19th January

ALREADY something of an unique offering, the relationship between Europe’s largest regional airline Flybe and Exeter College has been further boosted by the news that together they have won a prestigious national marketing award for their collaborative work.

Representatives of both parties at a special ceremony in Warwick collected The College Marketing Network FE First 2010 Gold Award for its collaboration with Flybe and a competition submission described by one judge as ‘superb’.

Since the partnership began back in 2007 with Exeter University to offer training through Exeter College as the lead academic partner and hands-on practical experience and training to students through Flybe’s Exeter-based headquarters, it has grown from strength-to-strength.

In his feedback about the decision to give this award to Exeter College and Flybe, judge Donald McLeod commented: “This appeared to be a very high quality submission – clearly demonstrating the synergies between the partners. It detailed a progressive approach towards the project’s development and excellent results.”

He added: “A wide range of staff from both organisations have been involved in the delivery of this project … A superb entry that demonstrated collaboration at every level – the best entry this judge has had the pleasure of reading in five years of judging the category.”

Exeter College Head of Marketing and Communications Sylvia Jarman – who also picked up her own award on the night as FE Marketing Professional of the Year 2010 – said: “In our submission, we demonstrated how Exeter College joined with one of the area’s largest employers, Flybe, and how this ground-breaking partnership went on to be heralded as a ‘national exemplar’.

“We demonstrated how this innovative partnership fits with both the commercial and educational aims and how it has worked together to achieve its joint goals of developing and marketing its world class training academy. This has been done by applying successful marketing and sales techniques, press coverage, documenting achievements, gaining national endorsements and independent evaluation and review.

“We are absolutely delighted to have received this accolade and look forward to continuing this relationship as we move into an exciting year ahead for both the College and Flybe as they open the Flybe Training Academy in the spring.”

Andrew Rosser, Director Flybe Training Academy, adds: “Flybe has been delighted with the support provided to us by Exeter College since forging our educational partnership with them three years’ ago.

“The extensive programme of professional NVQ qualifications, engineering courses, and professional development courses we have developed that cut across the entire spectrum of the aviation industry is testament to the strength of this very robust working relationship.”