EDUCATION TRAINING NEWS

Truro and Penwith College has announced a new range of Professional Development start dates as it kicks-off the final 12-months of discounted costs thanks to the European Social Fund (ESF).

The new Professional Development start dates come complete with the college’s significant part-funding package from the ESF, supporting employers and those seeking to boost their career with 50% off the cost of training, subject to eligibility.

Charli Styles, programme team leader of Future Skills and Professional Development at the college commented: “The college is delighted to announce a full programme of professional development training throughout the summer period.

“Hundreds of employers and learners have already benefitted from the significant ESF funding available and with this ceasing in 2023, we’re encouraging anyone who may be interested in enhancing their business or career to talk to us so we can ensure they don’t miss out.”

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The college has published details of the training online at truro-penwith.ac.uk/ profdevsummer2022

UNIVERSITYIMPACT

100% of Falmouth University’s research impact case studies and 63% of its research outputs have been rated as being world-leading or internationally excellent in the Research Excellence Framework 2021 (REF2021).

The results show the university’s progress since REF2014 and represent a significant step forward for the institution, which this year marks only its tenth anniversary since becoming a university.

Vice chancellor, Professor Emma Hunt, said: “We are delighted by these results and very proud of our staff.To achieve such an outcome only a decade after getting its university title status is testament to Falmouth’s talented and committed staff and the immense hard work they put into this submission.

“Located in Cornwall, a place with longstanding economic and societal challenges, we are committed to our civic role as an anchor institution and to driving local transformational change.

“It’s therefore fantastic that our impact case studies, all of which were focussed on tackling issues facing rural regions like Cornwall, such as wellbeing, productivity and growth, were recognised as being outstanding, or having considerable impacts in terms of their reach and significance.”

Here, we’ve outlined some of our key tips to help you get things moving:

• Be honest with yourself about what you’re looking for. It’s easy to list all the attributes of the ‘perfect’ candidate, but, in this tough market, that’s not always easy to find. Instead, think about the skills the applicant actually needs to fulfil this role – it might be simpler than you think. Everything else is a bonus.

• Be open about the process. Let candidates know the recruitment set-up from the beginning, so they’re aware about whether they’ll need to do several interviews, or even undertake mini projects before they get an offer. It’s also worth bearing in mind that the shorter you keep the application process, the more likely you will receive applications. Lengthy application forms or pre-interview tests are never enticing.

• Practice what you preach. Right now, candidates can have the pick of crop, so to speak. Simply stating that you are an ‘ethical/supportive/open-minded’ business isn’t enough anymore. You need to back this up with action, by demonstrating to the candidate how you will support them in their role beyond financial incentive. After all, when you meet a candidate, you’re as much on trial as they are!

NEW CHAIR OF GOVERNORS

The Cornwall College Group (TCCG) has welcomed Patrick Newberry as its new chair of governors.

With a background as a chartered accountant, Newberry spent 25 years as a partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) until his retirement in 2013.

During his time with PwC, Newberry held various roles including global leader of insurance consulting and commercial managing partner of PwC’s UK consulting practice. He also served as a member of PwC’s supervisory board.

He said: “I’m looking forward to working with our principal, John Evans, and the rest of the senior team to continue to put the college in the forefront of further and higher education in the region.

“The college has significant investment opportunities, thanks to the support and confidence of central Government. It is positioned to expand its quality provision for learners rapidly, anticipating the many exciting developments in the Cornwall and Devon world of employment.”

Newberry follows in the footsteps of past chair Dr Ian Tunbridge OBE.

Need some help nailing that role profile or reaching the right people? Get in touch with the TalentTide team on 01872 322823 or email info@talent-tide.co.uk for more information.