Terri Miller, a former student in the Trade Union Studies Department, has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours. Terri works in Dunstable at De La Rue Security Print as a print finisher and won the award for her contribution to Health & Safety in the print industry. At work, Terri is the Health & Safety Representative for Unite the Union.

Over the years, Terri has completed various courses at Dunstable College including Health & Safety Stages 1, 2& 3, the TUC Access Certificate course in Occupational Health and Safety and the Equality Reps course. Other courses she has undertaken include a host of one day courses, too numerous to recall!

Terri first became involved with the union when she started at De La Rue, some fourteen years ago, becoming a union activist at the same time. She became a Health & Safety Rep at a time when the printers had 450 employees; that figure now stands at 100 and Terri currently acts as Health & Safety Rep for her shift. Terri is now the longest serving Rep there and for the past eight years has sat on PIAC – the Printing Industry Advisory Commission. This is a tri-party committee made up of employers, the union and the Health & Safety Executive. They suggest improvements to Health & Safety in the workplace. As if that weren’t enough, Terri also serves as Vice-Chair of the National Sector Committee, which meets four times per annum to discuss industry related issues concerning the print industry and policies that need drawing up.

Terri has no idea who nominated her for the MBE. and will collect her award at Buckingham palace within the next six months.

She comments, “On the day, I shall be extremely nervous. At present, I don’t know what to expect. When I got the letter, I thought was a wind-up.”

Terri is in the middle of a BA in International labour and Trade Union Studies at Ruskin College and sees her future either staying in the print sector or maybe becoming a Trade Union Studies Tutor. She sums up her attitude to learning: “Training is always a good thing if it helps you progress.” She has certainly done that.

Dunstable College celebrated an exceptional night at the Big Skill Awards on Tuesday 8th June, with three awards being presented to students and staff at the College. The awards included 14-16 Learner, Tutor of the Year, and Employer Commitment to Skills.

Jordan Honeyfield was awarded the ‘Big Skill 14-16 Learner Award’. Jordan studies at Dunstable College as part of the 14-16 programme, studying construction. He is also a student at Northfields Technology College.

Dunstable College Skills for Life Tutor, Gwen Lowe, was awarded the ‘Big Skill Tutor of the Year’. Gwen has worked at the College for a number of years, and has helped countless students, providing additional support and always going the extra mile to help.

Dunstable College’s hat-trick of wins was rounded off with RWDI Anemos Ltd winning the ‘Big Skill Employer Commitment to Skills Award’, through its extensive work with Chiltern Business Training, the business division of Dunstable College. RWDI Anemos has worked with Chiltern Business Training to identify their skills gaps within their business and train their staff to meet the changing environment.

Business student James White also achieved a ‘Highly Commended’ for his nomination for the ‘Big Skill Adult Learner Award’.

The Big Skill was run by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) in partnership with BBC Three Counties. The aim was to reward people who have learnt new skills, helping to improve their own lives and those of others. The ceremony was hosted by Helen Lee from Three Counties radio, with guest presenter Ray Stubbs, who has been heavily involved in promoting the Big Skill. This was a tremendous achievement for the students and staff of Dunstable College.

Earlier in the day, Dunstable College hosted three stalls at Harper Square in Bedford as part of The Big Skill. Students and staff were on hand to show members of the public some of the skills they could learn at Dunstable College. This included demonstrations from Media, Hair, Beauty and Holistic Therapies. Hair and Beauty students also conducted displays on the main stage, which attracted a lot of interest from the public.

Bob Shore, Director of Business Development commented, “Dunstable College has been heavily involved in the Big Skill initiative because it is a good way of showcasing the skills that are available for the public to learn, either as a hobby or to change their career. The awards our students and staff won at the ceremony were an amazing achievement with such stiff competition. We are very proud of them all, and hope that they continue to thrive at Dunstable College and in their chosen careers”.

The Business Studies team took a group of students on a Mentoring Programme organised by Baring Asset Management Ltd – a top City international investment management company, with history dating back to 1762. The theme of the programme was “Seeing the Possibilities” for young people who may for reasons of socio-economic background, never have considered a career in the City.

Robbie Gono, the new HOD for Business & Professional, working together with the Business team – Eamonn O’Donnell , Dennis Hylton and Alison Unwin took a mixed group of 20 students from BTEC First and BTEC National who experienced presentations from very motivational senior personnel at the Bank, indicating how seriously the Bank regarded the Programme. The line up included: Julian Swayne, Head of Finance, Marino Valensise, Chief Investment Officer, Rob Knight, Head of Operational Compliance and Sandie Okoro, Group Head of Legal. Each of these senior managers prepared a presentation and took questions from both students and staff. The group was served with refreshments and lunch followed by a photo opportunity.

Robbie Gono, took the opportunity to ask the Company to become the official Departmental sponsor for the Students Awards Ceremony for 08/09, to which they agreed. As a result, Ms Rob Knight, attended the Ceremony on 24 June and handed out the Awards to the winners for this year.

The students and staff were extremely impressed by the professionalism and hospitality shown to them by the Bank and would like to maintain the links with Dunstable College for the future as part of our employment engagement and enrichment.

Student Hilary Wilson writes

Hi, I am Hilary Wilson student teacher on the second year of my Cert Ed at Dunstable College. I recently spent a Study Day at Bedfordshire University, specifically for those attending the same course at different colleges in the Bedfordshire area.  I was so looking forward to this day and as I opened the door of the hall I could sense the feeling of anticipation from everyone present.  As I joined my college group there were lively discussions on how we are all progressing on our course and our graduation day at the Corn Exchange in Bedford.  

Professor Frank Coffield, a man of vast educational experience presented the lecture of the day on the subject, ‘The Challenges Facing Post Compulsory Education.’  This subject is so important for tutors and colleges involved in adult education and Coffield (2009) states:  

“The primary purpose of the sector is to prepare students not just for the jobs they will do but for the lives they will lead as parents, citizens, consumers, etc.”

This highlights the need for complete education and not just the specialist subject being taught and thus helping to improve the future lives of the student.  The Professor paid great emphasis on teachers’ Continual Profession Development (CPD) and looked at ways of achieving this.  The lecture was a great inspiration to everyone and outlined the importance and responsibility that educationalists have on the whole of society.   The Professor spoke with authority and was able to bring in touches of humour to this serious subject.  Question and answers proved to be very lively and informative.  Finally, the audience showed their appreciation to the Professor with rapturous applause. 

Tony Summers, our college representative, proudly presented a gift to the Professor on behalf of Bedfordshire University.  Tony also met up with other college representatives and Peter Hadfield the Post-Compulsory Education Course Leader for Bedfordshire University and discussed various aspects of the course.

After lunch, it was arranged for students to meet up in their specialist subject groups with the purpose of reviewing the learning resources.  My group, Hair and Beauty, each brought in a learning resource with data where we discussed and shared many interesting and original ideas.  I came away from this meeting with a refreshed enthusiasm and greater insight.

Back to the lecture hall, four tutors summed up the day’s events and the benefits we all received.  Special mention was made of the marvellous lecture from Professor Frank Coffield.  I know that I am speaking for everyone when I say that this was a thoroughly rewarding day.