EDUCATION & TRAINING NEWS

BREAKING STEREOTYPES

In a male-dominated industry, a female motor vehicle lecturer from Cornwall College is encouraging more young women to consider a career in the automotive sector.

Viv Collings, a study programme manager from the college’s St Austell campus, is looking to grow awareness of the opportunities available for local females interested in the career path.

“You need to have a strong head as a female to join the motor vehicle industry,” Collings explained.

“Although it is a more male-orientated sector, it is a trade for everyone, and women can really achieve. I work closely with our female students to help them feel confident, the mandatory work experience on our courses has really opened the door for our students to go into the workplace and show what they can do.”

Collings, who changed her own path as a qualified nail technician to pursue her passion for auto repair, is motivated to help students to chase their dream career.

With female mechanics now accounting for around 10% of the workforce in the UK, a rise of 125% since 2011, it seems the stereotype around women working as mechanics is slowly fading. Truro and Penwith College has announced that two of its apprenticeships will continue to be delivered online on a permanent basis after its remote teaching was praised by both learners and employers. Truro and Penwith College moved timetables online in March of last year in response to lockdown and the Covid-19 pandemic and has been recognised as a national leader of online learning, being one of only 20 colleges leading a Department for Education (DfE) project to develop “cutting edge digital approaches to online learning”. Strong support for its digital delivery and calls from learners and employers have influenced the decision to offer online options for Business Administrator Level 3 and Team Leader/Supervisor Level 3 Apprenticeships on a permanent basis.

PERMANENT MOVE TO DIGITAL DELIVERY

SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS

Ofsted has praised The Cornwall College Group (TCCG) following a successful monitoring inspection in February.

The college group was given the accolade of “significant progress” in the recently published report compiled by Her Majesty’s Inspectors.

TCCG’s principal and chief executive, John Evans, welcomed the report, and said it was testament to the hard work carried out by staff over the last 12 months.

He commented: “We are delighted that Ofsted has witnessed first-hand the incredible results stemming from the effort by staff to provide a quality education and experience to every single learner, especially with the unprecedented challenge of doing this in the last 12 months.

“And I am pleased that their report recognised our success in reviewing the college curriculum to ensure it meets the needs of our learners and the local employment opportunities.” The report stated: “A new leadership team was appointed in October 2019. They have made significant progress in remedying the weaknesses identified at the previous inspection.

“Leaders have systematically reviewed the college curriculum, checking with partners that it now meets the needs of learners and local employment opportunities. Each subject lead has assessed their curricular objectives and carefully considered how best to sequence learning and assessment.”

APPRENTICESHIP FUNDING BOOST

The Cornwall College Group (TCCG) has welcomed the Government’s announcement of extra funding for companies that take on apprentices.

Speaking to MPs in the House of Commons to outline his plans for a post-coronavirus economic recovery, chancellor Rishi Sunak announced that incentive grants for apprenticeships would increase from £1.5k to £3k – and a £126 million additional investment would be put into traineeships.

This comes on top of other grants that are available meaning firms who take on new apprentices can receive up to £4k in total.

Lorna Martin, head of apprenticeships and external engagement at TCCG said the announcement was “excellent news” for both employers and those looking to take on the further education option.

She commented: “Apprenticeships are a fantastic career-boosting move for so many people, so I am delighted the Government have recognised this with these incentives.”