Mid Devon Housing Services are delighted to announce that their Apprentice Tom Ahern has won the Exeter College Carpentry Apprentice of the Year award 2007.

Tom, who has just completed his NVQ Level 3 award at the college, has been with Mid Devon District Council since September 2004, in which time he has attended Exeter College on a day release basis to achieve firstly his NVQ level 2 and now his level 3 in Carpentry. In this time, he has been learning his trade from experienced tradesmen within Mid Devon District Council’s Housing Service where he has been carrying out a variety of repairs in empty properties, Tenanted properties and also with various partner contractors of the Council to gain all the experience he needed to pass his NVQ with flying colours.

Steve Haines, who is the Building Manager for Housing Services said ” We are delighted that our Apprenticeship programme, that was revived in 2002, has now come to fruition and given Mid Devon’s Housing Service 5 new NVQ trained employees. The Building industry is experiencing a severe shortage of good quality tradesmen and investing in Apprentices is the best way for us to maintain a skilled and competent workforce. Tom was selected using a vigorous process back in 2004 and he has proved to be an excellent Apprentice and now a very well rounded Tradesman, capable of carrying out much more that just his core trade of Carpentry.”

Tom has many interested besides his day job, which stood him in good stead with his NVQ and his employment. He constructs sets for the Tiverton Amateur dramatics association and also makes dolls houses and furniture in his spare time.

Tom’s award presentation will be on Tuesday 4th December 2007 at Exeter Chief’s Rugby Ground, Sandy Park. Tom has already enrolled on the Btec National certificate in Construction course at Exeter College and is looking forward to encourage and train the next generation of Apprentices to come through Housing Services over the coming years.

STUDENTS from eight Devon schools had a chance to write a marketing strategy and radio jingle for local businesses at Exeter College’s Enterprise Day.

A total of 48 students in eight teams took part in the college-sponsored event on November 13 aimed at giving 14 and 15-year-olds experience of working with companies. The schools were: St James’ School, West Exe Technology College, St Peter’s C of E School, Isca College, all in Exeter, Clyst Vale Community College in Broadclyst, King’s School, Ottery St Mary, and Cullompton Community College. Each team was paired with a business partner.

The companies taking part were: John Holt Beds, Exeter, Brown’s Bistro, Sidmouth, The Globe Hotel, Topsham, Winstons Bar and Restaurant in Seaton, Frances Canning Solicitors, Exeter, Timepiece, Alphington Fast Fit, Marsh Barton and Two Valleys Landscapes, near Thorverton.

Students had a chance to meet their business partner and a) discuss a marketing campaign to promote the business b) write a radio jingle for the business The students then used state-of-the-art recording facilities at Exeter College to create and record their jingles. Representatives from Exeter College, Gemini FM and Devon Federation of Small Businesses then judged the marketing presentations and jingles.

Isca College who worked with Timepiece won the prize for best marketing strategy and jingle. Their jingle will now be aired on Gemini FM four times a day for the next month. The winning students will also enjoy a tour of the radio station as part of their prize. Chris Lorimer, head of business and marketing at Exeter College, said: “This was a great opportunity for students to get hands-on experience working with local companies to create marketing strategies. “They also had the chance to write and record radio jingles using the first-class media technology facilities at Exeter College.”

Announcement in record time follows Flybe signing Government Skills Pledge.

Flybe, Europe’s largest regional airline, today announces the appointment of Exeter College as its lead academic partner – in collaboration with Exeter University – for its new Training Academy, due to open in 2009.

The college – chosen after a comprehensive selection process that resulted in a final shortlist of eight regional providers – will, together with the University, play a pivotal role in providing the training and joint planning for the Academy’s development.

In June, Flybe was the only airline out of 150 leading UK companies to sign the Government’s Skills Pledge, showing its commitment to helping employees achieve the skills necessary to attain, develop and achieve their professional ambitions. The new world-class training facility at Exeter will provide a range of resources and learning solutions for employees across the airline’s range of job functions and will underpin its future success. It sees Flybe working collaboratively with the local community to further improve employee skills and equip them with nationally recognised qualifications.

The partnership, which is due to commence in September, will provide additional job opportunities in the South West, in turn helping to boost the local economy. Exeter College will also benefit from the partnership, receiving a considerable boost in government funding from the Learning Skills Council each year. Andrew Strong, Chief Operating Officer, Flybe, comments: “We fully understand the importance of attracting and retaining a skilled and qualified workforce, and we have a long and proud history of developing our own staff. As the largest private employer headquartered in the South West, a good number of our staff have been with the company for many years now, giving us an enviable continuity of service, knowledge and expertise within the company. But as we grow, we need to be at the forefront of training new staff.

“Inspiration, vision, drive and direction were key elements when selecting our desired academic partner and Exeter College ticked every box. An airline cannot double in size successfully without developing its training programme too and we are confident that with the College and University on board we have set the benchmark for all airlines in the UK.”

Richard Atkins, Principal of Exeter College, adds: “We’re really pleased to be able to support Flybe in this new venture. Both Exeter College and the University’s expertise in education and training mean the Academy’s participants will benefit from proven business track records, innovative training solutions and flexible packages to suit their needs. Exeter College is keen to be at the forefront of the skills agenda, supporting dynamic employers across the South West develop employees’ skills to face the demands of any industry.” Peter Huntington, Chief Executive of GoSkills, says: “This partnership is a pioneering move on the part of Flybe and Exeter College. It is just the type of collaborative initiative we, as the Sector Skills Council for Passenger Transport, support and encourage. Flybe was recently among the forerunners in signing the Skills Pledge and GoSkills was pleased to help with their participation. We look forward to working further with Flybe and its partners to push the skills bar higher.”

Strong concludes: “Flybe’s Training Academy sees us quickly following up on our commitment to the Government’s new Skills Pledge and we are immensely proud to find ourselves in the situation that we’re in, where in some six weeks, we are already putting our plans into action.”

Top city chef Michael Caines has received a prestigious award at a ceremony in the House of Commons. The Michelin chef was one of six former college students honoured by the Association of Colleges Charitable Trust with a Gold Award.

The awards recognised the vital role further education played in the careers of those honoured.

Mr Caines received his award alongside members of the band Arctic Monkeys Alex Helders and Matt Turner; Microsoft games producer Joanne Clowes; Hazel Blears MP; chief executive of drinks giant Diageo, Paul Walk; and choreographer and dancer Henri Oguike.

The event was hosted by MP Kelvin Hopkins and the awards were handed over by President of the AoC Charitable Trust, Paralympic gold medallist Giles Long.

Mr Caines, who runs a restaurant at the Royal Clarence Hotel, now called ABode, in Cathedral Yard, attended Exeter College in the late 1980s where he completed Level 1 and 2 catering courses.

He went on to win the student of the year award from the college in 1987. It was a tutor at the college who encouraged him to pursue a career in London where he gained experience with prestigious chefs.

Mr Caines said: “I attended Exeter College to complete catering courses levels one and two, which develop basic skills and knowledge for any chef. “The college not only supported me throughout these courses though, my tutor was instrumental in helping me to make the move to London where I was able to gain experience with prestigious chefs.”

Mr Caines returned to Devon after working in France and London. He lost his right arm in a car accident but was determined to continue cooking and took up the position of head chef at Gidleigh Park, a country house hotel near Chagford on Dartmoor.

He has since created links with his former college and other local schools and colleges to promote the food and drinks industry. To highlight the important role further education plays, the AoC Charitable Trust is running a mini-me campaign.

Current Exeter student Dominic Greenhalgh is in his second year of studying for his NVQ Catering course.

Dominic met Mr Caines at the Gold Awards presentation ceremony and had the chance to chat with his idol on how he achieved success.

EXETER College music students are showcasing their talent next week in two concerts ahead of the launch of the college’s new Music Academy.

The first will be a performance of one of W.A. Mozart’s most famous work, The Requiem K.626, followed by the popular J.S. Bach cantata, “Wachet Auf Ruft Uns Die Stimme” (Sleepers Awake).

Exeter College’s Choral Society will stage the works at St David’s Church next Tuesday, May 22, at 7.30pm.

Io Pugh, conductor and head of music at Exeter College said: “The Requiem is, perhaps Mozart’s most famous work. This is due to a number of factors. “It was left unfinished as Mozart died before he could complete it. “The work was commissioned anonymously which has created an air of mystery. “Popular belief has it that Mozart was thinking of his own impending death while writing this piece, and even that a messenger from the afterworld commissioned it! “Peter Shaffer’s play and film, “Amadeus” is a fictional account of Mozart’s last days and the Requiem is central to the story which is told by Austrian court composer, Sallieri. Sallieri was shown to be Mozart’s great rival and was shown to be responsible for Mozart’s premature death at the age of 35.

“The music is some of the most dramatic ever written and has entered the popular culture through being used for countless films and even adverts. “Wachet Auf Ruft Uns Die Stimme” BWV 140 is one of J.S Bach’s most popular cantatas. The music is very bright and energetic for Lutheran cantata. The opening chorus emphatically calls for everyone to “wake-up!!”. “Throughout both works there are some beautiful arias sung by an exceptional team of soloists: Heloise West, Soprano, Rebecca Smith, Alto, Steven Phillips, Tenor and Adrian Hicks, Bass. Heloise West is one of our former music students now embarking on a career in the world of opera. She played a memorable part in our recent production of Carmina Burana.”

Tickets are £9 or £5 (concessions) and are available by ringing 01392 205971. The second concert is Exeter College’s free Annual Show which will be held at Exeter Phoenix on Thursday 24 May 2007 at 7.30pm. Featuring the Big Band, Inspirational Choir, Chamber Orchestra and College Choir amongst others, the show is designed to give prospective students a taste of the wide range of musical activities Exeter College offers. Tickets are FREE, and can be obtained from the Phoenix Box Office (01392 6677080) or from Exeter College (01392 205971).

Both concerts give a preview of Exeter College’s new Music Academy being launched in September. The scheme is designed to give students the best possible start to a career in music. They will pursue a programme consisting mostly or entirely of music courses such as A-level and AS-level music, National Diploma in music (jazz or pop), National Award in Music Practice and National Award in Music Technology. Students may specialize in any instrument and musical style. They will be key musicians in several large ensembles including orchestra, big band, choirs and wind band. They will also be expected to reach a high standard in small ensemble performance as well as solo performance. Free instrumental tuition on two instruments and specialist workshops throughout the year will be given. Academy students’ progress will be monitored and they will receive careful guidance on how to gain places at prestigious conservatoires or universities.

THE family of the late Professor Ted Wragg have formally opened the country’s first building named after the famous educationist.

Exeter College’s Ted Wragg Building caters specifically for students with a wide range of learning difficulties and disabilities.

It was officially opened on Thursday, May 10, at 12.15pm, by Prof Wragg’s widow, Mrs Judith Wragg, and their three children, Josie, Caroline and Chris.

In a joint statement, they said: “We are very pleased that Exeter College has chosen such a fitting memorial to our father. “He really valued the contribution Exeter College makes to the community and we feel that he would be honoured to be remembered in this way.”

Joy Mosley, head of foundation studies, said: “We are delighted to welcome the family of such a popular and influential figure as Ted Wragg who had a passion for the education of all young people.”

The pioneering new Ted Wragg Building at the college’s main, Hele Road site, is one of the biggest further education centres for students with learning difficulties in the South West. It features innovative facilities including a mock ‘flat’ where teenagers can learn skills to be able to live independently. There is also a specially-adapted kitchen where students with additional needs are taught about healthy eating and cooking. The college’s foundation studies department started seven years ago with just 70 students with special needs, and has been housed in five different sites at the college. But today it is one of the college’s biggest departments and caters for around 400 young people with varying difficulties, many who have come from special schools.

Mrs Mosley, who won a national award for her work helping teenagers with learning difficulties, said: “We asked for our new building to be named after Ted Wragg because he was very supportive of the college and especially young people with learning difficulties. One of the last projects he did was The Unteachables documentary for Channel 4 and we saw a lot of our students reflected in that programme. “Ted Wragg could see that they were not unteachable but just needed a different way of learning, which is what we give our learners. “There are a lot of students out there who believe that college is not for them. Education has let them down. They have not found their potential and can have very low self-esteem. “We have a very supportive and experienced team who are able to deal with the students’ learning difficulties and design a curriculum that suits their particular needs. “We treat them as adults. We give them respect and expect respect from them in return.”

BIG-HEARTED Exeter College students and staff are launching a final push to raise £10,000 for Children’s Hospice South West.

So far the college’s students’ union has raised nearly £6,000 for its chosen charity of the year.

Now students’ union president Char Hancock is calling on staff and students to help reach a £10,000 target by getting involved in a variety of fundraising events over the next three months.

The final push kicked off today with a college charity auction where staff had the opportunity to bid for jewellery, plants, gift vouchers, and more. Next month students will also put their best feet forward to take part in a sponsored coastal walk. There will also be charity car washes, sponsored cycles, cake stalls and a Woodbury Common assault course soon.

Char said: “So far our grand total is £5800 and our target is £10,000. We want to say a big thank you to all those who have helped so far. “To reach our target we need the help of all staff across college to try and get involved somehow with this final push on fundraising. “This really is a worthwhile cause so we are trying to encourage students and staff to get involved.”

NEARLY 50 Devon businesses have battled it out to win the city’s biggest quiz hosted by Exeter College and chartered accountants Simpkins Edwards this week.

The fourth, annual, Really Big Quiz saw 48 teams putting their knowledge to the test while raising cash for charity.

It was held on Monday April 30th at the city centre’s St George’s Hall.

Local businesses have each paid £50 to enter the competition with all proceeds going to the Lord Mayor’s charity, the South West Multiple Sclerosis Centre.

Chris Lorimer, Exeter College’s business and marketing director, said: “The Really Big Quiz has been hugely successful over the past few years. It supports a worthy cause and is a great night of fun.”

EXETER College students Angela Richards and Andrew Seaton have been named as finalists in the first-ever Learning and Skills Council South West Skills Awards 2007.

The two students will attend an award ceremony on Thursday 26th April 2007 at Sandy Park Stadium, Exeter.

Adult student Angela was nominated for her determination to overcome past and present barriers to learning.

She gained Level1 in numeracy and Level 2 in literacy at Exeter College and despite having a baby she continued her education, juggling childcare with her work and studies. Last summer she passed her numeracy Level 2 exam and a GCSE in English. This year Angela, who was named Exeter College’s Skills for Life Student of the Year recently, hopes to pass her maths GCSE. Andrew Seaton, a former St James’ School student, recently gained Exeter College’s highest GCSE English coursework marks. Overcoming difficult circumstances, he progressed from having no qualifications two years ago to following a full, four AS-level programme today. He was recently awarded Foundation Studies Department Student of the Year prize from Exeter College.

Stagecoach Devon and Cedars Neighbourhood Nursery are also employer of the year finalists. They are nominated in the Train to Gain and apprenticeship categories respectively for the work they do in partnership with Exeter College.
Malcolm Gillespie, LSC Regional Director (South West) said: “Shortlisting entries for the Skills Awards has been a particularly difficult job this year because the standard has been so high Angela and Andrew can be particularly proud of receiving Special Commendations in the face of so much competition. “The awards are perfect for showcasing the outstanding contribution that individuals and businesses are making to raise skill levels, and improve productivity and competitiveness throughout the South West, and I wish (name) every success at the awards ceremony at the end of the month.”

EXETER College is putting on its biggest ever number of FREE, short, adult courses over early summer.

The 125 introductory courses are held mostly over three evening sessions or on Saturday mornings in college workshops, labs and lecture rooms.

Exact timings of the individual courses are listed in a new leaflet entitled First Steps, 10,000 of which are being distributed across Exeter and the heart of Devon.

There is a fantastic range of courses to choose from including car maintenance, hairdressing, wine-tasting, IT, Indian head massage, Japanese, Ayurveda, disability awareness and marine biology. All the courses are free and offered on a first come first served basis. There is no need to book beforehand but course candidates are advised to come on time to the first session since places are limited. If a course does prove to be full, however, Exeter College may be repeating it on another date.

The courses are categorised under the following headings:
Arts and crafts
DIY
Food and drink
Hairdressing and beauty therapy
Higher education
Health and care
IT and computing
Languages and communications
Life, work and money
Motor vehicle
Performing arts
Science and engineering
Sport and fitness

The courses kick off next Monday, April 23rd, with basic welding in the Centre for Creative Industries in Queen Street, followed by marine biology on Wednesday, April 25, and general science for the 21st century on Thursday, April 26, both in the Tower Building in Hele Road. All three courses are from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.
Marge Clarke, director of adult and community education at Exeter College, said: “This innovative programme of short courses is designed to give people in the community their first step back into learning. “It will turn them on to training and education and this will encourage them to improve their skills by taking further courses at the college. We know that more skills mean better job prospects. The range of courses is as wide as possible – there’s something for everyone.”
Anyone keen to carry on with a new interest, skill or hobby after taking a First Steps course should look out for the adult learning part-time course brochure out next month. It is packed with information including course fees about all the adult courses the college is running from September 2007.

Car parking is limited on college sites so candidates are asked to bear that in mind when travelling to courses.