the future of further education services, Lord Leitch said: “In the 21st century, our natural resource is our people – and their potential is both untapped and vast. Skills are the key to unlocking that potential”. Recent research indicated that, while Britain has excellent employability, it is losing out on productivity. Quite simply, Britain’s competitors are producing more for less. One factor is a lack of qualiﬁed workers, something that directly affects the Fylde economy and the success of our local businesses.

In response, the Government has launched a number of schemes to provide funding for work-related adult education and training, and set challenging targets for adult educational achievement by 2020. Blackpool and The Fylde College is committed to helping deliver world class skills for the area, and is already working hard with local employers to develop and deliver work-based training. The College has been allocated some of the highest levels of funding for work-based training in the North West, through the Government’s Train to Gain scheme, and the potential beneﬁt for employers on the Fylde coast is huge.

AAT Blackpool and The Fylde College offers a wide range of accountancyrelated courses. The Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) is a competence based professional accounting qualification designed to give a broad range of accountancy skills. There are three, one-year levels of attainment: NVQ 2 (Foundation) in Accounting, NVQ 3 (Intermediate) in Accounting and NVQ 4 (Technician) in Accounting. Assessment is by examination, skills tests and where possible, work based evidence in the form of a portfolio. Study may be over a full day, a day and evening, or two evenings per week. AAT level 2 is open access (no prior qualification is needed), but students at level 3 must either have completed the level 2 qualification or have gained some years of bookkeeping work experience. Level 4 entry requires AAT level 3.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT – SOLUTIONS FOR EMPLOYERS

Workforce Solutions

The Workforce Solutions team at Blackpool and The Fylde College can help you improve the skills of your employees with a flexible package of high-quality training in a range of vocational subjects. Training is available at all levels to meet business need, and include National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs), professional qualifications, short courses, workshops, seminars, and tailor-made training, all delivered when and where you need them. We believe learners need to value and enjoy training, and we aim to make the

learning experience interactive, practical and enjoyable. We recognise that employers also have needs, so we will be there to support you throughout your partnership with us. The College was recently highly commended for employer engagement as part of the Government’s Beacon Award process, adding to awards already received for work with Blackpool’s two major leisure and tourism employers, Leisure Parcs and the Pleasure Beach. The team has also worked with BAE Systems, TVAC and Leyland Trucks.

THE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS PACKAGE INCLUDES: • Free advice on eligibility for funding • Free organisational needs analysis • Free business needs analysis • Free NVQs • Free Train to Gain • Free Apprenticeships

SEE PAGE 7

for Workforce Solutions contact details and information on how to get course funding.

TRAIN TO GAIN Most level 2/3 qualiﬁcations listed throughout this supplement can be undertaken through the Train to Gain scheme. Visit www.blackpool.ac.uk/ workforce/t2g/courses to ﬁnd a full list of Train to Gain courses.

LEGISLATIVE QUALIFICATIONS – HEALTH AND SAFETY AND FIRST AID Blackpool and The Fylde College is a registered and approved HSE provider of ﬁrst aid training and offers the following courses: 1 day First Aid - £60 4 Day First Aid - £185 2 Day Refresher - £90 Safer Mover & Handling - £60 Outdoor First Aid - £90

CONSTRUCTION CSCS AND CPCS Construction Skills Certiﬁcation Scheme (CSCS) and Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS) cards offer piece of mind to clients and the public that workers are fully knowledgeable in all aspects of working on-site. They are rapidly becoming a requirement on contractors. The School of Construction at Blackpool and The Fylde College is a National Beacon Accredited Centre and has been training of construction workers for many years. The School continues to expand and adapt to the constantly changing needs of the industry.

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TRAIN TO GAIN Train to Gain (T2G) is a Government initiative aimed at up-skilling the UK workforce.

training at level 2 or 3. As an example, for an NVQ, the most popular workrelated qualiﬁcation, this represents a saving of over £1,000 in training costs.

With T2G, we can offer work-related training, leading to a nationally recognized qualiﬁcation, at no cost to you. The scheme is available for anyone aged 19 and above subject to prior qualiﬁcations, and it provides free

If your company employs less than 50 people at full time or equivalent, you may also be entitled to a wage subsidy while your staff train.

PROJECTS Blackpool and The Fylde College, as part of the Lancashire College Consortium, have secured a range of projects via European Social Funding. The Workforce Solutions can discuss eligibility, and the projects available, which currently includes: • For employers with fewer than 50 employees help to access high quality training for themselves and their staff at reduced, and in some cases, no cost. The training leads to an appropriate level 4 qualiﬁcation helping to generate the higher level skills identiﬁed in the Regional Economic Strategy.

• An A1 Assessor/Verifier award which aims to qualify candidates from companies with fewer than 250 employees to become NVQ assessors within their workplace. • A Pathway to NVQ programme which prepares and supports employees to be able to successfully complete an NVQ Level 2 qualification. This is a very flexible programme, over a minimum of 12 hours, and tailor-made specifically for each employer based on their particular needs.

ORGANISATIONAL NEEDS ANALYSIS – MAKING THE MOST OF FUNDING Following the appointment of a new human resources manager and a training manager, Dudley Industries, a leading designer and manufacturer of quality washroom dispensing systems, was considering a programme of staff development/training. The work force of 180 had training requirements at a range of levels and therefore needed to consider a range of options. At an initial meeting with the Workforce Solutions team from the College identiﬁed that although some training had already taken place at the company, a full Organisational Needs Analysis (ONA) would be beneﬁcial to identify both business and training needs. Business specialist, Karen Wood, then carried out an ONA which involved discussing Dudley Industries’ future business plans, and agreeing how the College could help and support the company in achieving their business objectives. Karen’s report detailed both

short and long term recommendations for agreement with the HR manager and training manager. To date, the College has delivered four courses for the company as part of their agreed short term development plans including Skills for Life through IT, manufacturing and engineering operations, and management courses, most of which were funded through Train to Gain. Paul Schultheiss, HR Manager at Dudley Engineering, said: "Blackpool and The Fylde College quickly assessed our training needs and identified a number of courses for our employees, most of which were free. Our staff have benefited tremendously from the courses and as a company we have benefited from the excellent advice from the College's Workforce Solutions team."

SKILLS FOR LIFE Local retailer Booths is celebrating the success of 30 members of staff who completed English level 1 qualifications as part of a Government-funded, ‘Skills for Life’ training programme created specifically for them by Blackpool and the Fylde College. 30 employees from Booth’s Haven Road branch took advantage of the training last year. The qualification, equivalent to a GCSE grade D, involved seven months of on-site training, bespoke to Booths. Employees were given a flexible learning plan and English skills were taught using speaking and listening, which play a crucial part in customer care. All the training resources were relevant to Booths’ business. Geraldine Roach, a lecturer at the College said: “This has been a powerful and focused model for delivering Skills

for Life in the workplace. It’s all about positive partnerships and helping employers shape the future for their employees.” 30 members of staff were presented with their qualiﬁcations at Booths’ Lytham store. Simon Boothman, store manager, said: “Everyone has done a fantastic job and I’d like to congratulate the individuals for achieving this qualiﬁcation and a big thank you for the support the College has given.” The employees will now be given the opportunity to train for level 2, the equivalent of GCSE A-C, and the programme is being rolled out to other Booth’s stores across the North West.

FOUNDATION DEGREES - MAKING EXPERIENCE COUNT With a Foundation Degree from Blackpool and The Fylde College, your employees can develop their skills whilst utilising the knowledge and experience they have gained in employment. They are an ideal option for improving job prospects at work, gaining more skills or improving confidence. Students can apply real life work projects to their studies, benefitting your business as they learn. Some Foundation Degrees are designed specifically with an employer in mind, such as the BAE Project Control Foundation Degree. Andy Iredale, Marketing Director at Blackpool and The Fylde College, comments: “Although this Foundation Degree was created for BAE systems, other employers responded so positively when the launch was reported in the local press, that an ‘open’ version of the programme was developed for non-BAE employees. We are currently talking to a number of employers about bespoke Foundation Degrees, notably a large insurance company, which is interested in a Foundation Degree in Computing bespoke to their industry.” In line with the needs of employers, Foundation Degrees can be available as full and part time options, ensuring this level of qualification is open to all. In most cases, they can be topped up to a full Honours Degree. Funding a Foundation Degree is easier than you may think, with a non repayable maintenance grant available to households with an income of less than £60,000 per year. Households earning less than £25,000 per year qualify for a full grant of £2,835.

Blackpool and The Fylde College has some Foundation Degrees starting this month. These include: Communications at Work, Media Writing with Production and Project Control Management. For more information call course enquiries on 01253 504343.

Des Coop – Foundation Degree In Communication at Work: An enjoyable way to better yourself “I’ve gained a tremendous amount, and I feel I’ve improved my use of language and my written and spoken communication skills. The course is not about simply gaining a qualiﬁcation, it’s about bettering yourself, learning new skills and taking them into your job and utilizing them in a pro-active way. Studying at Blackpool and The Fylde College has been a really enjoyable and rewarding experience.” Des Coop is acting Chief Inspector of Lancashire Police

TAXI DRIVERS Taxi driver Maurice Myers recently realised his dream of owning his own taxi company by launching Go Cabs, which he describes as a ‘bespoke, individual taxi service.’ 58 year-old Maurice, a Hackney Cab driver for more than six years, completed the NVQ Level 2 in Road Passenger Vehicle Driving at Blackpool and The Fylde College. “It has been my dream to own and run my own taxi service and now I am. The course gave me the conﬁdence to take the plunge. I would encourage all existing and potential taxi drivers to enrol on the course as the standard of teaching and the content of the course was excellent.

“Some people questioned why experienced drivers should enrol on a course at College but I learnt many things that I didn’t know before and I believe my driving skills in areas such as hazard perception, have greatly improved. My passengers can only benefit from that.” John Swannie; Head of the College’s School of Tourism Leisure and Hospitality, said: “One of the key components of the course is customer service - one of the key drivers of Blackpool’s regeneration strategy. Very often the taxi driver is the visitor’s first and last contact with Blackpool. The College is proud to be contributing to Blackpool’s aspirations and of our close working partnership with the Council’s licensing office.

oncourse • January 2009 66 oncourse • January 2009

AN EASY GUIDE TO FUNDING This is just a guide to the funded opportunities to which you are entitled there may be other funding projects that may also cover the cost of your training. Call the team now to ﬁnd out more.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HOW WE CAN SUPPORT YOU To ﬁnd out more about how Blackpool and The Fylde College can support your business, you can call us or email us. see our contact details below.

WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS - MEET THE TEAM Contacts and areas of responsibility:

Michelle Riley – Access (Skills for Life), Travel, Leisure and Tourism, Maritime

Wendy Manning – Health Care and Early Years, Construction, Business and Professional Studies

Work: 01253 504327 Mobile: 07810 007716 Email: MRIL@blackpool.ac.uk

Work: 01253 504317 Mobile: 07789 264325 Email: WMA@blackpool.ac.uk

Lynda Robinson- Catering and Food Production, Hair, Beauty and Related Therapies, Art, Media and Performing Arts

Lyn Page – Engineering, Computing and Aviation, Academic Studies, Art and Design

Work: 01253 504325 Mobile: 07789 264328 Email: LRO@blackpool.ac.uk

Work: 01253 504199 Mobile: 07944 563039 Email: LPAG@blackpool.ac.uk

Michelle Whitmore – Workforce Solutions Admin Support

Roy Honeyman – Personal Advisor (Learning agreement pilot)

Work: 01253 504188 Email: MWHITM@blackpool.ac.uk

Work: 01253 504188 Mobile: 07971 225969 Email: roy.honeyman@cxl-uk.com

Workforce Solutions

“The UK must continue the challenges it faces and set a much higher ambition for skills, if it is to become World-Class” – Lord Leitch

7 oncourse • January 2009 oncourse • January 2009 7

Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships: Success rates Success rates hit a hit record high record high Apprentices studying at Blackpool and The Fylde College outstripped regional success rates by a whopping 12% last year, with an exceptional 77% pass rate. The results place the College 4th in the Lancashire league table of Apprenticeship providers. Several Apprentices also received awards: Sophia Hilton (Hairdressing) was short listed for the regional finals of the prestigious National Apprenticeship Awards, finishing highly commended, and Graham Floyd and Daniel Sykes (Catering) won the regional UK Seafood Championships, reaching the national final.

Apprentices spend most of their time learning on the job, building up valuable knowledge and skills while studying for a range of qualifications, including NVQs technical certificates and qualifications in English and maths. Once qualified, Apprentices can progress to an Advanced Apprenticeship, and onwards to an HNC/D or even a foundation degree.

Apprenticeships

Employers can benefit too YOU may be an employer with staff who you feel would benefit from training within a specific job area. Perhaps you’ve a vacancy that you need to fill. Why not appoint a young person and consider the Apprenticeship programme? The benefits of recruiting an Apprentice are: • Apprenticeships allow you to develop your workforce for the future and help reduce staff turnover. • Apprenticeships have been designed by employers, which means they will meet your needs. • Apprenticeships can help you create skilled, trained and qualified staff. • Apprenticeships are not just for new staff, they can also be a way of developing existing staff, and are now available to employees aged 25+

Q&A

Sharon Bracken, Head of Work Based Learning, commented: “I am delighted that so many of our Apprentices achieved their qualiﬁcations. Apprenticeships are an excellent way to get qualiﬁed while you earn, and are now open to people over 25. “Now is a great time for local employers to consider taking on an Apprentice, and the College can provide support with the recruitment process.”

vanced d A n a Meet tice Appren on urrently c is , 0 ship em, 2 entice Tony B d Appr e ns. c n io a t v brica a an Ad F IM rd for g for an awa workin d e iv e the rec ent of He has g Stud in d t to the n n a e mitm Outst m o c me r his rogram Year fo p ip h s tice year. Appren ademic c a t s the la during

Q. Why an Apprenticeship? A. “After completing the National Diploma course I felt I was ready to start employment with the skills I’d gained from attending College full-time.” Q. What do you enjoy about the Apprenticeship programme? A. “Being able to apply the skills I’m learning at College and work and meeting new people.” Q. How much studying is there? A. “Not a lot for me as I’d already achieved parts of the framework. It gave me more time to concentrate on my NVQ portfolio and Key Skills.” Q. What do you like most about your job? A. “I get to travel all over the North West and I like having a hands-on role.” Q. What’s your dream job? A. “I’d love to work for BAE Systems.” Q. What would you say to someone thinking about doing an Engineering Apprenticeship? A. “Go for it! Be prepared to work hard and put in lots of effort if you want to achieve a high standard and go far in the industry.”

Apprenticeship and Advanced Apprenticeship opportunities are available in the following areas: Engineering – various routes available Motor Vehicle Mechanic Motor Vehicle Body Motor Vehicle Electric Motor Cycle Mechanic Plastering - starting September Bricklaying - starting September Plumbing - starting September Joinery (Bench and Site) - starting September Catering and Food Production – various routes available Accountancy Hairdressing Barbering Health and Social Care Childcare Customer Service Business Administration IT Systems Support/ Software Developer If you’re an employer considering recruiting an Apprentice and the area you are interested in is not listed, please note that we have several new frameworks under development that should be ready for recruitment later this year. If you’d like to discuss in more detail, please don’t hesitate to contact us on 01253 504318/504313. For more details email apprenticeships@ blackpool.ac.uk or call 01253 504318/504313

8 oncourse • January 2009

School of Academic Studies Higher Education University Courses Full-Time Communication and Media Writing

Our full-time courses are not as long as you may think. They are all held at the Central Blackpool Campus and only last a maximum of one afternoon and an evening each week. Degrees cost £1,255 a year but most people will not pay this. If they do, there are government loans available at minimal interest rates that are only payable when you can afford to pay. Courses and cost: • BA (Hons) in English Communication at Work – Top Up .............. £1,255 • Foundation Degree in Media Writing with Production .................. £1,255 • Foundation Degree in Communication at Work ........................... £1,255

Further Education Courses Full-Time Access to GCSE courses starting soon. Subjects available are English, Maths, Science, History, GCSE Project and Key Skills.

Further Education Courses Part-Time Our Spanish course is for one evening a week, starting at 6 to 6.30pm and lasts for 15 weeks. The cost is £67 plus £27 exam fee and is held at our Bispham Campus. GCSE English and Mathematics are both held from 6 to 9pm at Bispham, English on Wednesday and Mathematics on Thursday. Courses and cost: • Spanish For Beginners (Double Award) ............................................. £67 • GCSE English .................................................................................. £135 • GCSE Mathematics ......................................................................... £135

ESOL Full and Part-time English courses for living and working in the UK Courses include: • ESOL Skills for Life • FCE/CAE • IELTS • ESOL + Citizenship

N RMATIO3 O F N I RTHER 50404 FOR FUONE 01253 TELEPH AIL .AC.UK OR EM BL ACKPOOL ESOL@

How to improve your prospects A FOUNDATION Degree from Blackpool and The Fylde College is ideal for people who have hit a career ceiling at work and want to improve their prospects without having to leave their job. It’s also ideal for those who want to return to work and need more skills to give them conﬁdence. Funding a Foundation Degree is easier than you may think, with a non-repayable Maintenance Grant available to households with an income of less than £60,000 per year. Households earning less than £25,000 per year qualify for a full grant of £2,835, more than covering the cost of course fees. A number of Foundation Degree Courses are available for a January 2009 start, including the two listed alongside. For more information, call 01253 504343.

Foundation Degree: Communication at Work This degree is aimed at giving those at work the opportunity to develop their communication skills to beneﬁt their company or organisation. Writing and speaking skills will be developed through report writing, presentations and interview techniques.

Foundation Degree: Media Writing and Production This course is aimed at those wanting to develop media writing and production skills useful in the workplace. Modules include Research and Professional Communication, Writing and Marketing Media, The Power of Branding and Web and Print Production.

www.blackpool.ac.uk/community For more information about courses, including location, days, times and length, visit our website or telephone 01253 504343

oncourse • January 2009

School of Access and Continuing Education Skills for Life

■ Sharon was able to improve her maths and English skills

Range of courses to improve your skills THE Skills for Life programme in the School of Access and Continuing Education is available through a range of courses in Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde. Exciting opportunities are available at centres across Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde for people to improve their skills, opening up pathways into getting back into work, helping children with their homework or just to provide that second chance to improve maths and English skills. Included in this offer is a new ﬂexible programme called Skilling Up, which has been created to enable people to improve their literacy, numeracy and ICT skills and develop conﬁdence. ■ See advert below

Further Education Courses Full-Time Foundations for Learning and Life

Our Gateway programme lasts a year and is free for 16 to 18-year-olds, taking them up to GCSE standard in a range of vocational areas. These courses are held at most of our main campuses, depending on the vocational area you choose to study. Courses: • Gateway to a Full-time Foundation Programme • Gateway to a Full-time Intermediate Programme

Case Study SHARON was born in London and has worked in the retail industry for most of her adult life. Initially she worked as a selfemployed costermonger, buying fruit and vegetables for her own business, which grew to include three market stalls and four shops. Sharon has also worked for Sainsbury’s supermarket, where she was employed in the administration ofﬁce. She moved to Blackpool in

September 2007, to be closer to her family. Sharon is a lone parent with two boys, aged 12 and 13. After moving to the Fylde Coast, she took the opportunity of attending a course at Seasiders Learning Centre to study literacy, numeracy and employability skills. She was thrilled to be given this opportunity, both to brush up on her skills and to meet new people. Sharon completed the 13-week course with great enthusiasm and was always willing and eager to learn more. She achieved nationally-recognised qualiﬁcations in numeracy, literacy and an employability award.

Stepping Stones IF you are recovering from or challenged by mental health issues, our Stepping Stones Programme could be just what you need to regain your self-conﬁdence and have a go at learning new skills. In a friendly environment, we offer a range of courses that enable you to develop your personal and vocational skills and increase self-esteem. Professional tutors will help get you to where you want to be, whether it’s a mainstream College course, volunteering or paid employment. ■ See advert below

Aw d ar

Skills for Life/Skilling up

Stepping Stones – Starting January 2009

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For more information please telephone 01253 403394

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Available at various centres around the Fylde coast

CONFIDENCE BUILDING ENGLISH ENGLISH THROUGH COMPUTERS MATHS

Improve your learning

Seasiders Community Learning Centre, Blackpool FC, Sands Way, Blackpool FY1 1JJ

The courses listed below are held at various times from Monday to Friday:

INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTERS INTRODUCTION TO COOKING SKILLS INTRODUCTION TO VOLUNTEER SKILLS Courses held at our Bispham Campus and various centres around the Fylde coast Courses start in January and are held at various times form Monday to Friday and run for 17 weeks. To ﬁnd out how to enrol on one of these course call course enquiries on 01253 504343.

10 oncourse • January 2009

School of Art, Media and Performance Great courses for teachers Theatre Technology for Teachers

Cool animation learned in a ﬂash

A THEATRICAL production in a school setting can be one of the most rewarding events of the academic year. While many teachers have the skills and experience to direct and produce high-quality performances, the technical aspect is often the one that is left to the last minute and can let the show down. This 10-week course costs £200 and will give staff conﬁdence to manage the technical side of a production and will ultimately enhance your school performances.

Effective Voice Use in the Classroom TEACHING at all levels puts an enormous strain on the voice. Constantly competing to be heard over high noise levels can create tension, pain and may damage the delicate vocal mechanism. Over 10 weeks you will learn simple yet effective ways of utilising your voice to maximum effect. The course costs £200. For more details on both these courses call 01253 504343.

Digital Photography This 10-week photography course in central Blackpool is designed for hobbyists and enthusiasts. It does not receive ﬁnancial support from government, so unfortunately the cost of £200 is payable by all but we believe it offers excellent value for money.

Flash Animation ‘ADOBE FLASH’ is the industrystandard software for illustrating and animating. It is essentially a graphic designer’s tool built for commercial marketing products. Technology however has advanced, now we can take this animation tool to new levels. Whole animated movies can be constructed in this program. This exciting course will cover illustrating and creating simple animations such as logo design buttons, and marketing attractions. The course will culminate in students creating a character and developing a story for their character. You will learn how to incorporate sound and lip sync mouth movements and expert advice is offered on how to create realistic movement and characters in their scenes. It is intended to be a fun course where you will get to understand the program through creating a character, animating it and creating a story. The course is suitable for anyone, beginner or advanced and will cover both but it would be an advantage if students have some computing experience as this would be a very difficult program to learn otherwise. The course will cover an entry level as well as the advanced techniques of animating in the program and costs £200. ● Starter Activities ● Drawing/scanning and illustrating ● Logo design/buttons/banner adverts ● Advanced Techniques ● Character Creation ● Lip Syncing ● Pre-production/Post-production techniques ● Presenting a final animation to the class ■ Enrol at the first class. For more details call 01253 504343.

Evening Workshops at Central Blackpool Campus

E V L I A T A N E O R I C FESS ENT PROELOPM DEV

We provide a range of specialist workshops aimed at industry professionals and teachers wanting to develop their creative and presentation skills. All these workshops start in January for 10 weeks, one evening per week for 3 hours. FLASH ANIMATION DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY THEATRE TECHNOLOGY FOR TEACHERS EFFECTIVE VOICE USE IN THE CLASSROOM To ﬁnd out more call Course Enquiries on 01253 504343 or visit www.blackpool.ac.uk/community *Tuition fees for all these courses is £200

oncourse • January 2009

School of Business and Professional Studies Further Education Courses Part-Time Accounting and Finance

Our popular Friday NVQ over 27 weeks is free to many customers depending on their prior qualifications. Our Sage Accounts qualification lasts five weeks on a Tuesday evening at Bispham and costs £125. Courses and cost: • Introduction To Sage Accounts ....................................................... £125 • NVQ in Accounting (AAT) - Level 2 .................................................. £328

Administration

Adminstration and customer service NVQs have significant opportunities to be offered free depending on your financial and academic circumstances. Make sure to ask at our enrolment day. They are all offered flexibly in your place of work and we will negotiate times of visits with your employer. Courses and cost: • NVQ in Administration - Level 2 ...................................................... £353 • NVQ in Administration - Level 3 ...................................................... £353 • NVQ in Administration - Level 4 ................................................... £1,500 • NVQ in Customer Service - Level 2 ................................................. £353 • NVQ in Customer Service - Level 3 ................................................. £353

Business Management

Our business and management courses last one week and we can negotiate times and days of attendance with you.

Build up your business skills THE Edexcel BTEC National Award in Business is a practical business-related course equivalent to one GCE A Level and provides both a broad foundation of business education and a ﬁrm basis for specialism in a selected avenue of business. It is especially suitable for more mature learners, who wish to follow a shorter programme of study directly related to their work experience or to an area of employment they may wish to move into.

Course content

The course is made up of six units – four core units plus two specialist units. The specialist units enable learners to study particular areas in depth and there is opportunity to follow a clear specialist pathway. The course aims to develop and apply a range of skills, working practices and thought processes. Your development as a student is integral to your studies and you will use a range of learning methods, including practical assignments, discussion, written work and presentations. All students take these four core units: • Exploring business activities • Investigating business resources • Introduction to marketing • People, communication and information Students also take two units from the categories of: • Human Resources • Management • Marketing • ICT • Administration

Assessment

Course and cost: • Collective Bargaining (TUC) - Level 2 ............................................. FREE

Counselling

Counselling is popular with many individuals working in the care professions or with management responsibility. It lasts 11 weeks on a Monday evening. Course and cost: • Introduction To Counselling Skills - Level 2..................................... £221

Health and Safety

Health and safety courses range from 1 day to 1week with delivery times to be negotiated with each group to ﬁt around their working lifestyles.

All units are internally set. An overall grade for the qualiﬁcation is awarded to all learners who successfully complete all units. Grades awarded are Pass, Merit and Distinction.

Courses and cost: • Certiﬁcate in Risk Assessment Principles and Practice .................. £150 • Foundation Certiﬁcate in Health and Safety ...................................... £60 • Principles of Coshh ...................................................................... £37.50 • Principles of Manual Handling ...................................................... £37.50

Progression

Retailing and Warehousing, Contact Centre Operations and Retail

BTEC National Award is valued by employers and leads to career opportunities in Business specialisms such as: • Finance • Human Resources • Management • Marketing • Other related business careers Students may further progress into Higher Education Degree courses or BTEC Higher National Certiﬁcate/ Diploma/Foundation Degree in Business.

Expectations and Commitments

NVQs in Contact Centre Operations, Retail and Warehousing and Distribution are free depending on your prior qualiﬁcations. They ﬁt around your work patterns to recognise the skills you already have or are practising. Courses and cost: • NVQ For Contact Centre Operations - Level 2 ................................ £353 • NVQ For Contact Centre Professionals - Level 3 ............................ £353 • NVQ in Retail - Level 2 .................................................................... £353 • NVQ in Warehousing and Distribution - Level 1 .............................. £353 • NVQ in Warehousing and Distribution- Level 2 ............................... £353

Teaching and Lecturing

Teaching and lecturing qualiﬁcations aim to enhance the skills of those already working in the industry and last between 10 and 20 weeks at our Central Blackpool Campus.

This is a full-time course with content delivery over two days. You are expected to attend regularly, be punctual to all sessions and be suitably equipped to tackle each day’s work. Holidays should not be taken during term time as it can seriously compromise your progress (and success), on this type of course.

Courses and cost: • Internal Veriﬁer Award (V1)............................................................... £427 • Vocational Assessor Award (A1) ...................................................... £500 • Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector ........................ £353 • Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector ........................ £353

Support

■ If you are 19+ and taking your ﬁrst Level 2/3 course, you are likely to be eligible for free tuition fees. See pages 18/19 for full details.

The College has a well-developed Careers Guidance Service, operated in partnership with the Careers Service. Counsellors are also available to help with personal problems. Each student has a personal tutor who will undertake regular reviews and guide students through their studies.

There may be exams (between £10-£121) and equipment fees to pay. To ﬁnd out more visit www.blackpool.ac.uk/community or call course enquiries on 01253 504343.

www.blackpool.ac.uk/community For more information about courses, including location, days, times and length, visit our website or telephone 01253 504343

12 oncourse • January 2009

School of Catering and Food Production It helps if you can boil an egg... COULD you be a chef? A course in Catering and Food Production can lead to a variety of exciting careers, with the armed forces, cruiseliners and a host of opportunities abroad allowing you to travel the world at the same time. Closer to home, you can choose from pub and restaurant chains, high quality restaurants, food manufacturing, bakeries and even school dinners! As Curriculum Manager Wouter Greven explains, the career opportunities locally are particularly good. He said: “As a seaside resort, hospitality is undoubtedly Blackpool’s primary industry, but really in catering the world is your oyster.” With shows like the F-Word, Hell’s Kitchen and latterly Raymond Blanc’s The Restaurant, catering has earned a reputation for being somewhat glamorous in recent times. For a chef, however, isn’t the reality more about working long, unsociable hours for not much money? “It’s true this isn’t a nine to five job,” admits Wouter. “But if you’re prepared to put the hours in you can earn good money in this industry. And as a chef you’re never going to be short of work.” “It can be a very satisfying way to make a living,” he adds. “You get a buzz in this line of work that you’d struggle to find elsewhere. If the idea of a desk job fills you with dread, if you’re looking for a challenge, then this is the job for you.” For those who are self-motivated and enthusiastic, the prospects are bright. The catering industry offers one of the quickest routes into management and, at Blackpool and The Fylde College, a number of hospitality management degrees are available to study flexibly, allowing you to take your skills to the next level. But what does it take to succeed in this industry? “Well, it helps if you can boil an egg,” jokes Wouter. “Seriously, with our fasttrack course, in just a year you can go from having practically no skills to being a fairly competent food operative, with the chance to progress in one of several different directions.” “Good communication and organisation skills are important, as is a caring attitude – catering is about serving customers after all. Above all, you need to be creative!”

Seal of approval from celebrity chef Ainsley CELEBRITY Chef Ainsley Harriott was on hand to present awards to Blackpool and The Fylde College catering students at their annual prizegiving ceremony. Ainsley is the latest in a long line of famous chefs to be associated with the College, following visits in recent years by Gordon Ramsay, Brian Turner, James Martin, Michael Quinn and James Tanner. The awards, held at Blackpool Football Club, celebrated the achievements of the School of Catering and Food Production, which is recognised as one of the most prestigious in the country. Ainsley presented certiﬁcates and trophies to the successful students and also asked the questions in a team quiz

‘It’s a privilege to present these awards. The College has some tremendous students.’ challenge between staff and students. He said: “It’s a privilege to be asked to present these awards. The College has some tremendous catering students and it’s marvellous to see them achieving great results. “The catering industry can offer some wonderful career opportunities and I’m sure that many of the students

here will progress to great things.” Ainsley also revealed his close links with Blackpool and said he was delighted to be back in the resort. “My father, Chester Harriott, was a musician and performed at all the old venues in Blackpool and is still well known around the town. I used to come here when I was younger to watch him perform and it’s great to be back. I love Blackpool.” Head of the Catering and Food Production School, David Slinger said: “We have had an excellent year and the students can be proud of their achievements. We are so pleased that Ainsley agreed to present our awards, we really appreciate the effort he has made to come here.”

Student Q&A EIGHTEEN-YEAR-OLD Tony Bee is studying NVQ Level 3 Professional Cookery. A former student of Montgomery High School, Tony is employed at Blackpool’s De Vere Herons Reach hotel and earlier this year won the Tuco Chef of the Year. Q: Why this course? A: “I’ve always been interested in cooking and I’m loving every minute of this course.” Q: What do you think of the College? A: “The staff are very knowledgable and friendly and the facilities are great.” Q: Is the course everything you expected? A: “Deﬁnitely. We get to visit hotels and restaurants and learn ﬁrst-hand what skills are needed to work in the industry. We also enter national competitions and test our skills against other students from all over the country.” Q: What’s next for you? A: “I’d love to work abroad.” Q: What would you say to someone thinking of studying catering at Blackpool and The Fylde College? A: “Be focused and committed and in return you’ll get the best possible training you could wish for.’”

A centre of excellence awaits you

Serving the community

AT our Catering and Food Production Academy, friendly, experienced staff are dedicated to providing you with a great learning experience. We have excellent facilities, which include state-of-the-art kitchens, two highquality restaurants and a bakery at the Bispham Campus plus - in conjunction with Sleepwell Hotels - our very own Training Academy, The Carousel Hotel. From patisserie and confectionery to food manufacturing and front-of-house, we offer courses in just about every catering discipline. Once you’ve decided on the course for you, simply visit our website at www.blackpool.ac.uk or call Course Enquiries on 01253 504343 for details.

AN EXCITING partnership has been formed between Blackpool and The Fylde College and the Salvation Army recently, which will provide deserving individuals with a chance to rebuild their life. The Bridge Project is a worthy initiative that aims to raise both the skill and conﬁdence levels and ultimately the employability of individuals who were formerly substance-dependent and who are now seeking a fresh start. The project centres around a training restaurant, The Citadel, based at the Salvation Army’s Blackpool base, where College staff will draw on their expertise to assess the learners at work level and ultimately the employability of individuals.

oncourse • January 2009

School of Catering and Food Production Further Education Courses Full-Time

■ Ainsley Harriott told students that he had close links with Blackpool

Hospitality and Catering

Full-time catering and hospitality courses are free to all 16 to 18-year-olds and many more people besides depending on their circumstances. Our delivery days and times may be ﬂexible over the year but require attendance on more than one occasion during the week. Courses and cost: • Diploma in Professional Catering - Level 1 ..................................... £685 • NVQ in Craft Bakery - Level 1 ......................................................... £685 • NVQ in Craft Bakery - Level 2 ......................................................... £685 • NVQ in Food And Drink Service - Level 1 ....................................... £685 • NVQ in Food And Drink Service - Level 2 ....................................... £685 • NVQ in Food Preparation And Cooking - Level 1 ............................ £685 • NVQ in Food Preparation And Cooking (Fast Track) - Level 2 ........ £685 • NVQ in Multi-skilled Cookery - Level 1............................................ £685 • NVQ in Multi-skilled Hospitality Service - Level 2 ........................... £685 • NVQ in Quick Service - Level 1 ....................................................... £685

Further Education Courses Part-Time Catering

Catering part-time courses tend to be run on an afternoon and evening basis and may be delivered at our Bispham Campus or assessed in your place of work. We can negotiate with your employer (who we probably have worked with in the past). Courses are mainly free depending on your personal and academic circumstances. We can discuss the options with you in conﬁdence. Courses and cost: • NVQ in Craft Bakery - Level 2 ......................................................... £394 • NVQ in Food Manufacture - Level 2 .................................................. £43 • NVQ in Food Preparation And Cooking - Level 3 .............................. £43 • NVQ in Professional Cookery - Level 2 .......................................... £394 • NVQ in Professional Cookery Level 3 .............................................. £394

Confectionery/Food Safety and Hygiene

Our confectionery and food safety courses are typically quite short experiences at the Bispham Campus from 6pm to 9pm one evening a week. Delivery may alternatively be at your place of work and some courses may be free depending on circumstances. Courses and cost: • Basic Sugar Flowers ........................................................................ £125 • Foundation Royal Icing .................................................................... £125 • Intermediate Advanced Royal Icing................................................. £175 • Intermediate and Advanced Wired Sugar Flowers ......................... £175

Food Safety And Hygiene Courses and cost: • Award in Food Safety Management - Level 4 ................................. £350 • Award in Food Safety Supervision in Manufacturing - Level 3 ....... £175 • Award in Food Safety Supervision in Retail - Level 3 ...................... £175 • Award in Implementing Food Safety Management Procedures - L3 £60 • Award in Supervising Food Safety in Catering - Level 3 ................. £175 • NVQ in Cleaning and Support Services - Level 2 ............................ £353 • Food Safety and Catering Award - Level 2 ....................................... £45

Hospitality

Hospitality courses tend to be quite short and they are primarily aimed at being offered in your place of work recognising your existing skills working in the sector. Most people will not pay any course fees depending on circumstances.

Working with the biggest names OUR students regularly do well in competitions and last year they performed better than ever, winning an amazing 16 medals at regional and national level. They also won the Nestlé Toque D’or Student Chef Challenge – a fantastic achievement, given standards at this competition are really high. Our reputation for excellence has also earned us the respect of industry and consequently we train some of its biggest names: Heinz, Fisherman’s Friend, Fox’s Biscuits. We’re also one of just six UK colleges to hold the Hospitality Assured award for delivering service and business excellence in the hospitality industry.

www.blackpool.ac.uk/community For more information about courses, including location, days, times and length, visit our website or telephone 01253 504343

Courses and cost: • Advanced Certificate in Wine Experience - Level 3 ........................ £325 • NVQ for Front Office - Level 2 ......................................................... £353 • NVQ in Food And Drink Service - Level 2 ........................................ £43 • NVQ in Hospitality Supervision - Level 3 ........................................... £43 • NVQ in Housekeeping - Level 2 ...................................................... £353 • NVQ in Multi-skilled Hospitality - Level 2 .......................................... £43 • Professional Certificate In Spirits - Level 2...................................... £250

Personal Licence Holders

Licensee qualifications are convenient and intensive over 9 hours and can cost a maximum of around £130. • National Certificate for Personal Licence Holders - Level 2 ....... £127.50 • National Certificate for Personal Licence Holders - Level 2 ....... £127.50 • National Certificate for Personal Licence Holders - Level 2 ....... £127.50 There may be exam (between £23-£105) and equipment fees to pay. To find out more visit www.blackpool.ac.uk/community or call course enquiries on 01253 504343. ■ If you are 19+ and taking your first Level 2/3 course, you are likely to be eligible for free tuition fees. See pages 18/19 for full details.

14 oncourse • January 2009

Schools of Construction and Engineering and Computing CONSTRUCTION Further Education Courses Part-Time Building and Construction

Most of our suite of short 10 to 20-week courses are run at our Bispham Campus in the evening and may be ﬂexible depending on demand. Courses and cost: • Decorative Effects ........................................................................... £295 • Home Interior Design ....................................................................... £295 • Introduction to Brickwork ................................................................ £295 • Introduction to Carpentry And Joinery ............................................ £295 • Introduction to Painting And Decorating ......................................... £295 • Introduction to Wall and Floor Tiling ................................................ £295

Construction NVQs

NVQs are useful for those already working in the industry who wish to have their skills recognised with a qualiﬁcation. If you are in employment these courses may be free under the Train2Gain scheme. Courses and cost: • NVQ in Construction Operations - Level 2 ..................................... FREE • NVQ in Painting and Decorating - Level 2 ...................................... FREE • NVQ in Specialised Plant - Level 2 ................................................. FREE • NVQ in Trowel Operations (Cskills) - Level 2 .................................. FREE • NVQ in Wood Occupations - Level 2 .............................................. FREE

ENGINEERING AND COMPUTING Higher Education University Courses - Full-Time Engineering

Our full-time degree level courses are not full-time in the traditional sense but around two days a week at the Bispham Campus. Costs range from £600 to £1,200 a year but many people will qualify for discounts and those that do not have the opportunity for government-sponsored loans. These are only repayable when people can afford to repay at preferential interest rates. • HND in Electrical Electronic Engineering (V7345) - Level 4 .......... £1,255 • HND in Mechanical Engineering (V7836) - Level 4 ....................... £1,255

ICT Practitioners

• HND in Computing - Level 4 ........................................................... £628

Higher Education University courses – Part-Time Engineering and Manufacturing

Our part-time degrees and diplomas are ﬂexible to customers’ attendance patterns. Attendance can include one day or evening or a combination. If students have to pay fees then the length chosen to study the course will also affect the annual course fee. Our Project Management degree is endorsed by BAE Systems and recognises the signiﬁcant international opportunities for people who have acquired these skill sets in industries ranging from IT to construction to event management to the obvious military solutions. • HND in Manufacturing Engineering (W4904) - Level 4 .................... £251 • HNC in Manufacturing Engineering (W4903) - Level 4 .................... £314 • HND in Electrical & Electronic Engineering (V7345) - Level 4 ......... £126 • HNC in Electrical & Electronic Engineering (V7344) - Level 4 ......... £314 • HND in Mechanical Engineering (V7836) - Level 4 .................................. • HNC in Mechanical Engineering (V7835) - Level 4 ..................................

Project Management

Foundation Degree In Project Control Management .......................... £837

ICT Practitioners

HNC In Computing - Level 4 .............................................................. £628 ■ If you are 19+ and taking your ﬁrst Level 2/3 course, you are likely to be eligible for free tuition fees. See pages 18/19 for full details.

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Follow the path to a great career IN our ﬁrst-rate construction facility, a team of experienced and well-qualiﬁed tutors deliver high-quality programmes that lead to a variety of professional careers, from quantity and building surveying to construction management and architectural design. Our reputation for employer responsiveness has positioned us as one of the region’s leading training providers. Our most recent contract is a £1.4m collaborative venture with Blackpool Council (funded by the Local Enterprise Growth Initiative) to provide construction skills training for the unemployed. It is links like these that allow us to keep our programmes real and relevant. The School enjoys Centre of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) status

We keep programmes real and relevant... for Building Services. The CoVE is a partnership of three North West colleges – ourselves, Leeds College of Building and Accrington and Rossendale College – and testiﬁes to our position as a leading education provider. So if you’re considering a career in construction, there’s never been a better time to make your mark. The construction industry is the largest in the UK but even so, companies are struggling to recruit technical professional staff and therefore we can put you on the path to a great career.

adult community learning See the Advert in the Gazette today for a full listing of Courses in the Community (courses without a qualiﬁcation), telephone Carr Head Adult Centre on 01253 883601 or visit our website below for a full listing of courses.

www.blackpool.ac.uk/community

oncourse • January 2009

School of Hair, Beauty and Related Therapies

Follow the path to a great career BLACKPOOL and The Fylde College has a strong national reputation for its Hair Beauty and Related Therapies courses. With state-of-the-art learning facilities and skilled, supportive tutors, programmes are available from entry right through to degree level to prepare you for success in this exciting and growing industry. All our programmes have been approved by industry bodies such as the City and Guilds of London Institute (CGLI) and the Hair and Beauty Industry Authority (HABIA). Our staff are so well respected within the sector that they even sit on industry advisory boards. We have excellent links with industry – our Hairdressing Apprentices are placed with more than 100 employers across the Fylde Coast. For other learners, good employer relations give rise to exciting activities and they even lead to career opportunities, with world leader Steiners paying us a return visit last year. Our students regularly do well in competitions. At last year’s Skills Challenge, they picked up ﬁve regional hair and beauty medals and the national title for Nail Art. Hairdressing Apprentice

Our Ansdell Campus is one of the best training facilities in the industry

■ Apprentice Joe Slinger landed a major City and Guilds award

Joe Slinger meanwhile beat over 750,000 entrants to land the City and Guilds Medal for Excellence. Our Ansdell Campus is one of this industry’s best training facilities. Following a £1.5million makeover, it’s now a state-of-the-art new building with stylish hair and nail studios, superblyequipped treatment and computer rooms and even a wet room, complete with sauna and spa. We also have hair and beauty facilities (including a barber’s shop) in Bispham and Fleetwood. All our salons are open to the public, so students get real industry experience while they learn. This January, a host of courses are available from a one-year course in Cosmetic Make-Up to a 17-week Indian Head Massage programme. For more details contact Course Enquiries on 01253 504343.

Success was a snip for ambitious Chris FOR most 18-year-olds, owning their own business is just a dream but for Chris Bennett, the dream has become a reality. Chris has just opened his own salon, Christopher Bennett Hairdressing, in Poulton Road, Fleetwood and has ambitious plans to open more in the future. Having successfully completed his Level 3 Hairdressing Course at Blackpool and The Fylde College, Chris worked as a mobile hairdresser until he was able to get his salon up and running. “Its always been a dream of mine to own my own salon, it’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do. I probably didn’t think it would happen this quickly but now it has and the response has been brilliant.” Chris says that the salon has been busy since opening and he has retained the clients he attracted during his mobile hairdressing venture. “The majority of my clients have stayed loyal and have followed me to the salon and I would like to thank each and every customer for their support so far.” Chris is quick to pay tribute to the staff at Blackpool and The Fylde College’s Carleton Court Campus,

Further Education Courses Part-Time

where he studied for three years. “The staff at the College were amazing,” he said. “They were so supportive. I couldn’t possibly have done this without their expert teaching and advice. I’d encourage anyone thinking of getting into the business to look at what the college has to offer.” Chris has maintained his links with the College by taking on current students on work placements to get some vital experience to compliment their studies. “It’s a way of giving something back,” says Chris. “I was in their position very recently and it’s so important to get the opportunity to work in a salon.” Chris can be contacted at his salon on 770011.

www.blackpool.ac.uk/community For more information about courses, including location, days, times and length, visit our website or telephone 01253 504343

All courses tend to be offered in the evening or at your place of work, with the exception of the short certiﬁcate in thermal auricular activity, which requires attendance in the day. Many students will not pay course fees depending on personal and academic circumstances.

Beauty Therapy Courses and cost: • Certificate in Cosmetic Make Up - Level 2 ...................................... £197 • Certificate in Manicure And Pedicure - Level 2 ............................... £110 • Certificate in Nail Extensions - Level 2 ............................................ £110 • Certificate in Swedish Body Massage - Level 3 .............................. £110 • Certificate in Thermal Auricular Activity - Level 2 .............................. £50 • Certificate in Waxing - Level 2 ......................................................... £110 • Diploma in Indian Head Massage - Level 3 ..................................... £110 • Diploma in Non-medical Nutrition Advice - Level 3 .......................... £43 • NVQ in Beauty Therapy - Level 2 ...................................................... £43 • NVQ in Beauty Therapy - Level 2 ...................................................... £43

Barbering and Hairdressing

• NVQ in Barbering - Level 2 ................................................................ £43 • NVQ in Hairdressing - Level 2 ........................................................... £43 • NVQ in Hairdressing - Level 3 ......................................................... £353 There may be exam (between £23-£163) and equipment fees to pay. To ﬁnd out more visit www.blackpool.ac.uk/community or call Course Enquiries on 01253 504343. ■ If you are 19+ and taking your ﬁrst Level 2/3 course, you are likely to be eligible for free tuition fees. See pages 18/19 for full details.

16 oncourse • January 2009

School of Health, Care and Early Years Further Education Courses Part-Time All our courses are part-time ranging from one day to one year, with many being government priorities with free course opportunities. Check your interest and circumstances at one of our enrolment days. NVQs are particularly designed to recognise the skills of those already working in the industry and delivery and assessment will be at your place of work. We will negotiate this with your employer to ﬁt around their business needs.

Child Development and Wellbeing Courses and cost: • Cache Certiﬁcate for Teaching Assistant - Level 2 .......................... £432 • NVQ in Children’s Care, Learning and Development - Level 2 ........ £353 • NVQ in Children’s Care, Learning and Development - Level 3 ........ £353 • NVQ in Child Care, Learning and Development - Level 4 ............ £1,454

Education

• NVQ in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools - Level 2 .... £353 • NVQ in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools - Level 3 .... £353

Health and Social Care

• NVQ in Health and Social Care (Childcare) - Level 2 ...................... £353 • NVQ in Health and Social Care (Childcare) - Level 3 ...................... £353 • NVQ in Health and Social Care (Childcare) - Level 4 ................... £1,442 • NVQ in Health and Social Care (Adults) - Level 2............................ £353 • NVQ in Health and Social Care (Adults) - Level 3............................ £353 • NVQ in Health and Social Care (Adults) - Level 4......................... £1,442 • Safer Moving and Handling ............................................................... £60

First Aid

• First Aid at Work .............................................................................. £185 • First Aid at Work Refresher ................................................................ £90 • First Aid For Babies and Children...................................................... £90 • Emergency First Aid .......................................................................... £60 There may be exam (between £23-£182) and equipment fees to pay. To ﬁnd out more visit www.blackpool.ac.uk/community or call Course Enquiries on 01253 504343. ■ If you are 19+ and taking your ﬁrst Level 2/3 course, you are likely to be eligible for free tuition fees. See pages 18/19 for full details.

www.blackpool.ac.uk/community For more information about courses, including location, days, times and length, visit our website or telephone 01253 504343

First aid training from best tutors BLACKPOOL and The Fylde College is a registered and approved Health and Safety Executive provider of first aid training and we can offer a range of courses. Specialist tutors who deliver our first aid and moving and handling courses have more than 40 years combined practical experience in the field. The training that we offer is delivered through innovative programmes based on established and approved instructional design in an educational framework. Among the courses offered are Safer Moving and Handling. Recently, the

Candidates are always adult community left with sense of pride learning Profile

‘‘

My ﬁrst experience with Blackpool and Fylde College was when I decided as a manager to do some further training to complete my NNEB. I was very apprehensive but after speaking to the College team my mind was put at rest and I was assured that they would support me through the whole process. How right they were – and just a short time later I was very proud to attain my NVQ Level 4. As our setting grew, some of the newly-promoted members of the team also wanted to continue with their

education and I had no hesitation in recommending the College. I now have ﬁve practitioners well on their way to achieving their Level 4. I have always found the tutors to be friendly, professional, knowledgeable and supportive. When visiting us they do not make their presence overwhelming but mingle in the class, joining in activities and talking to staff and children. The tutors always make time to feedback on progress and our candidates are always left feeling a sense of pride in what they have achieved.

‘‘

See the Advert in the Gazette today for a full listing of Courses in the Community (courses without a qualiﬁcation), telephone Carr Head Adult Centre on 01253 883601 or visit www.blackpool.ac.uk/ community for a full listing.

Janine Robertson, Nursery Manager at Marylands Nursery in Penwortham, describes her time at Blackpool and The Fylde College:

cost of moving and handling incidents was £650 million to the National Health Service and over ﬁve million work days were lost with 45% of injuries being caused by manual handling incidents. Our course provides both theory and practical training, including duties and responsibilities for staff and management and will identify and highlight bad practice as well as good practice and will give you the skills to protect yourself and others from harm. To ﬁnd out more call the First Aid team on 01253 504340.

oncourse • January 2009

School of Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality

Industry link pays with awards Cutting edge training programme earns praise from Principal THE College is celebrating both regional and national success in the prestigious National Training Awards scheme. The School of Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality and the National Gaming Academy at the College have worked in collaboration with Nottingham-based Gala Coral Group to train Gala’s staff in Casino Operations. The collaboration won the East Midlands category as well as the UK National Training Award for Partnership and Collaboration. Principal and Chief Executive Pauline Waterhouse said: “Congratulations go to John Swannie, for the work he has done in nurturing and developing the relationship with Gala over a number of years and for his role in the design and delivery of the programme. “Thanks and congratulations must also go to colleagues in the School of Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality and to Ian Smith and his team who lead the National Gaming Academy, and in particular, Colleen McLaughlin, whose expertise and experience have contributed such a lot to the training programmes and to the relationship with so many key employers in the gaming industry, including Gala. “This really is a superb achievement and an acknowledgement of the innovative, leading edge work that so many colleagues are doing in the ﬁeld of employer engagement.” Colin Jackson, sports commentator and former world 110 metres hurdles champion, presented John Swannie, Head of School of Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality, and Jo Shawcroft, the Human Resources Director of Gala Coral, with the trophy. The College and Gala Coral were due to attend a gala ceremony at London’s Royal Lancaster Hotel, where they expected to ﬁnd out whether or not they had won the overall Winner of the Year prize for their category.

■ Colin Jackson (centre) presents the awards to Director of Gala Coral Jo Shawcroft and John Swannie They were up against winners from other regions around the UK. The National Training Awards celebrate businesses, organisations and individuals that achieve outstanding success through training and development. They are run by UK Skills on behalf of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and are sponsored by City and Guilds. They are supported by Investors in People.

FLEXIBLE DISTANCE STUDY Flexi Study courses can be completed in your own time at your own pace using the College facilities. Tutorial support and excellent learning materials are always at hand.

Further Education Courses Part-Time This range of NVQs are delivered at our Bispham Campus with very ﬂexible attendance patterns depending on demand and the nature of your work. If you are already working in the industry it is possible for us to come to you and assess in the workplace. These courses are government priorities and the vast majority of students will not have to pay any course fees. Please check at our enrolment day.

Administration

Courses and cost: • NVQ in Customer Service - Level 2 ................................................. £353 • NVQ in Customer Service - Level 3 ................................................... £43

Sport, Leisure and Recreation

• NVQ in Sport, Recreation and Allied Occupations (Operational Services) - Level 2 .................................................... £353 • NVQ in Leisure Management - Level 3 ........................................... FREE

Transport Operations And Maintenance

• NVQ in Road Passenger Vehicle Driving - Level 2 ............................ £43

Travel And Tourism

•MEDICINE AND THE INDIVIDUAL •CONFIDENTIALITY OF THE PATIENT AND MEDICAL RESEARCH •ORGAN DONATION AND TRANSPORTATION •WRONGFUL BIRTH AND ETHICAL THEORIES •NVQ IN SUPPORT SERVICE IN HEALTH CARE

• NVQ in Travel and Tourism (Abtac) - Level 2 ................................... £131 • NVQ in Travel and Tourism (Abtac) - Level 3 ................................... £131 • NVQ in Travel and Tourism - Level 3 ................................................. £43 There may be exam (between £23-£163) and equipment fees to pay. To ﬁnd out more visit www.blackpool.ac.uk/community or call Course Enquiries on 01253 504343.

To ﬁnd our more visit www.blackpool.ac.uk/community or telephone course enquiries on 01253 504343.

■ If you are 19+ and taking your ﬁrst Level 2/3 course, you are likely to be eligible for free tuition fees. See pages 18/19 for full details.

18 oncourse • January 2009

Do you need to pay? “Did you know that many students, of all ages, who come to College may qualify for funding to pay for their course? For further education (FE), Government funding, beneﬁt exemption and fee waiver may all be available. For higher

education (HE), student loans and grant support may be available, depending on your circumstances. “Last year, more than 75% of all Further Education (FE) students over 18 at the College didn’t have to pay fees. More

than 34% of Higher Education (HE) students in the UK qualiﬁed for grant aid this year. If a course is listed as payable, always check with our Student Services team to see if help is available.”

Fran Ayirebi Student Services

Beyond high school: further education (FE) study Age =>

16-18

18 to any age

19-25

19 to any age

19-25

25 and over

Course Level (see Key)

Levels 1, 2 & 3

Level 4 and above

First Full Level 1

First Full Level 2

Level 1 or 2 Not Full

First Full Level 1

Full Level 3

Tuition free Tuition free

For Learners with For learners with NO prior Full Level prior Full Level 2 qualiﬁcation 2 qualiﬁcation Tuition free Payable* Tuition free Payable*

Full Time FEES Part Time FEES

FREE FREE

Payable* Payable*

Tuition free Not available part time

Tuition free Tuition free

Payable* Payable*

Towards a degree: higher education (HE) study 16 to any age

Study at Level 4 and above

All courses are payable, but assistance is available up For more information about Government grant aid to 100% and student loans, please contact Student Services.

Entry level and Skills for Life Age =>

All ages

16-18

Course Level (see Key)

Skills for Life – basic skills in literacy and numeracy

Entry Level qualiﬁcations – IT, Skills for Life – ESOL: entry Life Skills, Skills for Working level, L1 and L2 Life, employability skills

16-18

Entry Level qualiﬁcations – IT, Skills for Life – ESOL: entry Life Skills, Skills for Working level, L1 and L2 Life, employability skills

Full Time FEES Part Time FEES

FREE FREE

Payable* Payable*

FREE FREE

19 or over

Payable* Payable*

Full-cost courses at College Any age

All levels on courses not subsidised by Government

There are some courses for which there is demand, Economic courses can be identiﬁed by the letters but for which the College receives no funding from ‘EC’ in their course code, and they do not qualify for Government. These are called ‘Economic’ courses any assistance, including beneﬁt exemption. because they are always charged at the full economic rate.

*Important notes about fees and assistance • • • •

If you receive certain beneﬁts, you may not have to pay tuition or exam fees for Further Education (FE) courses. Please see the table below for qualifying beneﬁts. Where payable, tuition fees for FE courses are capped at £685. For all courses, unless you are under 18 or studying Skills for Life, exam fees are generally payable. For all courses and all ages, materials, cost of books, uniforms, equipment and trips are generally payable. In all cases where fees may be payable, please seek advice from Student Services. Assistance is often available up to 100% of fees.

For fees relating to combinations of work and study, please see the Workforce Development section on pages xxx

Key – what it all means Further Education (FE)

Higher Education (HE) Vocational Academic Full time* (FT)

Part time (PT) Age

‘Or over’ Skills for Life

Entry-level L numbers

Study after high school (even many years after leaving) and before University-level – study may be at the same level as school or higher Study at, or equivalent to, degree-level, or higher. Often thought of as University-level study. Learning practical skills as well as theory, for qualiﬁcations in occupations such as beauty, graphics and construction Mainly classroom-based learning for GCSEs or A-levels. More theoretical than practical. Traditionally, courses with more than 450 taught hours a year, although some FT courses now have fewer hours, some as few as 9 hours a week. Traditionally, courses with fewer than 450 taught hours a year. Age for enrolment purposes is the age you are at August 31, except for Combinations of Work and Study, when it is the age you are on the day you start your course. All courses with a stated age ‘or over’ are currently available to anyone over that starting age, without limit. Skills for Life come in two kinds: basic skills in literacy and numeracy, and Skills for Life ESOL – English for Speakers of Other Languages Pre-L1 courses in subjects such as IT, Life Skills, Skills for Working Life and employability Indicate the educational level at which you would be studying, whether or not you aim to achieve a Full level qualiﬁcation.

‘Full level’

The term ‘Full’ in front of a course level is a term used by the Learning and Skills Council to indicate a package of qualifications that meets an educational benchmark set by the Government. This helps you to see which qualifications have equal educational value. For instance, a ‘Full Level 2’ qualification means: ‘the equivalent of 5 GCSEs at grade C or above’. Level 1 (L1) study Includes study for GCSE grades D-G, Key Skills Level 1, NVQ Level 1, First Certificate or Introductory Diploma (eg BTEC). Full Level 1 (L1) qualification A Full Level 1 qualification is study at pre-GCSE and GCSElevel with a set number of learning hours. A Full L1 course must have more than 450 guided learning hours a year, which is an average of 12.5 hours a week for 36 weeks. Level 2 (L2) study Includes study for GCSE grades A-C, Key Skills Level 2, NVQ Level 2, First Diploma (eg BTEC), Apprenticeship. Full Level 2 (L2) qualification Qualification must be equivalent to 5 GCSEs, passed at grade C or above. Level 3 (L3) study Includes study for AS/A levels, Key Skills Level 3, NVQ Level 3, National Diploma/Certificate/Award (eg BTEC), Advanced Apprenticeship. Full Level 3 (L3) qualification Qualification must be equivalent to 2 full A-levels (not AS-levels) passed at any grade. Level 4 (L4) or above Higher-level study, eg HNC/HND Level 5 (L5) Higher National Certificate (HNC), Higher National Diploma (HND), NVQ Level 4/5, Foundation Degree, First Degree (BA, BSc, BEng), Master’s

oncourse • January 2009 2009 19 19 oncourse • January

Do you need to pay?

You may be eligible for free Further Education (FE) if you receive these state benefits: Eligible Beneﬁt 1. Income Support 2. Jobseekers Allowance 3. Working Tax Credit 4. Housing/Council Tax Beneﬁt 5. Pensions Guarantee credit

6. Unwaged dependant 7. Asylum seeker in receipt of the equivalent of any of the above

Evidence required A current letter of entitlement detailing dates and amount of benefit received from the appropriate government office.* Regulations will define programmes of no more than an average of 16 Guided Learning Hours per week. A current letter of entitlement detailing dates and amount of benefit received from the appropriate government office.* A current award notice of entitlement detailing dates and amount of benefit received from the appropriate government office.* Eligible learners must have a household income of less than £15,050; this is detailed on pages 1 & 2 of award notice (TC602). A current letter of entitlement detailing dates and amount of benefit received from the appropriate government office.* NB Single persons (25%) reduction does not qualify the learner for fee remission. Applicable for persons aged 60 or over only in receipt of Guarantee Credit (on its own or with Savings Credit. Savings Credit only will not be eligible for fee remission). A current award notice* Unwaged dependant of the benefit recipient who is on an income-based benefit. A current award notice* Notification of entitlement and passport stamped as asylum seeker or other other evidence that leave to remain is being considered or investigated.

* Photocopies of award notices and letters are not acceptable

The Student Advice team is on hand to help you THE Student Advice Advice Team Team is is here here to to The Student provide all students and prospective provide all students and prospective students students with with information, information, advice, advice, guidance guidance and and support. support. Our OurWelfare WelfareTeam Teamprovide provideinformation on funding available for available study, managing information on funding for your money, covering childcare study, managing your your money, covering costs. The Advisers your childcare costs.offer Theimpartial, Advisers offer advice andadvice may be able to be provide impartial, and may able to additional financial assistance should provide additional financial assistance you face unexpected hardship. should you face unexpected hardship. The TheCareers CareersTeam Teamcan canhelp helpyou youtoto decide the most appropriate course decide the most appropriate course to to take take or or to to decide decide what what you you want want to to do do when you finish your course whether when you finish your course whether this this be be into into more more education, education, training training or or into into work. work. The Advice Team are available on a The Advice Team are available on a drop-in drop-in basis, basis, by by telephone telephone or or via via e-mail e-mail and and through through aa range range of of leaflets leaflets and and fact fact sheets. sheets.

ARE YOU A CONSTRUCTION WORKER IN NEED OF A CSCS/CPCS CARD?

DO YOU HAVE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE BUT HAVE NOT ACHIEVED A QUALIFICATION? We can arrange for you to access FREE training and gain an NVQ qualiﬁcation. With this qualiﬁcation you will then be able to apply for your CSCS/CPCS Card. We have NVQs available in all construction trades.

We Werealise realisethat thatthere thereare aretimes timeswhen when personal personal issues, issues, ﬁnancial ﬁnancial problems problems or or other other circumstances circumstances can can affect affect aa student’s student's experience experience during during their their time time at at College. College. Our Ouraim aimisistotoensure ensurethat thatthere there is is someone someone who who can can spend spend time time with with you you in in order order to to make make the the most most of of the the opportunities opportunities the the College College provides. provides.

To ﬁnd out more call Jon Gazey on 07956 925862 or Course Enquiries on 01253 504343.

Terms and Conditions Where courses are run over several years the tuition fee shown is for one year only. Fees for subsequent years are subject to review and will be payable where applicable. Courses run subject to minimum class sizes. Full-time course fees for FE courses may be waived for EU Nationals. Non-EU residents will have to pay the full fee. Government rules on funding and benefits may change up to the point of enrolment. For further information please contact the International Officers on 01253 504322. The College has a refund policy whereby fees will not be refundable unless the College cancels the course, changes the day or time of the course or the learner cannot attend for medical reasons for which a medical note will be required. All content correct at time of going to press. Ashfield Road, Bispham Blackpool FY2 OHB Tel: 01253 504343 Fax: 01253 356127 Minicom: 01253 355755 Email: visitors@blackpool.ac.uk Web: www.blackpool.ac.uk Minicom: (textphone) 01253 355755

20 oncourse • January 2009

Information

Complete guide to enrolment PLEASE attend an Enrolment event where your course is running – except where other notes explicitly state otherwise. Please make sure to read all notes as there are speciﬁc instructions for certain courses and learners.

Enrolment Advice and Notes

Day Times Tuesday 4 to 7pm Enrol at the ﬁrst class

3 1

AD E RO TIN A L PA

ON HT S A

● To ﬁnd information on bus

routes visit: www.blackpooltransport.com

ool ylde ckp Bla The F d an lege Col

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Adult and Community Learning Please see the advertisement in The Gazette on January 8, 2009 – or visit www.blackpool.ac.uk/community or telephone 01253 883601.

Enrolment schedule for January 2009 Date Jan 13

OAD BY R N R HO

Courses in the Community For courses run at community venues, that lead to a qualiﬁcation, you should enrol at the ﬁrst class.

CHURCH STREET

E T AV NET BEN

For courses run at Park Road Campus and Brick Workshop Theatre, enrol at the ﬁrst class.

1 Palatine Road car park 2 Church Street/ Caunce Street car park 3 Central Drive/Bonny Street car park 4 Central Drive car park

RD RK PA

Further Education Part-Time courses in Art and Design, Performing Arts and Photography

BUILDING work at Central Blackpool Campus means that car parking space will be limited. Marked on the map alongside are the nearest public car parks:

IVE L DR TRA CEN

■ Remember if you are looking to study a full-time or part-time FE course and don’t bring benefit evidence or a method of payment – debit/credit card, cheque, cash or by direct debit payment plan – you may not be able to enrol. ■ Teaching of most courses starts in the week commencing January 12. ■ When you enrol on an HE course you will be required to supply two forms of ID, one to confirm your address and one which includes a photocard (both IDs must be brought to enrolment). Acceptable forms of ID are: Driving Licence photocard; Passport; Student Loan/Grant confirmation letter; Bank or government agency certificate or ID; Utility bill. ■ Economic courses do not carry a government subsidy, therefore if a

course code includes the letters EC in the middle of the code, all applicants must pay the full course as no beneﬁt waivers apply. An example would be BE2EC02-08/09 – see website www.blackpool.ac.uk/community or telephone 01253 504343 for information on course codes.

Car parking at Central Blackpool Campus

Event Open enrolment

Site Bispham Campus Ansdell Campus/Carleton Court

Campus accessibility CAMPUS plans showing accessibility for the disabled at the College’s three main centres at Bispham, Central Blackpool and Ansdell are available by going to www. blackpool.ac.uk/maps or alternatively you can ring 01253 504343 and a map will be sent to you by post.

Now diners can relax in finest surroundings Stylish look for College’s bistro and restaurant FABULOUS food in sumptuous surroundings – that’s the promise to diners at Blackpool and The Fylde College’s two stunning restaurants. The Ashfield Bistro and Courtfield Restaurant have both recently undergone extensive refurbishment and now boast the highest possible standard of facilities for customers. Catering and Hospitality students are able to gain industry-relevant experience working in both venues. Courtfield offers an extensive lunch and evening meal menu, often with musical entertainment while you dine. The Ashfield Bistro offers a competitively-priced continental breakfast menu, a great range of teas and coffees and other beverages and an excellent light lunch menu. Both venues are open to the public but booking is essential. For details, call 01253 504157.

■ Left: The new-look Ashﬁeld Bistro offers a range of teas, coffees and light lunches

■ Below left and right: Courtﬁeld Restaurant has been refurbished and offers an extensive lunch and evening meal menu