April 2004: Green Light for Centre for Creative Industries

As part of Exeter College celebrating 50 years as the UK’s first-ever tertiary college, we’re looking back on some key events which helped us to become the Ofsted Outstanding education provider we are today. 

In the early 2000s, we committed to our ambitious expansion programme, ensuring that our students had the best opportunities and facilities available. Nearly two decades later we continue to grow, with our new Digital and Data Centre to open early in 2021. 

Then… Planning Approved for Centre for Creative Industries (April 2004)

In 2004 we were given the green light to build our Centre for Creative Industries (CCI), establishing an inspiring learning environment for our visual and performing arts students. 

Exeter College worked with the council and city residents to produce plans for a state-of-the-art three-story education centre adjacent to Exeter’s cultural quarter to act as a hub for our creatively gifted students.

Consisting of a 160-seat theatre, art and design studios and exhibition space, the CCI encompasses industry standard facilities and today forms an integral part of Exeter’s academic infrastructure. 

Richard Atkins CBE, our Principal at the time, said, “We are trying to work in partnership with other schools to invest significantly in educational buildings in Exeter.

“This Centre is a very important part of our plans. The arts are very popular with young people, and we want to offer them good facilities.” 

Since completion, the Centre of Creative Industries has helped thousands of the south west’s students on their education journey and remains at the cutting edge of creative education in the country.

And Now…  Construction Continues on Digital and Data Centre

Sixteen years later and Exeter College continues to invest in the education offering in Exeter, with construction currently underway on a new Digital and Data Centre. To be completed in early 2021, the centre will form a part of a wider South West Institute of Technology (SWIOT) plan to revolutionise digital, engineering and manufacturing technology education in the south west.

The £10.3million building, based at our Hele Road campus, will be a modern learning environment complete with state-of-the-art digital learning laboratories. This will provide students with quality higher level technical training and prepare them for work or further study in the digital sector. 

The Digital and Data Centre will be at the heart of Exeter College’s digital education, providing new opportunities to learn about data analytics, cybersecurity and software development.

Digital and Data Centre Flythrough

Exeter College is celebrating 50 years since being named as the UK’s first tertiary college. Although our roots date back to the 1800s, our status as a tertiary college marked a revolution in further education and 2020 marks our 50 years of excellence since that landmark. If you have a memory of Exeter College through the years that you’d like to share, contact marketing@exe-coll.ac.uk or get involved on social media using #ExeColl50 

Exceptional Students Celebrated at Golden Exeter College Awards

The exceptional learners of Exeter College have been celebrated at a glittering awards ceremony held in the stunning location of Exeter Cathedral.

The Exeter College Awards 2020, supported by headline sponsors Foot Anstey and Willmott Dixon, aim to shine a light on inspirational achievements of students throughout the previous academic year, with 20 awards handed out to students throughout the night as learners were recognised for achievements in higher education, further education and personal triumph over adversity.

“To see our students again and hear their achievements and what they are up to now is incredibly inspiring,”
John Laramy, Exeter College Principal and Chief Executive

20 students were recognised with awards for academic, vocational, apprenticeship or personal excellence

This year’s awards were especially poignant as the college reflected on 50 years since being named as the UK’s first ever tertiary college in 1970. Guests were treated to a two-course meal as the community joined together to celebrate students, alumni, staff and partners that have contributed to the success of Exeter College today.

Students from across the South West travelled to the event, highlighting the far-reaching appeal of Exeter College to learners as the ‘Class of 2019’ was formally celebrated at this showpiece event.

Exeter College Principal and Chief Executive John Laramy said, “It has been a real privilege to celebrate the accomplishments of some of our high performing, exceptional learners at this terrific awards event. This year, as an innovation, every student that was nominated for an award will be given a highly commended certificate, which is our way of recognising that we have a large and growing number of simply amazing students!

“To see our students again and hear their achievements and what they are up to now is incredibly inspiring, not just for those of us at the awards but also for those students who are thinking of joining the college.”

The latest academic year has certainly given those at the college reason to celebrate, as FE Week’s NICDEX once again ranked Exeter College as one of the top further education providers in the country, alongside remarkable results in a host of academic, vocational and professional courses.

John continued: “Students and staff, yet again, made 2018/19 an exceptional year. To give one example, students achieved record results in our International Baccalaureate; the best in our 20 year history of delivering this demanding international qualification. In relation to staff, we were delighted that our staff ranked the college as a Sunday Times ‘Best Companies’ Top 100 Employer. We recognise that to be successful we need fantastic students and great staff; it is this combination that creates a magic formula.

“Our Student Awards evening is always a highlight of the year but this event has been especially momentous as we looked back on our first 50 years since becoming the UK’s first tertiary college. I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone; students, alumni, staff, former staff, employers and partners for supporting us over the years. The event was epic and a spectacular way to start the next 50 years!”

Exeter College would like to thank all the generous sponsors who supported this year’s event. They were: Arconic Engines, Bishop Fleming, Devon County Council, Devon Live, Exeter Airport, Exeter Chamber of Commerce, Exeter City Community Trust, Exeter Live Better, Flybe, Foot Anstey, Great Western Railway, InExeter, Kislingbury Property Consultants, Mi-Space and Midas, Peninsula Project Consulting, Pollards Print, Santander, Stagecoach, SW Comms and Willmott Dixon.

Head over to our Facebook and Instagram pages to catch the best photos from the event.

Full list of student award winners

Name	Award	Sponsor
Joseph Price	Academic Excellence Award	Foot Anstey
Deanna Gillings	Academic Excellence Award	Santander
Alice Tomkins	Academic Excellence Award	Great Western Railway
Sophie Florides	Academic Excellence Award	Bishop Fleming
Harry Colgrave	Advanced Apprentice Award	Mi-Space/ Midas
Georgia Mavin	Apprentice Award	Exeter Live Better
Sarah Woodison	Creative and Performing Arts Academy Award	Pollards Print
Eleanor Harvey	Flybe Academy Award	Flybe
Leah Pethick	Higher Apprentice Award	Arconic Engines
Rosie Nevill	Michael Caines Academy Award	Exeter Chamber of Commerce
Rachael Davis	Professional Learner Award	Exeter Airport
Jonah Gibbon	Reach Academy Award	Kislingbury Property Consultants
Emma Booth	School of Art Award	InExeter
Alex Silis	Skills for Life Award	Peninsula Project Consulting
Merryn Doidge	Sports Academy Award	SW Comms
William Thomas	The #ExeCollProud Award	Devon County Council
Luke Bearpark	Vocational Excellence Award	Willmott Dixon
Luke Hawkes	Vocational Excellence Award	Devon Live
James Duffy	Vocational Excellence Award	Exeter City Community Trust
Millie Reynolds	Vocational Excellence Award	Stagecoach

Want to continue your education journey with Exeter College? Register now for our Showcase on April 23rd with every course Exeter College has to offer under one roof.

Share your memories of Exeter College over the last 50 years using #ExeColl50 on social media

Two Years On: Alex Dixon, Green Gown Award Winner 2018

As part of Exeter College celebrating 50 years as the UK’s first ever tertiary college, we’re talking to some of the inspirational students, staff and alumni who have helped make us the Ofsted Outstanding education provider we are today.

Exeter College student Alex Dixon made headlines in 2018 when he was announced as the Green Gown Award winner for Student Research with Impact, celebrating his achievements around sustainability as part of his electrical engineering course at college and in the workplace.

“I’m so proud to have won the award, not just for me personally but also for the college and the lecturers who helped me get there,”
Alex Dixon, Green Gown Award Winner, 2018

Two years on from his inspirational achievement, we caught up with Alex to talk through what he’s up to now and how winning the sustainability award has helped him develop his career, as well as play a small part in helping the environment.

The Green Gown Awards were created in 2004 to recognise the exceptional sustainability initiatives being undertaken by universities and colleges. Alex’s name joined the list of award winners in 2018 thanks to his sustainable, and money saving, circuit board redesign at his place of work during his studies, Fraser Anti Static.

Alex Dixon, pictured with his Green Gown Award in the Exeter College Technology Centre

Alex, now 27, was studying for his Higher National Certificate in Electrical Engineering with Exeter College when he found out that his work at Fraser Anti Static had been recognised with a coveted Green Gown Award.

“I was really pleased when I found out I was going to be getting the award,” said Alex, who is now studying for his Higher National Diploma in Electrical Engineering with Exeter College.

“I’m so proud to have won the award, not just for me personally but also for the college and the lecturers who helped me get there.”

“Since winning, I have definitely been given a boost in my career and it’s great to have made a positive and lasting impact on the way Fraser Anti Static was working.”

Alex’s innovation that won him the Green Gown Award was to redesign the Fraser Anti Static printed circuit board manufacturing methods, enabling the elimination of many environmentally damaging processes, including the lengthy transportation of materials. This redesign not only helped revolutionise the environmental footprint of the circuit board creation, but also saved the company in the region of £20,000 in 2018 alone thanks to the refined process.

Alex continued: “It was great to have a real, genuine impact on the running of that business but also to know that what I had done had been another small step on the way to a more sustainable world.

“By managing to dramatically reduce several environmentally damaging processes, including the transport of materials, we took a small step in the right direction to helping to protect the environment.”

Today, Alex has moved to work with leading electrical manufacturer MK Test Systems near Taunton while he continues his studies with college. He believes the opportunities in his career has improved thanks to his Green Gown Award.

“When I came to meet the team here they really wanted to talk about what I had done with Fraser Anti Static and how I achieved the Green Gown Award win,” said Alex.

“I plan to finish my qualification with Exeter College in August 2021 and go on to complete a degree in electrical engineering.”

A change of heart at 20…

It could have been a very different tale for Alex as he reached a crossroad in his life when he turned 20.

After completing his formal education from school and college, Alex found himself having to make a poignant decision in his life, as he was about to start a degree in business management.

Alex said, “I think I was going through the motions a little bit and I knew deep down that I really didn’t want to be doing that degree.

“I knew I had always been interested in engineering, but at that point in my life, moving into a career in it would have involved complete retraining from the ground up. Fortunately, I decided to go for it and started by getting a BTEC and worked up from there.”

Alex took some time to reflect on the impact his lecturers at Exeter College have had on his rise in the electrical engineering industry. He said, “It has been a great experience learning with the college.”

“The lecturers are really accommodating of all learners and understand the pressures that some adult learners have to deal with outside of the classroom. They’re incredibly supportive and Richard Masters [Programme Lead, Aerospace and Sustainability] was instrumental in me getting the Green Gown Award.”

Find out more about university level study with Exeter College.

“I count it as a privilege to be a part of Exeter College for so many years,” – longest serving staff member on her time with the college

As part of Exeter College celebrating 50 years as the UK’s first ever tertiary college, we’re talking to some of the inspirational students, staff and alumni who have helped make us the Ofsted Outstanding education provider we are today.

1977 is a year when Abba’s Knowing Me, Knowing You, topped the singles chart, the original Star Wars hit the cinemas and Melinda Northcott first set foot in Exeter College as a member of staff. Now, almost 43 years later, Melinda is the longest serving member of staff at the college, having initially joined as a Biology Technician over four decades ago.

Reflecting on her time so far with Exeter College, Melinda – a former student at the college – revealed how she feels about her time with the institution. She said, “There are definitely things about the college that have changed dramatically over the years. But, for me, the core values have been completely consistent, and that’s down to the professionalism, care and skill of the people that I work with throughout the college.”

Move to the Maths and Science Centre

Melinda, 62, has certainly witnessed incredible change at Exeter College, with new buildings, revitalised workspaces and countless students coming and going through the years.

One of the biggest changes Melinda had to deal with was the move of her department from the college’s Tower building in to a new purpose-built Maths and Science Centre on Queen Street in 2015. It’s a move Melinda admitted she was wasn’t looking forward to.

The specialist Maths and Science Centre opened in 2015.

“I genuinely thought it would be awful moving to the Maths and Science Centre. I had spent so long in the Tower I just couldn’t imagine us ever leaving and I have to say I was really dreading moving my equipment over.

“However, we came over, set ourselves up and I have to say, it’s absolutely fantastic! It’s a million times better than the Tower was for us. It’s the simple things that have made my job better, not just the state-of-the-art facilities. For example, having connecting doors from the labs to my prep room means I’m on hand and available to anyone who needs my help. I used to spend half my time running up and down the corridors in the Tower to get to the laboratories! The Tower was good for us for a time, but as a department we had simply outgrown it.

“It’s not just better for me though, the students get more of an idea of a modern facility and it has all worked out for the benefit of the students.”

Some things never change…

While change appears to be a constant in Melinda’s time with Exeter College, she maintains that elements of her job, now titled as a Biological Sciences Technical Support Facilitator, are exactly the same as when she first started. Melinda’s role in the biology department is largely to organise and support lab-based practicals for students in aid of their studies, in addition to other duties in supporting teachers and students in the labs.

“Some aspects of the job have not changed one bit. The core work, in supporting students in their practical work is the same as it ever was,” said Melinda.

“Courses have changed, we have gone in different directions, and we will continue to do so as a progressive college. The college moves on but the core of what we do is the same, but better every time. Over the years, a lot has been learnt and I think we support students much more now than we did when I first joined.

“It’s a busy place to work and that’s what makes it great for me. Without being too cheesy, it’s very satisfying to feel that you’re a very small part in the process of students achieving and becoming mature, well-rounded people and moving on in the world.”

The ‘R’ Word…

At 62 years old, you could forgive Melinda for having half an eye on retirement, but she has no plans to hang up the lab coat just yet.

Melinda said, “I never would have thought when I first walked in as a member of staff that I’d still be here 43 years later but I just love it and I still get that same buzz when I find out about students’ results.

“I would like to keep going in the role as long as I feel I’m able to do it to the highest standard. No one has told me there’s a problem yet; so I think I’m doing alright! I haven’t got any plans on retiring – I’d simply miss it too much!”

Exeter College is celebrating 50 years since being named as the UK’s first tertiary college. Although our roots date back to the 1800s, our status as a tertiary college marked a revolution in further education and 2020 marks our 50 years of excellence since that landmark. If you have a memory or story of Exeter College through the years that you’d like to share then contact marketing@exe-coll.ac.uk.

Search #ExeColl50 on social media or visit our 50^th anniversary page to view the latest stories.

50th Anniversary Celebrations Kick Off for Exeter College

The new year represents a momentous occasion in the history of Exeter College, marking 50 years since we were named as the UK’s first tertiary college, although our roots date back to the 1800s.

Exeter College was established as a fully-fledged tertiary college in 1970, providing an education centrepiece for the community. Over the past 50 years the college has grown, developed and adapted but it still serves the wider Exeter community with a varied education offering that aims to meet the skills challenges of the future in a proactive way.

“It’s down to a collective effort from students, staff and partners that we have always remained true to our history of serving our city and wider region,”
John Laramy, Principal and Chief Executive

To celebrate the occasion, Exeter College will be celebrating throughout 2020 with special events, celebrations and reflections on 50 years of excellence as a tertiary college.

The first landmark event for the 50th anniversary celebrations will be the college’s annual Exeter College Awards, which has been extended to celebrate past and present students to reflect on a legacy of success. The Awards, which take place in January, will be held in the spectacular setting of Exeter Cathedral with alumni, staff and students celebrated in a glittering 50th anniversary event. More details are set to be announced in the coming weeks.

Exeter College Principal and Chief Executive John Laramy said, “I feel really privileged to be the person steering the ship as we celebrate our 50th year as a tertiary college. It’s no understatement to say that we wouldn’t be where we are today if it wasn’t for all the students, staff and friends who have helped us develop a reputation as one of the leading further education colleges in the country.

“It’s down to a collective effort from students, staff and partners that we have always remained true to our history of serving our city and wider region. However, our long traditions haven’t stopped us innovating and developing with the needs of our students as we continue to develop new partnerships and look to the future of what the education landscape will look like in the next 50 years.

“Throughout 2020 we want to celebrate everyone who has played a role in making us one of the leading colleges in the country as we continue to forge our path as an education innovator of the future.”

As part of celebrations, Exeter College will be sharing inspirational stories from the past 50 years of excellence and is actively seeking friends, partners and alumni to share their stories with the next generation of students. If you or someone you know would like to join in the celebrations, please contact marketing@exe-coll.ac.uk.

Search the hashtag #ExeColl50 on social media or visit our 50th anniversary page to view the latest stories.