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Exeter College Hosts Inaugural Business and Trade Select Committee

On the morning of Tuesday 3rd December, Exeter College hosted the Business and Trade Select Committee, made up of 11 MPs, who met with 30 local businesses. The event provided an opportunity for the College’s valued partners in the South West to discuss and feedback directly to the Committee, their challenges and opportunities in the current economic climate.  

This event formed part of the Business and Trade Select Committee’s series of six regional roadshows. This wider engagement exercise hopes to hear from businesses and workers, investors and consumers to help shape the Committee’s work plan for the months and years ahead. Exeter College Humanities students had the opportunity to listen in on these important discussions. 

Business and Trade Select Committee gather at Exeter College
The Business and Trade Select Committee with Richard Church, Chief Operating Officer and Jade Otty, Deputy CEO.

Liam Byrne MP, Chair of the Business and Trade Committee, said; 

“This is the first of our national engagement events. The Business and Trade Committee is travelling the country listening to the voice of business and trade unions and consumer groups about what they would like us as a committee to focus on for the next five years. 
 
“I really wanted to start at Exeter College. I’ve known the college for many years, it’s always been famous for having outstanding networks of relationships with the business community. I knew that if we wanted to hear from as many businesses as possible, as fast as possible, Exeter College was the place to kick the tour off. 
 
“What we got today was exactly what I hoped for. We received a real diversity of views from business and very clear messages about how the cost of business has gone up and they have real ambition to plough through that. There were some clear asks of government such as investment in infrastructure, investment in skills, more available housing, and better access to finance.  

“For us, as a committee, we’ve got some clear marching orders from today that will help us shape our enquiries for the course of this Parliament.”   

Mike Blakeley, Executive Director of Apprenticeships and Partnerships said; 

“Liam engaged with Exeter College around 10 years ago and knew how exceptional we were as an organisation, and how well linked we were with business. When the gauntlet was thrown down to host the inaugural business select committee, it turned to Exeter to be able to bring this together.  

“We are delighted to pull together from our employer and stakeholder network to find some brilliant business voices to share their experiences with the Business Select Committee and hopefully make some positive change. Our businesses and stakeholders support the college brilliantly, so it was great to get them involved in this unique event.” 

Bindu Arjoon, Exeter City Council’s Chief Executive, was among those who attended the meeting.

Bindu said: “This was a great opportunity for business leaders in Exeter and across Devon to share their experiences and provide feedback directly to the Business and Trade Select Committee on the opportunities and challenges facing the region to help inform government’s thinking on business and investment, as well as feeding back on the impact of the autumn budget. 

“Exeter College plays a key role in working with businesses to ensure that as a city, we have the skilled workforce we need to continue to succeed and thrive in the future, so it provided the perfect setting for the committee to hear a wide range of views on how Government can best support the many great initiatives currently taking place in the region, particularly to boost skills, training, housing and infrastructure.”

The Committee wishes to hear views on the Government’s goals for the UK economy to have the fastest sustained economic growth in the G7; how it will deliver a pro-business, pro-worker’ agenda; develop closer trading relationships with others; and maintain the UK’s status as a global leader in protecting customers. The Committee will publish a report in the New Year listing who it has heard from and what the top priorities will be for its work. 

Specialist Teachers and World Class Facilities building Exeter College’s Success

Since being named as the UK’s first ever tertiary college 50 years ago, we’ve built ourselves into the exceptional education provider we are today and are now ranked as the only Ofsted Outstanding College in Devon. 

We’ve managed to reach this prestigious position by putting students at the heart of everything we do. We know there’s nothing more impactful on a young person’s education than the environment they’re learning in and, of course, who’s teaching them.  

Subject Specialist Teachers

As a further education provider, our teachers differ to what you would find at a lot of sixth forms. Here, we pride ourselves on having subject specialist teachers. Unlike at school, our staff don’t teach across different subjects; they dedicate their time exclusively to the subject they teach in the classroom. 

This means that our students are taught by people who have a real passion for the topic that they teach. As a result, our students can fully develop their skills and explore their passion within a specific field, which links directly to their chosen further study or employment option.  
 
On top of this, our vocational subjects are taught by teachers who are still actively involved in their respective industries. This means they are constantly developing and updating their own skillset to pass on to the next generation of learners.   

Jade Otty, Vice Principal of Exeter College and lead on academic performance, believes our specialist teaching staff positively impacts our consistently impressive vocational and academic results.  

“Having specialist teachers is one of the cornerstones of what contributes to the outstanding education environment at Exeter College,” said Jade.  

“Students who study with us are choosing to learn from teachers who have a genuine passion for what they’re teaching and, more importantly, have the skills to transfer that knowledge to students in the classroom.  

“When a teacher chooses to work with us, they do so because they want to have their teaching time dedicated solely to a subject they love, and to supporting young people with that same passion succeeding with their ambitions. We’ve found that students really respond well to being taught by specialist teachers and appreciate the inside knowledge they can learn from teachers who are still involved in the industry.”  

Tom Matthew, A Level student studying Geography, Sociology and Politics, added, “The teachers have been really helpful. They always have their students’ best interests at heart and go over and above expectations.   

“My Geography teachers have experience with the exam board, and they are two of the best teachers I’ve had; their experience has been particularly useful to us.”  

World Class Facilities and Partnerships

We’re proud to offer subject specialist teaching, but we also know that this is only one of the features which has helped to make us into the Ofsted Outstanding provider we are today.  

Here at Exeter College, we offer all our students access to world class facilities and equipment in their chosen subject(s).  

To make sure our learners have the very best chance to enhance their education, all our students have access to eight Learning Resources Centres, complete with IT labs and Mac suites. 

Additionally, we have specialist campuses for different subjects. Through this, we ensure that we are providing our learners with industry standard-facilities, ranging from construction to media production.  

The Centre for Creative Industries is home to a range of cutting-edge equipment and software. It also gives students access to the space they need to hone their skills in media, drama, art or photography, as they transform their academic studies into creative practice.  

Our Maths and Science Centre, which opened in 2015, holds 11 purpose-build laboratories. These are all designed to the highest specifications, providing a space for inspirational teaching and learning.  

Likewise, our Technology Centre offers students the latest technical software used in the industry. We’re also currently investing in our Construction Centre by way of a new state-of-the-art mezzanine which, from September, will host the new T Level qualifications.  

Our Digital and Data Centre is also currently under construction. When complete, this will form part of the wider South West Institute of Technology plan, aiming to transform engineering, digital and manufacturing technology in Devon. Opening early 2021, the Centre will provide learners with educational opportunities in the digital field. This will include courses around software development, data analytics and cyber security.  

On top of this, our college also works in partnership with leading regional and national businesses and sports teams. This month we announced our newest collaboration, as the BBC is set to open a new studio in our Centre of Creative Industries. All our partnerships provide students with the opportunities to continually achieve their educational goals and even develop beyond the curriculum.  

We are currently planning for the enrolment of the new students due to start in September 2020. 

It’s not too late to apply online to study with us for the September start. Once the requested documents have been submitted and reviewed, all students will be given a conditional offer.

Exeter College Finalists in AoC Virtual Beacon Award Ceremony

Exeter College are finalists in the prestigious Association of Colleges (AOC) Beacon Awards, in the City & Guilds Engagement with Employers category. The awards, now in their 25th year, will be delivered virtually for the very first time, with an online award ceremony on Thursday 4 June.

The event will celebrate finalists and winners from seven categories that collectively highlight and celebrate the best and most innovative practice amongst UK further education (FE) colleges nationwide.

Director of Apprenticeships and Employer Engagement, Mike Blakeley, says, “With partnerships and collaborative working at the heart of all that we do as a college, the team are particularly excited to participate in the finals for the Employer Engagement category.

“In February 2020 Exeter celebrated becoming the City of Apprenticeships, having shown exceptional growth in Apprenticeship starts compared to other cities in the UK. Even in these unprecedented times, our employer partners in the region have once again stepped up to the mark and are working in partnership with the College to support their Apprentice employees.

“Difficult circumstances have highlighted the strength of our employer network, and we have been working closer than ever to offer new opportunities and development through training. We have just announced the launch of a new academy for future skills with partners Devon County Council, which is testament to the City’s forward-thinking. The project will enable us to train the next generation, as well as individuals affected by the economic impact of Covid-19, for high-tech jobs in engineering, digital, construction and clean growth.

“Not only this, but we have been working with the community over the past few months, supporting our local NHS front line. This has included initiatives with businesses across the region to make vital PPE, providing kitchen space so meals can be made and delivered to key workers, as well as opening accommodation for NHS staff.”

The Employer Engagement award, supported by City and Guild, recognises exemplary practice in demonstrating an outstanding ability to work with and provide a direct service to employers – in particular, colleges that are effective in meeting employers’ skills needs and/or apprenticeship requirements.

To evidence its exemplary practice, Exeter College has undergone a rigorous judging process. This has included not one, but two written submissions, as well as a visit from an assessor who attended a showcase day with roundtable discussions, visits to Flybe and Exeter Chiefs, plus employer interviews.

David Hughes, Chief Executive of the Association of Colleges says, “Colleges often don’t get the recognition they deserve, the AoC Beacon Awards aim to showcase exactly why colleges are so important and reward their dedication to learners and their progress in the workforce. Colleges produce the workers of the future and it’s clear from those who have made it through to the final three that their contribution to local and regional economic development must be valued.”

To join in the celebrations and find out who the winners are, follow the AoC twitter feed on the day.

Applications are open to study with Exeter College in September 2020.

If you’re an employer or a young person considering getting involved in Apprenticeships, contact our team on Apprentices@exe-coll.ac.uk or 01392 400800 to discuss your options.

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