Meeting the needs of learners throughout Shetland
Annual Report 2011/12 Shetland College UHI Annual Review 2011/12
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Shetland College Annual Review 2011/12
Welcome
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4 David Gray (Principal) 5 Drew Ratter (Chair of Shetland College Board)
“I am pleased to have been able to access this course locally. It meant I didn’t incur hefty travel costs and have been able to have childcare in place for the short time involved.”
Our Mission, Vision and Values
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Meeting our Strategic Priorities
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Shetland’s Single Outcome Agreement
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Review of the Year
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18 Business and Hospitality 19 Community Learning and Support for Learning 20 Computing 21 Construction 22 Creative Industries 23 Mareel 24 Health and Care 25 Centre for Nordic Studies 26 Heritage 27 Guidance and Support 28 Blyde Haven Nursery
Student Results
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Students of the Year
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Working with the Wider Community
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Our Board of Management Our Partners 34 Shetland College UHI, Gremista, Lerwick, Shetland, ZE1 0PX
Financial Summary
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Tel: 01595 771000 Email: shetland.college@shetland.uhi.ac.uk www.shetland.uhi.ac.uk Shetland College Annual Review 2011/12
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The Principal Professor David Gray
There is no denying that Shetland has truly amazing natural resources: wind energy, wave and tidal power, and our amazing fishing. However, when our resources are discussed it surprises me that our most important resource is very often forgotten … our people! Without our people, our communities, the true potential of Shetland will never be realised. It is therefore more important than ever for us to ensure that our communities have access to high quality education to ensure they have the skills needed in the not too distant future. Add to that the incredible cultural heritage of Shetland, through our textiles, history, archaeology, music and written word and Shetland is perfectly placed to be an amazing centre of learning, not just locally but nationally and internationally. Shetland College UHI has had an amazing year and our graduation and award ceremonies have been great celebrations of our students’ achievements and I would like to congratulate every single one. Shetland is very lucky indeed to have a college like ours with state-of-the-art resources, fantastic and dedicated staff and, looking forward, our new ‘Phase 3’ extension. At a time when we are all feeling the pinch financially, the college is working with the local community to ensure that our graduates have the right skills to help take Shetland forward.
Shetland College UHI is here to ensure that everyone in Shetland has local access to learning at all levels, preparing people for the world of work and helping Shetland make the most of its best and most important natural resource: its people. This will be my last annual report as principal of Shetland College as I return to the NAFC Marine Centre UHI on a full time basis, but I will be keeping a very close eye on the ongoing development and growth of the college with interest and no little measure of personal pride.
Shetland College Senior Management Team in 2011/2012
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Shetland College UHI Annual Review 2011/12
Board of Management Drew Ratter, Chair Shetland College Board
This is the fifth annual report of Shetland College UHI and it comes hard on the back of a very diverse and excellent graduating year. It is something of a return for me, as I was Chair of the college from 2003 until 2007. Upon my return to the council, I made it clear I would be honoured to take the lead there again. I would like to use this opportunity to congratulate all the learners who have come to the college, worked hard and moved on through their lives with new and valuable qualifications. There is no area of Shetland life which does not bear the mark of this college - and for the better. It is a precious asset. The report gives a flavour of the breadth of the college’s activities and our successes over the past academic year. It is a pleasure to share with you some of the many highlights in this annual report. The past year has been one of harbingers of great change; between the general decline in public funding and now the move to regionalisation of colleges. We will, in future, have to continue to make ourselves vital to this community and hence have a platform to fight for our place at the regional table. The Board of Managememt and I are determined to make a success of that.
If we approach this as an opportunity, we can see it as an exciting time for us, as we are proud to be an academic partner of Scotland’s newest university, the University of the Highlands and Islands; striving to make learning ever more accessible to the people of the Highlands and Islands. That is how a successful economy is built. So, on behalf of the Board, I would like to thank everybody for their efforts in making all this happen. I would also like to thank Professor David Gray for his service, and wish him every good fortune on his return to the NAFC Marine Centre UHI.
Shetland College UHI Annual Review 2011/12
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Our Mission, Vision and Values Shetland College UHI seeks to make contribution to the local economy through the provision of high quality further and higher education and training, which meets the needs of the population and employers.
Our values, which take account of current national priorities, are:
• Culture of enterprise and innovation • Effective working partnerships • Sound governance and management • Consistently meeting and exceeding customer expectations • Commitment to quality standards • Research, scholarship and learning
Our vision:
• To encourage staff and learners to realise their potential • To be innovative and responsive providers of high quality tertiary education
• To be dynamic and innovative in meeting industry needs • To respond to community needs • To promote distinctive research, scholarship and learning in Shetland
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Shetland College UHI Annual Review 2011/12
Meeting our Strategic Priorities Strategic Priority 1 Ensure the college has a flexible and appropriate curriculum which meets individual and employer needs and helps to sustain Shetland’s economy and social and cultural development.
What we achieved:
• A series of library workshops were
• In spring 2012 we undertook a full
delivered to our BA Contemporary Textiles learners to assist their research skills.
curriculum review which ensured that our curriculum not only met government expectations, but also aligned with local economic and community needs.
• Successfully achieved our targets set out in the Shetland’s Adult Literacies in Scotland plan in line with the refreshed government strategy.
• Successfully achieved our targets set by Scottish Funding Council for ESOL enrolments in line with government ESOL strategy.
• Continued to increase links with local schools through the Skills for Work programme, as well as supporting other school projects such as the Yell Fashion Show.
• Our Creative Industries learners continued to be involved in projects with local manufacturers and organisations, including Shetland Wool Week.
• In September we piloted Employability programmes to S6 pupils at the Anderson High School and Brae High School.
• Throughout the academic year we contributed to school taster days, offering guest teaching in local schools.
• Delivered equality and diversity awareness-raising to learners during college induction.
• Continued to develop the use of Virtual Learning Environment and blended learning in some curriculum areas as a means of developing students’ selfdirected study skills.
• Recruitment to our full time BSc Computing programme was successful.
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Strategic Priority 2 Ensure effective governance, leadership and management and ensure financial sustainability.
What we achieved:
• Our Heritage Section continued to participate in research, seminars and local and national events, including Shetland Museum and Archives, National Museums of Scotland, and Council for British Archaeology.
• Throughout the year we continued to increase our further education (FE) provision to provide more progression routes for our learning centre based learners.
• Continued to liaise with Petrofac to provide vocational programmes for industry.
• Our Creative Industries Section successfully gained sponsorship for one of our learners to work at CCI Yell for the Worshipful Company of Weavers.
• Throughout the year our textile facilitation unit saw a dramatic increase in their customer base and range of work.
• Continued training links with Shetland Islands Council Social Care Department.
• Ensured the maintenance of financial stability by continuous rigorous budgetary planning and control.
• Ensured there was more efficient use of resources. • Carried out a curriculum review of our provision and cost analysis of all programme/college services provision.
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Shetland College UHI Annual Review 2011/12
Strategic Priority 3 Enhance the approaches to learner engagement and the student voice.
What we achieved:
• Successful appointment of the Communication and Student Engagement Assistant post.
• Introduced industry involvement using Business Start Up unit. This was highlighted by HMIe during their engagement visit as very good.
• Our student representatives made positive contributions to our curriculum course teams.
• We reviewed our learner lunchtime forums to ensure further promotion of learner engagement in enhancing work and life at the college.
• We conducted a student survey to all students using SurveyMonkey.
online evaluation on the Virtual Learning Environment.
• We continued to review the social and cultural diversity content in learning and teaching materials across all teaching sections of the college.
learner planning as a means of building their confidence and expanding their learning.
• In January our Creative Industries students visited the Bauhaus museum and galleries in Berlin.
Computing, Health and Care and Creative Industries took up exchange vocational placements in Voss, Norway.
• Our Deloitte Employability students identified their learning styles and used this to plan their own learning and develop independent study skills as a means of setting goals and reflecting upon their learning and progress.
• Our learners were encouraged to make
programmes included the Deloitte Employability course.
more effective use of their Groupwise email accounts.
strategy in line with the new Peer Support Evaluation of Learning and Teaching process.
extracurricular activities and fundraising events to showcase students’ skills.
• In April ten FE students from • We involved all learners in individual
• In September most of our full time FE
• We refreshed our learning and teaching
• Engagement of students in
• Our Heritage Section continued to use
• Throughout the year we continued a systematic evaluation of all provision by learners and tutors.
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Strategic Priority 4 Ensure all learners reach their potential through commitment to quality standards and continued investment in staff development.
What we achieved:
• Continued to develop a proactive programme of equality and diversity training for managers and staff that is appropriate to their role and responsibilities.
• Continued to ensure appropriate equalities and child protection training is undertaken by all new and existing staff.
• Continued to develop a proactive programme of health and safety training for managers and staff that is appropriate to their role and responsibilities.
• Ensured that all staff participated in the SIC employee review process.
• Contribution was made to the Virtual Staff Development Conference. • Our Student Records team completed the Strategic Information Technology Services (SITS) invoicing training.
• During the year there was joint staff training between the college and NAFC library staff.
• Development of a robust and collegiate peer review process in relation to the evaluation of learning and teaching on all programmes which supports the sharing of good practice.
• The ‘Motivated College’ and Co-operative Learning formed the main staff development programme for teaching staff in August and October.
• Our Heritage and Community Learning Sections continued to contribute to Best Practice seminars.
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Shetland College UHI Annual Review 2011/12
Strategic Priority 5 Provide a sustainable, safe and quality environment for our staff, learners and all stakeholders.
What we achieved:
• Regular project meetings for the Phase 3 construction phase which kept learners and staff fully informed.
• Reorganised space and storage to make maximum use of Creative Industries equipment to accommodate the increase in student numbers.
• The site agent attended several learner forums to talk about the Phase 3 project.
• Reviewed room allocation to ensure room/equipment/class size was appropriate to needs.
• New photocopiers were installed to improve efficiency. This was in line with the college’s sustainable proposals.
• All Heritage Section modules were supported by a well-developed Virtual Learning Environment resource.
• Developed a more robust data
• Reviewed the college’s external publicity and its targeted delivery. For efficiency savings the number of hard copies of the college prospectus was reduced.
• All health and safety documentation was reviewed.
collection process for unit, module and programme entries and resulting to SITS.
• From September there was an increased networked delivery of HN Business programmes from Orkney College UHI.
• Our BSc Computing programme was fully networked.
• We reviewed our software licences.
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How We Will Deliver on Shetland’s Single Outcome Agreement Smarter, Wealthier and Fairer, Healthier, Safer and Stronger, Greener Shetland College UHI contributes to meeting the key purpose of Shetland’s Single Outcome Agreement “to maintain the economically active population throughout Shetland” through the provision of high quality further and higher education and training which meets the needs of population and employers.
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Shetland College Annual Review 2011/12
Shetland College Annual Review 2011/12
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National Priority Area: WEALTHIER and FAIRER Enable businesses and people to increase their wealth and more people to share fairly in that wealth. Shetland’s Fairer Outcomes
Shetland College UHI’s Contribution
F.1 We have reduced levels and the impact of poverty, deprivation and social exclusion in Shetland.
• Inclusion and access to all learners, meeting the outcomes of Shetland Skills Strategy.
F.2 Socio-economic disadvantage does not impact on the opportunities people have.
National Priority Area: SMARTER Expand opportunities for people in Scotland to succeed from nurture through to lifelong learning ensuring higher and more widely shared achievements. Shetland’s Smarter Outcomes
Shetland College UHI’s Contribution
Sm.1 We provide a person-centred approach to ensuring positive learning pathways for the long-term, focusing on the long-term unemployed, the 18-24 age group, those misusing substances and winter school leavers.
• Clear alignment of FE and HE curriculum with Scottish Government expectations.
Sm. 2 We recognise each person’s strengths, building on these to ensure everyone can achieve their potential through learning opportunities that build capacity, increase confidence and encourage participation and responsible citizenship. Sm. 3 We take a proactive approach to ensuring Shetland’s skills match Shetland’s economic need.
• Range of delivery modes for all programmes from Access 3 to degree level. • Partnership working with SIC’s schools service to meet learners’ needs for Curriculum for Excellence. • Inclusion and access to all learners, meeting the outcomes of Shetland Skills Strategy. • Improved learner attainment, achievement and retention rates on all programmes in line with national benchmarks.
National Priority Area: HEALTHIER Help people to sustain and improve their health, especially in disadvantaged communities, ensuring better, local and faster access to health care. Shetland’s Healthier Outcomes
Shetland College UHI’s Contribution
Hth. 2 Tackle health inequalities ensuring that the needs of the most vulnerable and hard to reach groups.
• Inclusion and access to all learners, meeting the outcomes of Shetland Skills Strategy.
Hth. 3 We will support and protect the most vulnerable members of the community, promoting independence and ensuring services are targeted at those that are most in need.
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Shetland College UHI Annual Review 2011/12
Shetland College UHI contributes to the following cross cutting corporate themes:
Efficiencies “In the current financial climate, achieving efficiencies has to be a priority in everything we do.”
• Financial stability by rigorous budgetary planning and control and efficient use of resources. • Model the impact of future Scottish Funding Council funding on curriculum provision and college services. • Maximise income from external funding sources other than Scottish Funding Council, and explore industry sponsorship. • Increased efficiency and effectiveness of the use of resources.
Strengthening Communities
• Inclusion and access to all learners, meeting the outcomes of Shetland Skills Strategy.
Culture
• Range of delivery modes for all programmes from Access 3 to degree level. • Partnership working with Shetland Islands Council’s schools service to meet learners’ needs for Curriculum for Excellence.
Equalities
• Raise awareness of opportunities for learner engagement whilst continuing to develop levels of reflective learner engagement across the college. • Dedicated staff remit for learner engagement.
Environmental management and carbon reduction
• Increased efficiency and effectiveness of the use of resources. • ‘Sustainability’ approaches regarding operation of the college’s estate. • Development of a high quality and fit-for-purpose learning environment.
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Review of the Year
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Shetland College Annual Review 2011/12
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Business and Hospitality Learner Achievement Four Business and Hospitality students have been allocated awards sponsored by local business in recognition of their achievements during the academic year. Jan Williamson will be awarded a prize from the UK accounting firm, Baker Tilly, who have an office locally, in recognition of completing an HND in Accounting after six years of part-time study. She began as a New Directions learner before progressing through HNC part-time and then HND part-time whilst working to support herself and her family. During this time she was able to change jobs to a better position a couple of times, making use of the skills and knowledge she was gaining at Shetland College UHI. Bethany Laurenson completed her HNC in Business after joining Shetland College UHI straight from school and will be awarded the BP prize, which is given to the overall best Business student. She has gone on to Robert Gordon University, entering at second year level as her HNC studies at the college is counted as her first year of study. She is doing International Business and is all set to spend her third year of study in the United States.
The award of FE Student of the Year went to Hospitality learner, Ryan Leask, who managed to secure a two-week work experience placement at a Michelin starred restaurant in Edinburgh. Core Skills Workshops It is recognised that sometimes learners need extra support to prepare them for the academic requirements of an SVQ award. In light of this, over 2011/2012, Core Skills workshops were implemented to build skills such as: numeracy, communication or active listening.
Michelle Henry completed her HNC in Accounting while balancing the demands of being a young mum, in part, to enable her to help her crofter husband with the ‘books’. In recognition of the overall quality of her work in these circumstances, she will be awarded an accountancy prize from A9 Partnership.
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Shetland College UHI Annual Review 2011/12
Community Interaction Learners from the Hospitality Section enjoyed helping local schools develop and trial their dishes for a national ‘Cook for the Queen’ competition, and one pupil reached the Scottish final in Edinburgh. Skills for Work Hospitality pupils also sold their homebaking at a ‘Cookie Craze’ event at Anderson High School as a project at the conclusion of their two-year college programme, raising funds for a local charity.
Community Learning and Support for Learning Second Year of RAISE Approved The Rural Access to Innovative Skills for Employability (RAISE) project has been very successful in providing learning opportunities in some of Shetland’s most remote rural locations; engaging with ‘Micro SMEs’, which are very small businesses. Despite a two year aim of contacting 20 businesses, the project far surpassed this with 61 rural businesses engaged over 2011/2012 alone. There was widespread interest in IT support being offered on an ‘as and when required’ basis, so RAISE offered a drop-in service for rural businesses who wanted help with tasks such as developing a website or setting up spreadsheets. With EU LEADER funding approved for the 2012/2013 academic session, staff are looking forward to further developing the partnership between learning centres and local communities.
Online Courses Developed Online courses are particularly suited to Shetland College UHI due to the spread of learners in rural locations and the high number of part-time learners with other commitments. Online blogs and discussion boards have been used on several courses; three fully online courses were delivered over 2011/2012, with an overall aim to deliver five by the end of 2012/2013. There are future plans to offer more online courses; in particular a web design course, which can build on the computing training which has been popular so far. Learning Community Inspected Schools are no longer inspected in isolation; there is now wider investigation to incorporate the impact that community and volunteer organisations have on the learning environment. In 2012 HM Inspectors looked at the Anderson High School and, therefore, at the wider learning offered in its catchment area. The report praised the quality of adult learning as very good and noted that ‘a wide range of learners benefit from the extensive range of adult learning programmes provided’ (HM Inspectors, 2012). It should be noted, however, that Shetland College UHI is not the only contributor to this positive report and that other local services work hard to provide an effective learning programme for the people of Lerwick.
Praise for Return to Learn An important part of effective course delivery is working to identify and tackle barriers to learning. This is achieved through means such as study skills workshops for general learners and English courses for speakers of other languages (ESOL). The Return to Learn course continued to be offered in partnership with Adult Learning over 2011/2012 after a successful pilot the previous year. The course is aimed at those who have been out of formal education for some time, and who may need to develop their confidence, IT or communication skills before starting SVQ study. Return to Learn was identified as an example of Sector Leading and Innovative Practice by HMIe, and because of this a Support for Learning lecturer from Shetland College UHI was invited to deliver a good practice webinar on the Return to Learn programme to Scotland’s colleges.
This project is part-financed by the European Community Shetland LEADER 2008/2013 Programme.
Shetland College UHI Annual Review 2011/12
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Computing Computer Folding Project
Student Growth and Progression Student numbers continued to grow during the 2011/2012 academic year, reaching an all-time high of over 50 full-time students ranging from national certificate to degree level. Numbers for part-time learners also continued to be healthy for Maths, ECDL, and HNC/PDA awards courses. Many learners continued onto higher level courses, with several learners moving onto either first or second year of degrees at both Scottish and English based universities. BSc Computing This year saw the introduction of the UHI networked BSc Computing award to Shetland; with one of the modules, Network Server Management, partdelivered to all UHI partner colleges to over 50 learners. The learners’ computing project involved both web development and producing an android mobile application for the Scalloway Museum; and all five full-time learners achieving their degree. Two of these learners have continued onto honours level studies in both Shetland and Perth; one learner has gained a full-time modern apprenticeship award as an ICT Computer Technician and another has been employed with a local web development company.
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HE Student of the Year Continuing on last year’s success of a computing student being awarded the Higher Education Student of the Year, Arasi Olayinka was awarded with the honour this year. Arasi is continuing his studies with the HND in Information Technology award. Computing Folding Project The computing students continued to experiment throughout the year on benchmarking personal and college computer systems using Stanford University Folding@Home software. This computing project studied protein folding and misfolding, using the combined computational power of many systems to do mathematical-based protein simulations. This can help find cures to many common diseases; such as, Alzheimer’s, cystic fibrosis, BSE (mad cow disease), and an inherited form of emphysema. Even many cancers are believed to result from protein misfolding, so this technology could play an important role in future prevention. The Computing Section has joined the UK national ‘Custom PC & Bit-Tech’ Folding Team and during 2012/2013 they aim to be ranked steadily in the top 20 producers. They have had a good start!
Shetland College UHI Annual Review 2011/12
Courses on Offer Over 2011/2012 the European Computer Driving Licence course, available at levels 1, 2 and advanced, continued to be popular. Initial planning commenced for development of a UHI BSc Computing Honours award, available locally from September 2012. There are also further development plans to offer a completely new HNC/HND Computing award from September 2013/2014, which will incorporate new subject areas such as Computer Forensics and Mobile Application Development.
Construction PDA Advanced Carpentry and Joinery The Advanced Certificate in Carpentry and Joinery has been altered this year to bring it in line with new SQA requirements. There are now nationally standardised assessment materials for this course and there is a clearer pathway towards HNC courses. Two units of PDA Advanced Carpentry and Joinery are unit requirements for the HNC course, which means that learners who choose to go further to the next qualification will start with two units completed out of 12. Apprentice of the Year To win this title staff were looking for a good ‘all round’ learner – the best ability aptitude in their craft, personal skills, assisting others, and a good team player. They found these qualities in Stewart Hutchison of C&N Builders, who was named Shetland College Carpentry and Joinery Student of the Year. Due to this success, he was eligible to compete nationally for the Scottish Association of Timber Trade Teachers awards, which was this year hosted by Perth College UHI. Stewart did very well, completed his project work to a very high standard and was placed fourth.
The winning team from Sandwick Junior High School
through the network and the Construction Section is hoping to build on its success by offering an HND Construction programme in the future.
into working life when Petrofac kindly allowed them access to the new gas plant site. They enjoyed a site tour of the workplace and the workers’ accommodation.
Secondary Students Building Bridges We invited 36 secondary schools from across Shetland to compete in the construction skills annual challenge, where they were set the task of designing and constructing a bridge within three hours. The schedule was very tight and all of the teams did extremely well in the time they had, although it was the team from Sandwick Junior High School that took first place. Modern Apprenticeships Progress This year 12 learners successfully completed their SVQ Carpentry and Joinery Modern Apprenticeship. In other news, first year learners were offered a great insight
Support from Shetland Islands Council The intake of new learners this year has been very good and staff have worked hard to make this happen. Shetland Islands Council has offered on-going support through its initiative to offer apprenticeships through Train Shetland. This is a partnership which really benefits everyone: Shetland College UHI enjoys increased numbers, SIC is able to offer relevant training, the young trainees gain skills and qualifications while in employment and Shetland benefits from a more qualified workforce.
Stewart Hutchison receiving his shield for Apprentice of the Year.
HNC Construction Management 2011/2012 saw a dramatic increase in enrolment for the HNC Construction Management course, which is delivered via video conference from Perth College UHI and Murray College UHI. This course was one of the very first HNCs delivered by UHI
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Creative Industries
Distinctive Graduates All five of the BA Contemporary Textiles learners have graduated with distinction this year, which is only possible if the learner achieves a mark in all third year modules of 70 or above. The final year of the degree is extremely challenging: incorporating practical, theory, analysis, research and presentation. In a Shetland College first they were asked to put on an ‘End of Year Art Show’ that was specific to them. BBC 2 filmed a clip of all the learners’ displays and an interview was broadcast on BBC 2 programme, Landwise. Exhibitions Both the ‘Five Star’ exhibition of graduate work at the Old Library Centre and the degree show were well attended by public and professionals; and elsewhere the whole department took part in a range of professional exhibitions and opportunities. Two second year learners participated in the Farlin project, a collaboration between poets and artists from Shetland and Fife. Normally open exclusively to professionals, these learners will have their work exhibited in Fife at the 2013 STANZA poetry festival. During Shetland Wool Week the second year BA learners created a special exhibition at the Textiles Museum and there was
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also an art exhibition organised at the Shetland Museum and Archives for Eric Gray learners, who have diverse learning needs. Community Partnerships Creative Industries learners spent time interacting with the wider Shetland community during 2011/2012. Fir Wirds, a schools’ dialect promotion group, asked art learners to design teaching materials for them, and others designed a set for a Shetland ballet performance. At the Shetland Museum and Archives learners also gave short presentations on the theme of aspects of wool in fashion, lifestyle and history. New Horizons There were great opportunities for learners to travel and experience art in a new setting. Three learners on the National Certificate course had work experience in Voss, Norway, as part of an educational exchange. 15 textiles learners benefited from a study trip to Berlin where they had a full schedule packed with tours, lectures, museum visits and a fashion show (part of Berlin Fashion Week). Everyone had a brilliant time!
Shetland College UHI Annual Review 2011/12
New Courses The popular BA Contemporary Textiles course went through revalidation during the year and was expanded into an honours course, ensuring the textiles facilitation unit will be even busier than usual! 2011/2012 also saw the start of the National Certificate Music course, with staff working around being based in a hut at the Anderson High School. Eamonn Watt did particularly well, composing a piece for a BBC TV programme, with a CD launched at a special launch event at the Bonhoga Gallery. An Arts Skills course was also offered to school age students who travelled to the college every second Friday.
“This part of the college seems to be going from strength to strength, inspiring the staff and students and maybe even the viewing public in their artistic endeavours and event-organising skills.” Stephen Gordon, Shetland Times.
Mareel The 2012/2013 academic year will see the delivery of Shetland College music courses moved to the brand new arts venue and situational learning environment, Mareel. Learners will have access to custom-built, state-of-the-art teaching spaces including; a recording studio, a multi-media production and teaching lab, rehearsal spaces and a fantastic venue for musical performance. Working in partnership with Shetland Arts, Shetland College UHI plans to offer an extensive range of music courses next year: BA (Hons) Applied Music This course will be primarily delivered via video conference across the UHI network and will give learners the opportunity to study music to degree level in their home region, in a genre or style of their choice. There will be two ‘residential weeks’ per year where all learners will meet. HNC Music This course will explore the music industry from a range of perspectives; from the stagecraft and expression of musical performance, to planning and research skills necessary to succeed in the industry. Special focus will be given to the practicalities of earning a living as a music business professional and/ or pathways to further studies. NC Music This course will aim to develop knowledge and understanding of the music industry, underpinned with a focus on core, transferrable skills for a future music career. This ‘hands-on’ approach will include developing editing and mixing skills, as well as events planning and promotion.
Pro Tools Certified Courses These short courses, delivered in a range of formats, will provide an introduction to the industry standard Pro Tools music production platform, and develop a range of skills necessary to record instruments and mix music. Vocational Pathways Sound Engineering This certified SQA module will be delivered to S3 and S4 learners, aiming to teach them practical and creative sound engineering and production skills. Evening Classes (In partnership with Adult Learning and certified by Shetland College UHI)
• Live Sound Reinforcement • Stage Lighting Operations • Studio Sound Engineering and Production
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Health and Care
“This year has been incredibly busy. We have continued to be successful in students achieving their courses and gaining registration, employment or entry to professional training or higher education.� Chris Rogers, Head of Section.
Counselling and Psychotherapy This year has seen the first five learners in Shetland graduate from the Person Centred Counselling and Psychotherapy course. The course is delivered via three years of academic teaching, complemented by 150 hours of workplace placement. The graduates are making good use of their qualifications: going on to further study or positions within the field. New and Updated Courses In 2011/2012 the section offered a degree course in psychology for the first time, which has been popular. Courses within the section are always being updated to meet the changing demands of the working world, as was the case with Access to Nursing this year. The course now involves more Highers than before because nursing is now a degree only profession.
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Positive Pathways Health and Social Care courses are very vocational-based and often provide a clear pathway towards further study or work within the social care industry. Some Access to Social Work and HNC learners were offered a trip to Voss, Norway where they benefited from work experience in a variety of social care and early years settings. A number of staff in the section are practitioner teachers, spending some of their time working within the industry, which helps ensure that courses are up to date with what is happening in the workplace. Enrolment for access courses has continued to increase and this year more people than ever have gone on to university after completion of Access to Social Work and Access to Nursing. Learner Support Health and Care works with several other sections to offer appropriate support to learners. The Scottish Social Services Council has made it a requirement that all care workers must officially register, necessitating completion of an SVQ.
Shetland College UHI Annual Review 2011/12
Community Learning offered support to learners in this situation who had not studied before, and may have found the registration a daunting prospect. Health and Care learners benefited from structured study time, UCAS workshops, mock interviews and also tutor support sessions. While this support is all very important, it is also necessary to balance this with a degree of independence to ensure that all learners are capable of working to professional standards. Past Meets Present In 2011 Merran Nugent completed Access to Nursing in Shetland College UHI and then went to Robert Gordon University to study her degree in nursing. As part of this she opted to do first aid training in Africa. In 2012 she returned to the college to offer some training to the current learners. They found it a very interesting experience and felt that it would be beneficial to bring in more recent graduates to share their experiences; which will be taken on board for the next academic session, at open nights in particular.
Centre for Nordic Studies
MLitt Orkney and Shetland Studies graduate and UHI Student of the Year, William Frost.
New Courses The Centre for Nordic Studies has expanded this year with two new MLitt level courses on offer: Viking Studies and Highlands and Islands Culture. Both of these courses are accessible from anywhere in the world via a virtual learning environment. The range of courses on offer is still expanding, and it is hoped that the centre can offer an MLitt in Island Studies during the 2013/2014 academic season. Viking Summer School For those considering the MLitt course in Viking Studies there was a great ‘taster opportunity’ over the summer when the Centre for Nordic Studies ran the popular Viking Summer School. The programme was taught through a combination of expert lectures and engaging fieldtrips to Shetland locations of historical significance. Topics covered included: Viking religion, mythology, archaeology, runes, sagas and much more.
Learner Achievement There were outstanding results across the Centre for Nordic Studies this year, with Graeme Baird, Catharine Falkner, Lucinda Livingston and Elizabeth Treacher all graduating with distinction from the MLitt Highlands and Islands Literature course. This high standard was matched on the MLitt Orkney and Shetland Studies course, with both Mary Malcolm and William Frost graduating with distinction. William was additionally commended through being named UHI Student of the Year and has secured a British Library Scholarship to continue his studies as a PhD student at the University of Sheffield. The Small Boats of Shetland Over 2011/2012 the Centre for Nordic Studies worked in partnership with the Unst Boat Haven to publish a book: ‘The Small Boats of Shetland,’ which showcases both Shetland history and local photography. It was written by former student, Alison Munro, who was on a two-week residency at the Unst Boat Haven funded by the UHI Student Development Trust.
Links with Faroe and Norway 2011/2012 saw the first lectures delivered via video conference between the Centre for Nordic Studies and the University of the Faroe Islands. The centre has also succeeded in establishing a new Erasmus link between Volda University College and Shetland College, which will get going in 2012/2013. Funding Opportunities Funding from the Royal Society of Edinburgh and also Copenhagen University has allowed Dr. Berit Sandnes and Dr. Peder Gammeltoft to spend time in Shetland conducting pieces of research. Silke Reeploeg will also have the opportunity to spend a semester in 2012/2013 as a guest researcher at Volda University College in Western Norway, thanks to a mobility grant by the Norwegian Research Council.
Public Lectures This year saw the Centre put on a series of successful public lectures with notable Scandinavian scholars including Michael Schulte from Volda who talked about the Norse ascendency in Orkney and Shetland and Liv Willumsen from Tromso who talked about witchcraft in 17th century Norway.
Shetland College UHI Annual Review 2011/12
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Heritage Courses Evolving The groundwork has been laid to offer joint honours degree courses in the future to combine heritage with different subjects. This will provide additional variety that will hopefully enable Shetland College UHI to more closely match the interests and ambitions of individual learners. As heritage courses will now offer 20 credits per module instead of 15, learners will have to do fewer modules to pass their course in the future. This will provide more opportunity to go into greater depth on each module, while hopefully reducing excessive assessment. Exciting Excavation Projects Currently learners have the opportunity to participate in two exciting excavation projects in Orkney. In particular, the Neolithic site at Brodga is a very significant discovery as the on-going excavations are re-writing what was thought to be understood about Neolithic society. For UHI learners these projects are not spectator events – they have the opportunity to contribute in geophysical activity, standing monument survey, excavation, and artefact collection among other activities. Shetland also has its own contribution to make as was demonstrated this year when a group of visitors came to the islands to research our Neolithic history. As well as seminars and various activities, the group enjoyed an expedition to the striking Neolithic axe factory in North Roe. Further Education Courses This year has seen the launch of SVQF 5 Further Education courses which were delivered to learners in Aith and Unst through learning centres. They were designed to appeal to those with an interest in heritage and were at an entry level which made them suitable to most
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of the population. It is hoped that these courses may encourage learners to go on to further study and in the long term it may be possible to deliver courses like these in schools.
peat. Through meticulous carbon dating it was discovered that Shetland may, in fact, have the earliest examples of foot ploughs.
Awards for Staff Two lecturers from the BA Scottish Cultural Studies course were awarded with UHISA awards this year. Matt Sillars received the UHISA Teaching Award for Most Engaging VC Tutor while Kirsty Macdonald received the award for Best Assessment Feedback. Former Learners in the Field Over 2011/2012 several former learners of the Heritage Section went on to participate in cutting edge fieldwork. Following a Cultural Studies course at Shetland College UHI, one learner went on to set up a community archaeology group which is now working on excavating an early medieval site in the West Highlands. The assistant curator of the Shetland Museum and Archives, Jenny Murray, previously completed her Master’s Degree in Orkney and Shetland Studies and this year she was involved in a significant Shetland excavation project involving wooden ploughs preserved in ancient
Shetland College UHI Annual Review 2011/12
Award winning lecturers, Matt Sillars and Kirsty Macdonald
Guidance and Support Over 2011/12 the guidance service has been very busy providing support to learners on a range of topics from financing studies, coping with student life, planning for the future and managing wider aspects of day-to-day life.
Developing Lifelong Employability Skills Over 2011/2012 staff from Shetland College UHI implemented several programmes for school or college students, focused on employability skills.
An anecdotal increase in the number of young people (16-19 years old) in danger of, or becoming homeless is reported as the most prominent shift in advice and support being sought. This has aided the development of close working practices with statutory and voluntary organisations, with a number of positive outcomes. This shift may or may not be linked to an increasing demand on learners’ and their families’ decreasing disposable income. For example, learners have requested support with basics like food and electricity as they do not have enough to see them through the night.
A successful pilot programme was delivered at both the Anderson and Brae High Schools on the topic of Personal Enterprise Skills. Students benefited from a taste of independent learning as they progress to further studies or apprenticeships.
The above highlights how reactive the guidance service has to be in order to support learners appropriately, proportionately and timeously depending upon their circumstance, making for a busy and demanding workload. The guidance service has one dedicated, part-time member of staff. In addition to being reactive the guidance service has contributed to a number of proactive activities over the past year to empower students to take responsibility for their own lifelong learning.
delivery, teambuilding, interpersonal and workplace communication. Industry experts from Shetland Islands Council and Shetland Arts Development Agency were invited into the classroom for interactive exercises and the course culminated with a one-week work placement which the learners had to organise for themselves.
NC Art and Design learners were given the opportunity to study a unit of the Personal Development Higher, which aimed to increase their self-awareness and encourage planning for their next transition. The learners received enhanced UCAS support and one did exceptionally well to earn a place at the highly competitive Glasgow School of Art.
Financial Challenges As a mark of the times, 2011/2012 saw a huge increase in demand from the Student Discretionary and Childcare Fund, which offers support for those experiencing financial hardship or struggling with costs of childcare. The Shetland College Discretionary fund has helped students meet the high costs of travel to college, basics such as buying electricity and food as well as course related costs, for those students who would otherwise be unable to continue studying without this financial support.
As part of the Deloitte Employability programme NC Digital Media and NC Business learners were supported in building skills in presentation
Shetland College Student Counselling Service 2011/12 has seen the introduction of the Shetland College counselling service providing a confidential setting for students to discuss personal issues. The service, which has potential to be extended in the future, allows learners to benefit from the expertise of a recent graduate of the Person Centred Counselling and Psychotherapy degree-level course.
Shetland College UHI Annual Review 2011/12
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Blyde Haven Nursery
Eco Flag Success! This year Blyde Haven Nursery managed to achieve the highest award of the Eco Schools programme – the green flag! While other nurseries in Shetland have achieved this level, Blyde Haven is the only one which is not part of a wider primary department. To achieve this success the children had to be involved in various recycling and environmental awareness activities. The children have been using junk materials extensively in arts and crafts, which helps them see recycling as a practical resource. As part of increasing awareness of recycling the children also enjoyed a visit to the Enviroglass recycling factory in Cunningsburgh.
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Healthy Eating, Healthy Living As part of the Eco Flag campaign there was much focus on living a healthy lifestyle. The ever popular childrens’ story ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ was used to engage the children with healthy eating; and a trip to the dentist was arranged as part of the ‘Child Smile’ campaign. The children do a lot of walking at Blyde Haven and managed to raise over £200 for the Barnados children’s charity with a sponsored walk. Safety is always a top concern and during Road Safety Week the children were educated about road signs, seat belts, and how to be seen in the dark. Manager Marina Eva is passionate that the children lead a healthy lifestyle, and commented: “I tell the children: bring your warm clothes, because you will be walking!”
Shetland College UHI Annual Review 2011/12
Interacting With Nature The staff at Blyde Haven are keen for children to benefit from outdoors learning, interacting with the rich natural environment that Shetland has to offer. During spring the children were asked to photograph signs of the season on a class walk, which turned a passive outdoor stroll into an interactive expedition! Space Exploration Blyde Haven was lucky to have a visit from a high school science teacher (and parent) who spent a whole day working with the children. They were keen to learn about astronauts and the different planets, so they started out by making space helmets to get them in the spirit. There was then an interactive demonstration of moon craters, by dropping rocks on a ‘lunar surface’ of flour and chocolate. The children were very enthusiastic, and after the demonstration the interactive whiteboard was used to teach about the planets.
Student Results Throughout 2011/12 the college continued to improve access to programmes, increasing levels of learner participation particularly on full time FE and full time and part time HE programmes. As learner participation increased this helped address widening access to college provision, by offering a range of programmes to the local community using a variety of delivery modes.
Wider Access: Total Enrolments in Shetland in 2011/2012*
Shetland College Short Course Training with Train Shetland Engineering (with NAFC Marine Centre UHI) Community Development (SIC Evening Classes)**
80 1,431 N/A 2,680 N/A 71 N/A
Total
* as at 30 May 2012
Further Education Full time Part time
80 4,182
Higher Education Full time Part time
82 N/A N/A N/A
Total
222 N/A N/A N/A
1,815 2,680 71 -
82 222
4,566
** figures incomplete
Throughout 2011/12 the college continued to draw on a strong network of contacts throughout the islands and played a central role in a number of key partnerships with other service providers, both within Shetland Islands Council and beyond. These partnerships continued to support well co-ordinated and integrated services to a wide range of learners, in particular those who experience challenges in participating in education and training, due to living in remote parts of Shetland, to previously negative experiences of education, or for other reasons. These included Vocational Pathways programmes, the More Choices, More Chances Strategy Group which supported programmes aimed at re-engaging young people in education and training, and the Adult Learning Network which supported a range of ESOL programmes for the increasing numbers of immigrant workers in Shetland.
Shetland College UHI Annual Review 2011/12
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Student Results Further Education (FE) Award ceremonies 2012 Our FE award ceremonies took place on the 16th and 17th August 2012 at Lerwick Town Hall. We were very lucky to have three amazing guests in Phil Packer MBE, Christine Ferguson, Director of Corporate Services, Shetland Islands Council and Gwilym Gibbons, Director of Shetland Arts who all gave truly inspirational and entertaining talks.
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Shetland College UHI Annual Review 2011/12
Higher Education (HE) Graduation 2012 Our HE graduation ceremony took place on Wednesday 26th September at Lerwick Town Hall, where our students had the opportunity to celebrate their fantastic academic achievements, with family, friends and staff from Shetland College UHI.
Student of the Year Further Education Student of the Year
Ryan Leask has been named as the Shetland College UHI FE Student of the Year. Ryan is 19 and first got into the catering industry when he was 14, after taking a job as a porter in the Gurkha Kitchen. Now he is a trainee chef at the Scalloway Hotel, whilst also completing SVQ3 Professional Cookery at Shetland College UHI.
How long have you been a student at Shetland College UHI? I started studying Professional Cookery at the college through the Modern Apprentice Scheme in August 2009, so almost three years. What have you enjoyed most about your course? I have really enjoyed learning my trade, making a range of different dishes and it has been good fun. I have enjoyed all aspects of cooking, but in particular, learning to make desserts, they are so versatile and you can make so many different things with the same ingredients. What have you found most challenging? I find that working anti-social hours can be stressful at times, but the experience is rewarding so that makes up for it. I am also expected to go for long periods without a day off which can be challenging.
How do you remain motivated? My tutor Glynn is a real inspiration; he has a genuine passion for what he does and he has passed that on to me. Working at the Scalloway Hotel has been very motivating, the positive comments from customers really make the job worthwhile, and it helps that we’ve had a few famous folk in who have commented on the quality of the food! Winning a recent competition to work in a Michelin star restaurant in Edinburgh was a great motivator too. It gave me new ideas and thoughts as to what a restaurant in Shetland could do with all its fresh local produce. It has made me realise just what is possible and has given me something to aim for. Are you going to do any more studying? I am not planning to do any more studying at the moment as it would mean leaving Shetland and my current job, but it is something that I may do in the future.
What are your future career plans, and how will Shetland College UHI help you achieve this? I will continue to work at the hotel and develop my skills. Hopefully one day, I’ll be a head chef in a hotel or restaurant in Shetland and be able to design my own menus and working practices. If this course hadn’t been offered at Shetland College UHI, none of what I have achieved so far would have been possible. Would you recommend the Shetland College UHI to others? Definitely, it’s an ideal opportunity for learners who are not ready to leave Shetland to further their education and give them a taste of what it may be like at a bigger college or university on the mainland.
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Student of the Year Higher Education Student of the Year
Arasi Olayinka has just completed an HNC in IT and has been voted HE student of the year for his overall contribution. How long have you been a student at the Shetland College UHI? I have been a student at Shetland College UHI for two years. I first came to study an ESOL course in 2010 and enjoyed the course, so I had the confidence to apply to do further study and I have just completed a HNC in IT. What have you enjoyed most about your course? I have enjoyed all aspects of my course. I really enjoy web based and computer programming, as well as IT and database technologies. One of the things that I have found most satisfying is meeting so many new people, who have all been friendly and made the course, not only enjoyable, but something that I will remember for a long time. I like that the college is small
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because it has a friendly environment. I enjoy getting on the bus to college in the morning and seeing people that I recognise and can speak to - it makes me feel like I belong.
or four year commitment at the beginning of the course. I would not have been able to achieve all that I have without the help and support of my wife and the lecturing staff at the college.
What have you found most challenging? The accent! For the first couple of months I felt a bit lost in classes as I couldn’t always understand what was being said. When I started the course I also didn’t have any practical knowledge of IT so I felt a bit overwhelmed at times, but my course tutor was really good, he helped me to see that everything was going to be okay and that I was capable of achieving the HNC. Now I am really glad that I listened to him.
What are your future career plans, and how will the Shetland College UHI help you achieve this? Eventually I would like to be a database designer. Next year at HND Level 1 I will be able to focus more heavily on this as it is part of the course criteria. The tutors at the college have helped to build my confidence, and have helped me to see that goals like this are achievable.
How do you remain motivated? My tutor keeps me motivated. He knows so much about his subject and it inspires me to do more. If ever I feel like I am lost and that the coursework is too hard I am able to have a chat with my tutor on a one-to-one basis and he helps me see solutions to any problems I have. Are you going to do any more studying? I have decided to stay on at Shetland College UHI and complete the HND, and hopefully after that I would like to progress onto doing the degree. I think it is brilliant that I am able to make decisions about my future study as I go along - rather than having to make a three
Shetland College UHI Annual Review 2011/12
Would you recommend the Shetland College UHI to others? Yes - I feel privileged to have been able to study here. As I am not a Scottish national I didn’t think it would be possible, but my family persuaded me to come and speak to college staff about it and I am glad that I did. The admin staff were able to help me out with funding, and told me all the forms that I needed to fill in. I feel like the college has given me an opportunity that I wouldn’t have had in my home country, or anywhere else in Scotland. The college and the Computing Section in particular have been excellent and have provided me with all I will need to ensure a successful career.
Working with the Wider Community
During 2011/2012 Shetland College UHI maintained strong connections with Shetland Islands Council’s Schools Service, and continued to deliver a wide range of Vocational Pathways to S3 and S4 pupils across Shetland. This included: Construction Crafts, Contemporary Art Skills, Early Education and Childcare, Hospitality, Hairdressing and Sound Engineering. The college also delivered successful employability and arts courses to school pupils.
exhibitions throughout the island and contributed to the Farlin project for industry professionals. Heritage students have had the opportunity to be involved with exciting excavation projects in Shetland and Orkney, while the Centre for Nordic Studies worked in partnership with the Unst Boat Haven to publish a book. Members of the wider community have also been invited into Shetland College UHI to interact with learners in employability role plays.
Schools from all over the islands sent students to compete in the Construction Section’s bridge building challenge and art students from the college were even asked to design teaching materials for a schools dialect promotion group.
Shetland College UHI’s Community Learning Section continued to work closely with Shetland Islands Council Adult Learning Service to provide a range of literacies and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses. The Rural Access to Innovative Skills for Employability project has worked closely with small rural businesses, while the increasing number of online courses has made learning at Shetland College UHI more accessible than ever before.
Across sections local businesses offered exciting opportunities for field trips; such as, the Petrofac Gas Plant and the Enviroglass recycling factory. Creative Industries learners contributed to public
In 2012 HMIe praised the provision of adult learning within the community of central Lerwick, with Shetland College UHI playing a large part in delivery of those services; and in 2012/2013 the college will work closely with Shetland Arts to deliver brand new music courses in the custom-built cinema and music venue, Mareel.
Shetland College UHI Annual Review 2011/12
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Our Board of Management Shetland College UHI remains a non-incorporated college with a Board of Management of six elected members of Shetland Islands Council. The college is part of the Shetland Islands Council Development Services Department. Councillor Drew Ratter - Chair Councillor Peter Campbell - Vice Chair Councillor Gary Cleaver Councillor George Smith Councillor Theo Smith Councillor Allan Wishart
Our Partners It is important that the college participates and contributes to strategic partnerships with responsibility for the economic and social wellbeing of Shetland. Currently Shetland College UHI is a partner in groups such as: − − − − − − − − − −
Social Economy and Community Regeneration Partnership Skills for Scotland Strategy Group Community Learning and Development Strategy Employability Partnership More Choices – More Chances Partnership Vocational Pathways Strategic Group Shetland Childcare Partnership LGBT Partnership Forum Shetland Islands Council’s Adult Learning Service Shetland Arts Development Agency
Participating in these groups helps inform the college of future skills in Shetland and is already highlighting opportunities in music, creative arts, textiles and continued and growing work in ESOL and certificated literacies and numeracies.
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Shetland College UHI Annual Review 2011/12
Financial Summary Income
ÂŁ
Scottish Funding Council
1,504,730.00
Course Fees
378,814.00
UHI Income
280,000.00
Other Income
665,417.00
Expenditure
ÂŁ
Staff Costs
2,563,677.00
Other Costs
Income
2,828.961.00
53.19%
Scottish Funding Council
13.39%
Course Fees
9.90%
UHI Income
23.52%
Other Income
354,835.00
2,918,512.00 Expenditure
Please note that figures supplied are based on budgets as final accounts for 11/12 are not yet available.
87.84% Staff Costs 12.16%
Other Costs
Shetland College UHI Annual Review 2011/12
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Shetland College UHI, Gremista, Lerwick, Shetland, ZE1 0PX Tel: 01595 771000 Email: shetland.college@shetland.uhi.ac.uk www.shetland.uhi.ac.uk Designed by Shaw marketing and design, Lerwick and Edinburgh