Employer Voice - February 2022 issue by cobcollege

Employer voice

February 2022 Your employer magazine

contents Your employer magazine

February 2022

Contents National Apprenticeship Week

Meet the Business Partnerships Team

Advanced Construction Skills Centre

Living Wage Employer

LEEA Award winner

DAF apprentices gain podium place

Upcoming events

Latest news

How can we help you?

Bristol Talent

National Apprenticeship Week

National Apprenticeship Week In February, we will once again celebrate National Apprenticeship Week and the brilliant successes of our students.

National Apprenticeship Week will run from 7-13 February this year and provides an excellent opportunity to celebrate apprenticeships and bring the whole community together. The week will shine a light on the positive difference apprenticeships can make to individuals, employers and the wider community. Rebecca Scott, the Employability and Opportunity Manager at the University of Bristol, is just one of hundreds of employer contacts we work with. We have been working with the university to launch eXcelBristol to support the recruitment of apprentices in the workplace.

Rebecca said: “Other than simply being a great way to contribute positively to the region’s social mobility, apprenticeships are an excellent tool for organisations to be able to address skill gaps and plan succession by creating career entry level points across a wide range of professional disciplines.”

It’s not just employers who can benefit from apprenticeships; learners of all ages have completed apprenticeships with us, including 22-year-old Jamaar Semper. The award-winning chef started his journey with us on a Level 1 Kitchen and Restaurant Skills course before being moved onto the Level 3 apprenticeship. Jamaar has now seen success after success including winning the Young South West Chef of the Year competition in 2019 and being a contestant on MasterChef: The Professionals. To find out more about our apprenticeship programme and how we can help you in your workplace, visit our website. https://www.cityofbristol.ac.uk/ employers/apprenticeships-for-business/

Jamaar, who has worked in a Michelin-star kitchen for the past four years, said: “I chose to study at the college because of the great reputation the catering staff have and the great opportunities available to students. I thought the course was a great experience and it prepared me to step into the hospitality industry and gain basic knowledge before I moved into a professional kitchen.”

Meet the team

MEET THE

BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS TEAM

Bonnie Smith Job title: Client Administrative Coordinator Fun fact: I once shook hands with David Bowie.

Luke Hastings Job title: Workforce Advisor Fun fact: I am an amateur chilli grower and metal fan.

What do you do? I support small and medium businesses (SMEs) to realise their business goals through analysis and project partner referrals.

What do you do? My main role is to recruit learners into apprenticeships, which involves liaising with potential learners, existing learners, employers and wider College staff along with doing all the associated paperwork which comes along with that.

Kristina Hill Job title: Team Leader Fun fact: I have a Monica (from Friends) approach to cleaning.

What do you do? I facilitate the process of recruitment of apprentices in a similar role to Bonnie.

Nicola Beaumont Job title: Apprenticeship Business Development Manager Fun fact: I was born on Friday 13th… so far so good!

What do you do? I work with the Business Partnerships Team at the College by promoting apprenticeship standards to potential students and employers. I am also helping the College deliver the Skills Support for the Workforce (SSW) project which helps support small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) to upskill their employees with training courses and qualifications to grow their business and boost the local economy.

Heather Tavener Job title: Apprenticeship Business Development Manager Fun fact: I broke my senior school record for throwing the discus at age 16 (21 metres). Claim to fame - I met Kris Akabusi and he was impressed.

What do you do? I support employers within Bristol and surrounding areas looking to find out more information about taking on apprentices and how this can help enhance not only the business but the apprentice and encourage job satisfaction and career goals.

Kobe Hunt Job title: Business Administration Apprentice Fun fact: I coached an under eights football team while in America for three months, we came close to winning a tournament!

What do you do? I complete business administration tasks as part of the apprenticeship recruitment team.

Lily Marsh Job title: Business Administration Apprentice Fun fact: I did Irish dancing, tap and ballet from the age of eight to 13.

What do you do? I am a business administration apprentice on the Apprenticeship Recruitment team. On this team we manage employer vacancies, as well as dealing with employers who come with a candidate ready to be placed. We are responsible for getting learners through the entire process, including assessments, paperwork, funding, all while giving great customer service.

Advanced Construction Skills Centre

Real Living Wage Employer

Advanced

Construction Skills Centre This year saw the first cohort of students begin their studies at the new £9m Advanced Construction Skills Centre, near Hengrove Park. The new centre is a state-of-the-art facility where students studying our construction courses will learn the skills they need for a future-proof career in the industry.

The centre was built with the environment in mind, with an emphasis on developing ecofriendly practices with modules on sustainability. These will support our students to gain skills which employers are looking for to create a greener future.

Want to find out more about the centre and how you can get involved? Visit our website for more information.

Real Living Wage Employer We are delighted to announce we have been accredited as a Living Wage Employer.

This accreditation demonstrates that we are voluntarily joining the nearly 9,000 other UK businesses in going above the government minimum and ensuring our employees earn enough to meet their needs.

https://www.cityofbristol.ac.uk/centres/ advanced-construction-skills-centre/

The new Living Wage rate is £9.90. At City of Bristol College, this has resulted in a direct pay increase for many staff, including those working as invigilators, travel support staff for students with additional learning needs and facility officers. Sponsored by

We have also committed to paying all contractors working with us the Real Living Wage within three years. Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development, Jim Richardson, said: “We are delighted City of Bristol College is a Living Wage Employer. We want to attract and retain the best people and paying the living wage is the right thing to do.”

LEEA Award win

DAF Apprentices make national finals

DAF students gain podium places at national competition LEEA Outstanding Contribution to the Sector Award We have been presented with the CEO’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Sector Award at the Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA) Awards. Our representative was presented with the award at the Grosvenor House London, coinciding with the launch of our new apprenticeship offer. We recently welcomed representatives from the LEEA to our Advanced Engineering Centre at Parkway, in recognition of the newlyformed partnership.

The collaboration will see us offering The LEEA Apprenticeship; a two-year Level 3 apprenticeship for learners of all ages who want to enter the engineering sector or upskill in their current role. LEEA is a major service provider for the engineering sector, delivering high-quality employee training as well as carrying out inspection and testing of lifting equipment. Students undertaking the new apprenticeship will gain the soughtafter LEEA badge and, upon completion, will become certified lifting equipment inspectors and will be qualified to progress into employment.

Two of our DAF students secured podium positions at the recent WorldSkills UK National Finals, walking away with a bronze and silver medal, after succeeding in a number of competitions. More than 400 young people from across the UK took part in the seven-month process which included regional heats and intensive training, before stepping up to put their skills against the best of the best. Two of our students were among the winners of the Heavy Vehicle Technology category. Daniel Parker, who is completing his apprenticeship at Adams Morey Ltd, was presented with the silver medal while Andrew Hill, who is working at Mortus Commercials, was handed the bronze medal.

Head of Motor Vehicle and the DAF Apprenticeship Programme, Luke Reid, said: “The DAF Apprentice Programme has had some success over recent years in WorldSkills. The last time the competition was run, three learners in the competition achieved gold and silver medals. “We are thrilled for two of our learners who have been presented with medals and podium positions at these national awards. These students, along with the other four apprentices who made it to the final, gave it their all and should be very proud of their achievement.”

Upcoming events at City of Bristol College

What’s going on at City of Bristol College? Flooring Apprenticeships and Training Open Event 24 February, 10am - 3pm Advanced Construction Skills Centre We are excited to launch a brandnew apprenticeship opportunity in flooring, working alongside major employers in Bristol. We are hosting an Open Event on 24 February where you will get the opportunity to meet employers, flooring manufacturers and our teaching team. You will also get to watch demonstrations in our purposebuilt facilities and register your company’s interest in taking on an apprentice or accessing training. To register your attendance, email events@cityofbristol.ac.uk

Hair and Beauty Employers’ Event 2 March, 6 - 7.30pm City Salons, College Green Centre Spa and salon owners and employees are invited to an employers’ event at our City Salons in March to speak to our staff and tour the facilities which opened in 2019. There will be demonstrations from our students and salon professionals, and opportunities to network with other employers and speak to our students about their course and future aspirations. To register your attendance, email events@cityofbristol.ac.uk

Construction Question Time 11 March, 8 - 9.30am South Bristol Skills Academy In our third Construction Question Time, we will be posing more topical questions to our panel of experts. Join us for a light breakfast and an opportunity to network and to discuss the importance of sustainability in the construction industry, supporting the future generation and more at this event. To register your attendance, email events@cityofbristol.ac.uk

Catering and Hospitality Employers’ Dinner 26 May, 6.30pm arrival for a 7pm start City Restaurant, College Green Centre Enjoy a mouth-watering five course meal and network with restaurant, bar, hotel and cafe owners and managers from in and around Bristol. If you work in the hospitality sector, contact nicola.beaumont@ cityofbristol.ac.uk to register your interest in our first Catering and Hospitality Employers’ event.

Latest news

HMS Prince of Wales

Master Chefs of Great Britain

We were honoured to welcome Captain Steve Higham and his crew from the HMS Prince of Wales to the City Restaurant in December. Officers and crew from the Royal Navy’s fifth generation aircraft carrier enjoyed a weekend of events to commemorate the ship’s affiliation with Bristol.

One of our lecturers has joined an illustrious band of chefs from across the country to help build aspirations and opportunities for his students.

The ship is one of the most powerful surface warships ever constructed in the UK and holds anywhere from 800 to 1,600 crew members at once.

Ahead of the event at the cathedral, Catering Lecturer Ryan Fernandes and his students produced and served an impressive buffet lunch for Captain Higham, Commander Weapons Engineer Shaun Riordan and 40 members of the crew.

The weekend’s events culminated with a special Evensong service at Bristol Cathedral which included the witness of the ‘Blessing of the White Ensign’ which traditionally flies on Royal Navy ships.

Dishes, including mini cottage pies, pulled pork buns, Vietnamese prawn rolls and lemon tarts, received high praise from the Captain and his crew, which included some of the ship’s top chefs.

Catering Lecturer, Ryan Fernandes, joined us in September 2009 parttime before joining as a full-time member of staff in 2012 and has now become a member of the Master Chefs of Great Britain (MCGB). The MCGB celebrates British cuisine to both the chef and the consumer. It also provides a forum for the exchange of culinary ideas, focusing on furthering the profession through training and guidance for young chefs.

Talking about becoming a member of the MCGB, Ryan said: “I feel honoured and humbled, as this will give me a huge opportunity and a platform to network nationally and keep the momentum of learning and celebrating British cuisine which is fast growing with the amalgamation of different cuisines. This will shape the future of the exciting eating culture which will make the hospitality sector in the UK the most sought after.”

College of Sanctuary December was a busy month of celebrations as we held three events to mark College of Sanctuary month. City of Sanctuary started in 2005 with the vision that the UK should be a welcoming place of safety for all and proud to offer sanctuary to people fleeing violence and persecution. Schools and Colleges of Sanctuary is an initiative from Bristol City of Sanctuary, which aims to foster positive attitudes within schools, colleges and their communities around people seeking sanctuary, and support schools and colleges to take positive steps towards being places of safety and inclusion for all.

Rich Harris said: “We are very proud to have been awarded College of Sanctuary status. This accreditation is now renewed every three years and we are pleased to be able to demonstrate our ongoing commitment and support to those seeking sanctuary in Bristol.”

How can we help you?

Bristol Talent

Take advantage of the Apprenticeship Levy! From 11 January 2022, you will be able to apply for a payment of up to £3,000 for apprentices who started their employment between 1 October 2021 to 31 January 2022. Applications close on 15 May 2022.

You can read our Employer Apprenticeship Information booklet here www.cityofbristol.ac.uk/wp-content/ uploads/8.-Employer-ApprenticeshipInformation-Guide-booklet.pdf

or call 0117 312 5250 or email apprentice@cityofbristol.ac.uk for more information.

We need you! Can you support one of our learners to gain valuable workplace experience? We are looking for employers from a range of industries who would be able to take on one of our Supported Internship students for up to five days a week. The aim of the Supported Internship course is to help learners with additional educational needs the opportunity to achieve the

employment and learning goals in their Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). The interns would be supported in the workplace initially until they are able to work independently, with a weekly supportive visit from one of our job coaches. If you are interested, please get in touch with sharon.langford@ cityofbristol.ac.uk

Workforce for the Future We are proud to be part of the Workforce For The Future project and promote a wider support network to small and medium businesses (SMEs) in the region.

Workforce For The Future is a free support service for businesses and individuals in the West of England. The £8m programme helps businesses develop employees’ skills, understand how they can meet their current and future skills needs and attract, develop and retain talented people. It also supports local residents to upskill and improve their career prospects.

The West of England combined Authority (WECA) and European Social Fund (ESF) co-fund the project. While we are specialising in construction SMEs, we invite businesses from all backgrounds to get in touch with us to find out more about the project and how we can help you to future-proof your business. For more information, contact luke.hastings@cityofbristol.ac.uk

Bristol Talent

We have teamed up with South Gloucestershire and Stroud College (SGS) to create Bristol Talent, a unique solution for a unique city-region. Bristol Talent aims to future-proof the workforce of some of the largest and most progressive employers in the Bristol and South Gloucestershire region by providing a talent pool of apprentices and employment-ready students from both SGS and City of Bristol College. Bristol Talent provides a skills pipeline and a single recruitment service for employers to work with our learners through delivery, work experience placements and lectures, to develop learners’ skills to meet their business needs. So how can you get involved? Do you need an apprentice to support you in various areas of your business? We have an apprenticeship-ready talent pool of graduates and existing students ready to start. Do you worry about an ageing workforce and need help future-proofing your business? Employers can engage our college-based learners through extended placements and projects, so that following graduation, we can ensure the very best match of our learners to your vacancies. Do you need someone who has knowledge about present and future technologies? With Bristol Talent employers helping to shape our curriculum design and delivery, we can ensure our programmes deliver the skills, knowledge and behaviours your future workplace needs.

Interested? Find out more here https://www.cityofbristol.ac.uk/employers/bristol-talent/ For more information, get in touch by emailing bristoltalent@sgscol.ac.uk or calling 07730 870850

Employer voice cityofbristol.ac.uk

0117 312 5000

enquiries@cityofbristol.ac.uk

Employer Voice - February 2022 issue

Articles inside

Living Wage Employer

Upcoming events

LEEA Award winner

Advanced Construction Skills Centre