UNITING CITY COLLEGE PLYMOUTH WITH BUSINESS | AUTUMN 2012
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Enterprise and Employability
98% of employers would recommend the College to another employer* * Employer Satisfaction Survey 2011/12
City College Plymouth Kings Road, Devonport, Plymouth, PL1 5QG T: 01752 305026 E: employers@cityplym.ac.uk www.cityplym.ac.uk/employers
If you require this newsletter in a larger type or different format please telephone 01752 305300.
From the Editor Welcome to the latest edition of EmployerLink; City College Plymouth’s newsletter for employers. Our focus in this edition is on how the College is continuing its efforts to embed employability and enterprise throughout its curriculum and amongst its students and staff. Read more about the enterprising activities of the College and how you can get involved in our lead article on page one. Working closely with Plymouth Community Homes, the College has been supporting this local employer with bespoke training, which has resulted in the development of a highly successful training programme for the workforce. Read our case study on page two to find out more.
Over the last year, the College has undergone some major developments, one of these being the implementation of our employability centre, theworkspace. The centre has now been operating for one year and has made a huge impact on students. Read more about the success of theworkspace and how you can become involved in supporting student success on page three. The College has also been working to support the unemployed throughout the region by launching a dedicated centre for the adult unemployed and working with The Herald on its ‘Get Hired’ campaign. See our article on page four which focuses on our work to help get local people into employment. Higher level skills within the workforce are critical to business success. We offer a wide breadth of study at university-level, all of which can be designed to fit your business needs.
To find out how you can access our range of higher level skills training see our article on page five. The College has a range of commercial services available, from our fabulous day spa through to a professional reprographic and design studio and our fine dining restaurant, we have a variety of businessto-business offers for you to take advantage of, including facility hire. Turn to the back cover to find out more. I hope you enjoy reading your copy of EmployerLink. We aim to keep you informed with all the latest education and training news, but if there is a topic you would like to see covered please contact the editor via e-mail at srobbie@cityplym.ac.uk.
Sharron Robbie Editor
Message from the Principal The economic and social landscape of which the College is a part, both locally and nationally, is changing and we are ensuring that what the College does, and how it does it, continues to fit into that landscape. We operate in an increasingly competitive climate characterised by a difficult set of economic circumstances, which impact on both ourselves and our clients. We believe that we have the capacity though to make a major contribution to transforming the future prospects of the area even during these difficult times. We are committed to positioning the College at the heart of the City and within local communities in order to contribute to the region’s partnership strategies for growth and prosperity. Our focus on raising aspirations, amongst both students and staff, and in
creating and encouraging an environment which has enterprise and employability at its heart will enhance the support we offer to local businesses.
ensure that the refurbishment programme results in a facility which meets the needs of the engineering sector and is second to none in the South West.
By aligning our provision and services to those key employment and wealth-creating sectors, we will provide the skills which they need to become more competitive, whilst supporting students into jobs. We are also committed to positively supporting the City’s unemployed population, alongside key partners, via the creation of the Plymouth Advice Centre for Employment (PACE). The Centre, which is located in the heart of the City, offers a range of activities to help the unemployed improve their job prospects and ultimately gain employment.
Plymouth has much to celebrate as the UK’s 15th largest city, and the peninsula’s major conurbation, the City is one of the region’s most important locations for employment, culture, enterprise and sport. In some ways, however, Plymouth is a city of contrasts, and these pose challenges. We cannot underestimate the challenges ahead but we are committed to embracing these challenges with a positive and entrepreneurial outlook as together we strive to build a better Plymouth.
The refurbishment of our engineering facilities, due to start in early 2013, will ensure that we continue to offer industry the very best training in state-of-the-art and modern Phil Davies workshops and classrooms. We have a Principal and Chief Executive strong ethos of working in partnership with key stakeholders and I am looking forward to working with our engineering partners to
Enterprise and Employability… supporting the City’s growth Enterprise and Employability within the Community
The future of enterprise in education and training is bright, despite the continuing economic hardship, and remains crucial to economic sustainability and growth.
There are many ways in which you can get involved, including: • employer talks to students • enabling site visits to your premises • coaching and mentoring of a work-based project • offering work experience opportunities • providing your latest full and part-time vacancies to us for promotion. John Bunker, Regional Construction Director with Balfour Beatty and a committed member of the scheme, said: "The College's focus on embedding the skills so desired by employers into their courses and training, is a real business benefit to us - it ensures that students leave the College work ready and with the skills we need to achieve business success in an increasingly competitive market."
With rising unemployment and an increasingly competitive market place, it is imperative that those who are undertaking training should be given every opportunity to gain and hone employability skills, which will help support their entry into work and thus ultimately support the needs of business and the economic well-being of the region.
Embedding Enterprise and Employability in Learning The College is helping students to not only gain the technical skills and ability in their chosen sector, but also to develop strong employability skills, which are so valued by employers. We are working hard to ensure that our students are able to think innovatively, gain recognised qualifications and obtain excellent social and work related ‘soft’ skills so that they can make a positive impact on business when they enter the world of work. In order for us to embed this agenda of enterprise and employability we need the support of local employers and other third sector organisations. The College’s Corporate Relations team manages the highly successful Employer Endorsement Scheme, which is one way in which employers can engage positively with the College. In existence for over four years and with over 40 local, regional and national members, the scheme has seen huge benefits to both employers and students.
www.cityplym.ac.uk/employers
Enterprise in Business Training - the Business Benefits Our whole College approach to enterprise can be seen not only in our students and staff but also through the training that we can offer to businesses to support workforce development. From National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) to Apprenticeships and from short courses through to a range of business essentials workshops we have a wide breadth of training on offer - with off-the-shelf and bespoke solutions, we are the perfect choice to act as your training partner.
Not only does the scheme support College students but it also provides a range of benefits to members, including: • invites to attend a range of business focussed events at a discounted rate • training discounts • regular newsletters and updates on all the latest training • corporate hospitality • sponsorship opportunities • access to our range of commercial services, including print and facility hire. The amount of time and commitment organisations are able to give is entirely up to them. The College would be delighted to hear from any organisation wishing to join us in supporting the workforce of the future gain the skills and knowledge to ensure individual, organisational and community success. If you would like to get involved or to find out more please contact the Corporate Relations team on 01752 305026 or e-mail employers@cityplym.ac.uk.
An example of our innovative approach to upskilling existing staff can be seen in how we are able to offer literacy and numeracy training that is designed to relate directly to your business needs. This contextualised learning supports and enables improvements in employee effectiveness, confidence and competency - and it is FREE! We offer a range of training in this area, including: • literacy with customer service skills • literacy and team building • numeracy with ICT and Excel • literacy and numeracy with health and safety. Developing your staff in such an enterprising way can see real benefits, such as an improvement in increased productivity and therefore competitiveness, all enabling businesses to innovate and adapt to the everchallenging business environment. If you are interested in developing the literacy and numeracy skills of your workforce, or would like further information, contact us on 01752 305026 or e-mail employers@cityplym.ac.uk.
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First Aid is changing, training quality is not The landscape of first aid training is about to change dramatically. Is your business ready? The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will soon remove their approval of all first aid training providers, which could ‘potentially open the door for large numbers of low quality first aid training providers’*. City College Plymouth, an HSE approved training provider since 1997, is pleased to offer high quality first aid training, which businesses can feel confident in using in order to meet first aid at work requirements. With excellent success rates and state-of-the-art training facilities, we can provide top class first aid training. See for yourself: • First Aid at Work (three-day course) - 99% average success rate** • Automated External Defibrillation course - 100% average success rate** • One-day Emergency First Aid at Work course - 99% average success rate**. If you need training that directly relates to your business, we can also offer bespoke first aid training. Delivered in your workplace, this ensures a more time-effective way of training your staff. Want to find out more or discuss your first aid training needs? Then please call us on 01752 305026 or e-mail employers@cityplym.ac.uk. * ‘Removal of the HSE Approval System’, Qualsafe.com ** College data, 2011/12
Vaillant Helps Social Enterprise Fire-up Students in Work-based Construction students at City Learning College Plymouth are looking forward to working on some of the very latest heating equipment thanks to international company, The Vaillant Group. The Vaillant Group is a leading heating technology manufacturer and has for more than 100 years been creating products that have revolutionised the industry, from water heaters, to 'combi' boilers to renewable technologies. The company has donated a range of boilers, which are being used in the College’s state-of-the-art plumbing workshops and within the College’s ABB Energy Centre.
The College’s Work-based Learning department is enabling students to gain a Bronze Award qualification in Social Enterprise through the creation of a tuck shop. ‘Milo’s Munchies’ will be selling a selection of produce to staff and students at the College’s Kings Road site. The social enterprise qualification enables students to develop skills in planning and delivering one-off social enterprises and it is hoped this will lead to the Silver Award. Students undertaking the awards will develop essential planning, project management and social enterprising skills, all of which will ensure that they are work-ready when entering the job market.
Plymouth Community Homes Case Study Plymouth Community Homes (PCH) is the largest locally-based social housing provider in Plymouth. The not-for-profit association works to provide high quality and affordable homes for rental to the local community, and its tradespeople carry out more than 50,000 repairs a year. PCH is responsible for the maintenance of the social housing stock in the city and when it needed to train 62 tradespeople from its maintenance and repair department, it approached City College Plymouth. The company recognised the need for staff to obtain a greater range of skills in order to improve operational efficiency and to provide an improved level of service to clients. Mike Jones, Business Skills Advisor at the College said: “The College has a long standing, positive working relationship with PCH. We worked closely with them to create this bespoke training programme in order to meet their business and timetabling needs. It was important that we understood
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PCH’s specific business needs and were able to support them with a programme of training which would deliver maximum benefits with as little disruption as possible - this we achieved with 100% success.” The training took place over a ten-week period, with each session focusing on a specific trade, including tiling, plastering, plumbing, carpentry, and kitchen and bathroom fitting. Although many of the staff taking part in the training were already qualified and experienced tradespeople, the training sessions provided them with an excellent opportunity to update their skills and knowledge across a number of different areas, not just their own specialism. Ian Frazer, Head of Building and Technical Services at Plymouth Community Homes, said: “We were delighted to be working alongside City College Plymouth in order to support the training and development of our workforce. “Plymouth Community Homes is committed to investing in its staff so that we can deliver flexible and high quality services to our residents.” Darren Crowther, one of the multi-skilled operatives who took part in the training at the
College, is a carpenter by trade but was also able to learn valuable plumbing skills. Speaking of the benefits of undertaking the training, Darren commented: “Taking part in this training has allowed me to develop additional skills that can be used on a dayto-day basis. This benefits our tenants who do not need to wait for two operatives to complete a repair.”
SKILLS FOR LIFE If you or your staff are feeling a bit rusty or need help updating your skills in English and maths then City College Plymouth can help you. • All courses are FREE. • No entry qualifications are needed. • Students are given a personal programme of work, tailored to their needs. • Students are encouraged to take nationally recognised qualifications. • The courses run subject to numbers and can be delivered within your workplace if there is enough interest. To find out more call 01752 305300
College’s Employer Endorsement Scheme Supports Employability Centre Success The College’s employability centre, theworkspace, is celebrating its first year of helping students become more employable. Set up in order to further formalise the College’s highly successful Employer Endorser Scheme, theworkspace provides a central hub for employer-focused activity via the Scheme. Members of the Employer Endorsement Scheme have been absolutely critical in supporting the success of theworkspace, and the College is delighted to be welcoming two new employers into the Scheme, commercial radio brand, Heart FM and local visitor attraction, the National Marine Aquarium.
Sharron Robbie, Head of Corporate Relations at the College, said: “Working with two such high profile businesses really enhances the Employer Endorsement Scheme. Our focus on building positive employer relationships with organisations such as Heart FM and the National Marine Aquarium, is crucial to our success in supporting the local economy and developing the skills of our students.” The centre, which launched in September 2011 to support the College’s employability
agenda, is a dedicated space where a range of activities and opportunities are made available to College students in collaboration with employers and third sector organisations. Various workshops, seminars, mini projects, site visits, as well as volunteering and work experience opportunities, ensure students can maximise their soft skills set and are well positioned to add value to a business when employed.
So far, with involvement from almost 60 employers, theworkspace has run nearly 300 workshops, helping over 2,500 students at the College. Core competencies such as effective communication, presentation skills and team working are essential for any employee and theworkspace supports the development of these skills in our students. Acquiring these skills enables students to gain a real edge over others, especially in an increasingly competitive labour market, and marks them out as being able to add value to an employer from day one. Sessions that have proved particularly valuable for students are mock interview workshops, which have been conducted by several employers, including employer
endorsers, Plymouth City Council, the City Centre Company and LUXE Nails. These sessions provide students with an opportunity to experience the complete recruitment process, which really helps prepare them for when they attend the process for ‘real’. Students studying on the College’s public services course recently undertook interviews led by Plymouth City Council Operations Manager, Rosie Clahane. Rosie commented: “We were very impressed with the students and the way they interacted with the panel. All students were punctual, polite and attentive, and were positive about the interview process.” If you would like to find out more about the College’s Employer Endorsement Scheme and the benefits of being involved or how you can support the theworkspace activities, please contact the Corporate Relations Team on 01752 305026 or e-mail employers@cityplym.ac.uk.
The Duke of Cornwall Hotel Case Study The hotel was looking for an individual who could work in the fast paced environment within the kitchens, as well as having the technical ability and commercial experience to make a positive impact on the business.
Jon Morcom, Director at The Duke of Cornwall Hotel, commented on the experience: “We look to recruit high calibre individuals to work at The Duke of Cornwall and Frazer is a fine example of this. His qualifications and enthusiasm are clear to see and we are delighted with the progress he has made since joining the hotel in June.
Frazer ticked all the boxes. He said: “I have worked very hard over my three years at City College Plymouth. I have obtained high levels of technical skills and techniques as the course enabled me to work in the College’s restaurant and brasserie. Both of these are open to the public and means students can experience a real life, working environment.”
“Our close working relationship with the College is immensely beneficial to us. It not only allows us access to students like Frazer, which helps to develop our workforce, but also enables us to inform future curriculum development and obtain training that is relevant and up-to-date for our existing workforce.”
Frazer continued: “The College supported me through the recruitment process and I am delighted to be working at The Duke of Cornwall Hotel - what a start to my career!”
Frazer has now gained full-time, permanent employment as a Commis Chef with Plymouth landmark hotel, The Duke of Cornwall, and we wish him every success in his new career!
had approached theworkspace team to gain help in polishing his CV and to help him find his dream job.
When College employer endorser, The Duke of Cornwall Hotel, needed help filling a vital vacancy within their team, they turned to the College’s employability centre,theworkspace. College staff were able to identify a student who had expressed an interest in gaining employment in the area being sought by the hotel - all it took was to then match them up! College hospitality student, Frazer Wyse, had just completed three years of study at the College, gaining a NVQ Level 3 in Professional Catering and Hospitality. Frazer
www.cityplym.ac.uk/employers
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Getting Back into Work How We Are Helping City College Plymouth is working with a range of partners across the City to help people back into work. The College has dedicated its City Centre venue in Union Street to help adults improve their work skills, training and confidence. Director of Progression and Community Studies at the College, Joanna Dennison, said: “There are so many excellent training opportunities and support networks going on in the City. The aim of PACE is to provide a one-stop shop to direct adults to the best advice and training for them. City College Plymouth, local employers, work clubs, training providers and community groups are all working together to join-up the offer for those that are out of work and make it happen! “The unique strength of this initiative is all agencies working together so people know where to go for help, and have the best opportunities that Plymouth can offer to get them into work.” PACE is offering a FREE programme which includes a wide variety of courses aimed at improving individual’s employability prospects. The ‘personalised route back into work’ programme, for those who are in receipt of benefits, includes: • vocational taster days in hairdressing, catering, construction, engineering and many more! • personal development workshops in self-esteem, confidence building and team work • employability skills training in CV writing, presentation and job seeking • maths and English refresher courses • one-to-one advice and guidance. Jobcentre Plus Operational Partnership Manager, Jacki Williams, said: “The College is working closely with Jobcentre Plus to help people back into work. We see the service being offered out of PACE as being critical in giving people the chance to update existing skills, whilst providing them with an opportunity to gain new skills and the confidence to get back into the world of work.”
Working in partnership with The Herald’s ‘Get Hired’ Campaign The College has been working with The Herald to help get those out of work into employment. The Herald’s ‘Get Hired’ campaign is giving weekly advice to those seeking work on the many avenues available to them and how to best access the range of support that exists. College experts have been giving valuable advice on a range of job hunting activities, including how to research job sectors and companies, how to showcase talent and skills through effective presentation, and how to succeed at interview. If you know of anyone who would benefit from some extra help and support in getting back into work, please ask them to call 01752 856818 or e-mail info@cityplym.ac.uk.
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Dates for your diaries ... Business Club Breakfast Employer Seminar Wednesday 12 September Effective Networking 7.30am - 9.00am ABB Energy Centre, Kings Road, Devonport Come along to this business breakfast and hear about the achievements of the Employer Endorsement Scheme and our exciting plans for the future.
South West Construction Network Luncheon Friday 21 September, 19 October, 16 November and 14 December 12.00 noon - 2.00pm ABB Energy Centre, Kings Road, Devonport Construction professionals have the opportunity to meet and network with others in their field, and the chance to hear from a range of speakers on local, regional and national topics.
Employer Seminar Presentations and Public Speaking Tuesday 25 September 6.00pm - 9.00pm ABB Energy Centre, Kings Road, Devonport Gain advice from experts on building a rapport with your audience, big or small, learn how to harness anxieties and use your own personality to deliver effective and polished presentations.
Employer Dinner Thursday 18 October 7.00pm - 10.00pm College Training Restaurant, Kings Road, Devonport
Monday 29 October 6.00pm - 9.00pm College Training Restaurant, Kings Road, Devonport Learn techniques and approaches to make the most of networking opportunities and develop skills in effective follow-ups and achieving a return on investment.
Enterprise Week Luncheon Friday 16 November 12.00 noon - 2.00pm College Training Restaurant, Kings Road, Devonport Find out more about how you can get involved in enterprising activity at the College, and how your organisation can benefit from working with our enterprise students.
Employer Luncheon Thursday 22 November 12.00 noon - 2.00pm College Training Restaurant, Kings Road, Devonport Attend this fabulous lunchtime event and hear from special guest Jo Fairley, Co-founder of Green & Black’s Chocolate.
Employer Christmas Lunch Monday 10 December 12.00 noon - 2.00pm College Training Restaurant, Kings Road, Devonport
Join us for this great networking opportunity and the chance to hear about the College’s Polar Explorer, Antony Jinman, will achievements over the last term. be speaking on how to effectively lead teams and the techniques used to achieve set goals.
Prices vary and places can be reserved by calling 01752 305026 or e-mailing employers@cityplym.ac.uk.
98% of employers rated the College’s training as very good value for money*
Higher Education
* Employer Satisfaction Survey 2011/12
university-level programmes designed specifically to suit your specific business needs. Our short courses include flexible, selfcontained modules taken from our wide range of Foundation Degrees and Higher National Certificates (HNCs). Employees can study modules one-by-one as a stand-alone training course, or gain credits towards a full nationallyrecognised Foundation Degree. Any three modules can also be grouped together to form a Certificate of Professional Development, awarded by Plymouth University.
Supporting Apprenticeship Week 6 - 10 February 2012 Higher Apprenticeships were first introduced in 2009 in the engineering and ICT sectors, and they have since grown to include business administration, construction, hospitality and manufacturing. Designed to meet the growing needs of employers for higher level skills in the workplace, Higher Apprenticeships are an effective way of developing staff to maximise efficiency and effectiveness. City College Plymouth will be offering a range of level 4/5 Apprenticeships from September 2012 - a level 4/5 Apprenticeship is equivalent to a degreelevel qualification and we are really pleased to be able to offer higher-level study to apprentices and the businesses of Plymouth. Our offer will include level 4/5 Apprenticeships in business administration and business management to begin with, but we will be extending this offer in the near future to include: • construction and construction management • engineering • health and social care • hospitality. If you would like to find out more about Apprenticeships, please contact the Corporate Relations team on 01752 305026 or e-mail employers@cityplym.ac.uk.
DID YOU KNOW? • 77% of employers believe Apprenticeships make them more competitive • 88% believe that Apprenticeships lead to a more motivated and satisfied workforce • 80% feel that Apprenticeships reduce staff turnover • Plymouth is one of the top performing cities for successful Apprenticeships!
The advantages that higher education (HE) brings to business are endless. Organisations can benefit from a highly skilled workforce with specialist knowledge that helps to improve staff retention, ensures staff have relevant and up-to-date skills and helps to keep businesses competitive. Our range of university-level HE short courses and Foundation Degrees are an excellent way for organisations to begin to invest in the next generation of leaders and managers from within, and are a cost-effective way to ensure positive succession planning. The Higher Education team at City College Plymouth is experienced in supporting businesses to access a wide range of higher level skills in order to support the development of skills and knowledge within the workforce. In conjunction with Plymouth University, we are pleased to offer a range of short,
Delivery and duration can be flexible and arranged to fit with your organisational and operational needs. We will agree with you a timetable of delivery and an assessment schedule. As an example, modules could be delivered by a series of up to five, one-day workshops which could be run either at the College or at your premises. We are also happy to work with your organisation to produce new modules to meet specific needs. Higher education courses include a range of administration, business and management topics, financial services, hospitality and tourism, construction and civil engineering, and neighbourhood and community management. For a full list of courses available or to discuss your higher educational needs, please contact us on 01752 305026 or e-mail employers@cityplym.ac.uk.
NEW! Corporate Relations Team The College’s employer-facing team has had a makeover! The Corporate Relations team, headed up by Sharron Robbie, amalgamates the previous Employer Response team and the Corporate Relations roles in order to meet employers’ needs in an increasingly holistic way. Sharron said: “The creation of the new Corporate Relations team ensures the continuation of the great work the Employer Response team has undertaken in the past, whilst focusing on building further mutually beneficial relationships with industry and third sector organisations. “We understand the need to be listening to industry insiders in order to support business success, and for us to be responsive to the increasingly challenging commercial environment that exists.” If you would like to talk to one of the team to find out how we can support your business, please contact us on 01752 305026 or e-mail employers@cityplym.ac.uk.
Source: Populus Survey conducted on behalf of the National Apprenticeship Service, 2008
www.cityplym.ac.uk/employers
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Commercial Offer
Commercial Print Services City College Plymouth’s print team can offer a variety of services at competitive prices. Offering a fast and professional service, no job is too small. Services include: • printing and copying: colour and black and white • binding • laminating. Call us today on 01752 305316 or e-mail MAPPcentral@cityplym.ac.uk for a quote or to discuss your requirements.
City College Plymouth is able to offer a range of commercial services to other businesses and organisations located in the City and beyond. To find out more about any of the following options, simply telephone 01752 305026 or e-mail employers@cityplym.ac.uk.
Pure Hair and Day Spa Our day spa, Pure, offers a full range of services from luxury day spa packages to regular essential hair and beauty needs, such as cut and blow drys, nail treatments and waxing. Treatments are competitively priced to take into account that they are carried out by level 3 students. Clients wishing to book with a member of staff can do so, and should indicate their preference when booking. Our exclusive day spa packages make excellent staff rewards - why not reward YOUR team?! Revive Package (Reference: ET1) • Back massage, mini facial and a shampoo and blow dry for £25.00. Energize Package (Reference: ET2) • Back massage, mini facial and nail tidy for £25.00. For more information or to book please call 01752 856900 or e-mail pure@cityplym.ac.uk.
City College Plymouth Training Restaurant Our licensed training restaurant is open to the public, and provides an ideal setting to enjoy good-value, delicious meals. All meals are prepared and served by our hospitality and catering students, under the expert guidance of College staff. Our contemporary menus use fresh local, seasonal produce. We can cater for special dietary needs with notice, and vegetarian options are always available. Ideally located, the restaurant can be hired for corporate events and meetings. Our restaurant also offers easy access to the City and free parking.
Luncheon: Monday - Friday Service time: 12.00 noon - 2.00pm Three courses for £10.00 per person (tea and filter coffee £1.00 per person supplement). Dinner: Wednesdays and Thursdays Service time: 6.45pm for 7.00pm Superb four-course meals from £17.50 per person (tea and filter coffee £1.00 per person supplement). For reservations please call 01752 305777 or e-mail citerest@cityplym.ac.uk.
Mailing List If you have received a copy of this newsletter from a colleague and would like to be added to our mailing list, or you would like to be removed from our mailing list, please telephone 01752 305026 or e-mail your name, job title, company name and full address to employers@cityplym.ac.uk.
When you have finished with this, please recycle it.