Brand new student magazine written by the students for the students! The First edition of ‘Real Talk’ is available now, please click here to view the Spring 2012 edition!

31 May 2012 is the deadline for applying for your student finance so, if you’re planning to start a full-time course at university or college later this year and haven’t applied yet for your student finance, go online today and apply at www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance

You don’t have to have a confirmed place – simply use your first choice of course and change it online at a later date if you need to.

For continuing students:

29 June 2012 is the deadline for re-applying for your student finance so, if you’re returning to a full-time course at university or college later this year and haven’t applied yet for your student finance, go online today and apply at www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance

Our full ‘toolkit’ of resources can be accessed from our practitioners’ website at www.practitioners.co.uk/marketing

Central Bedfordshire College and DHL Dunstable are pleased to announce what is expected to be a rewarding partnership, providing DHL staff with the skills, qualifications and opportunities to succeed.

The partnership was developed with the needs of the current DHL workforce at the heart of the plans and was the brainchild of Sean O’Flaherty, Union Learning Rep for URTU at DHL Dunstable. The proposal was for Central Bedfordshire College to deliver bespoke offsite training to DHL staff, based at the Dunstable site, at a dedicated learning centre.

Sean commented “The opening of the learning centre is good for the workers and for DHL.  The partnership between DHL, Central Bedfordshire College and URTU will enable the delivery of courses to meet the needs of staff in improving their current skills set.  This will in time give colleagues the skills and confidence to progress through the company improving their chances of promotion within DHL.  This really is a great partnership would have never taken place without the hard work and support of both parties”.

Shahin Khan Interim Head of Learner Services added, “The College is really pleased to be part of this exciting partnership which has come together as a result of the hard work from everyone involved.

“When colleagues from the URTU trade unions approached me at the College to see if there was a possibility of delivering a learning package at the workplace for colleagues at DHL Dunstable – I realised this was a project worth pursuing, as it reinforced the College’s purpose of serving and meeting the needs of its local community.  I worked with colleagues from URTU and developed a range of learning options the College would be able to deliver for the employees at DHL.  The Manager at DHL welcomed the initiative and supported a successful recruitment /open day on the 19^th of April at the DHL Dunstable premises.  As a result of the open day we are pleased to announce the delivery of bespoke literacy and ICT classes due to commence in the first week of May”.

Darren Fox Manager of DHL Dunstable commented, “For me it is the start of something that I have wanted to do for a long time.  I started with DHL around 10 years ago as a HGV driver and decided within a couple of years that I wanted to progress within the business and so approached my Line Manager for support in achieving this.

Over the years I have been very fortunate and given in-house training with DHL as well as training from external  providers which has helped me gain not only accredited certification but on the job training.  I started on site at Dunstable in January this year- and it was not long before colleagues were asking the questions around training and what I could offer.  Sean O’Flaherty was pivotal in introducing Central Bedfordshire College and the Union around the table 5 weeks ago.  I am a firm believer in giving something back, over the years I have been given a great deal of opportunities whilst working for DHL and now it is my time to help my staff to progress and fulfil their aspirations”.

The Colleges partnership with DHL will be ongoing and tailored to the needs of current and future employees of the organisation.

Access students at Central Bedfordshire College had a taste of University life on Wednesday 25^th April when Peter Wolstencroft, Senior Lecturer in Education at the University of Bedfordshire visited the College to talk to students about their work, particularly focusing on self-assessment and reflection.

Approximately 80 students attended the lecture, and during the lecture they were challenged by Peter to stop running on automatic pilot and to look afresh at the way they tackle every task.  Peter told them that this approach would help them to get the most out of their Access course, and would also stand them in good stead when they progress on to their chosen University in September.

The students got a real buzz from the activities and found the experience very worthwhile.  Central Bedfordshire College Research Lecturer, Jenny Halford commented, “I am delighted with the response.  The Access students will be able to judge how well they are doing and plan to improve their work here at College, at University and in their professional lives later.”

Access courses prepare adult students to get the qualifications and skills they need to progress on to University.  Central Bedfordshire College offers Access course in Nursing, Midwifery, Medically Allied Professions, Science, Social Science, Humanities, Teaching and Business.

Peter Wolstencroft has worked in the Post-Compulsory Education sector for the past twenty years.  He has worked in a variety of posts within Further Education, ranging from a Head of School to the Co-ordinator of initial teacher education.  Within the Higher Education sector his current role as Senior Lecturer in Education at the University of Bedfordshire means that he is the Course Leader for the Post Compulsory Education courses at the University.  His research interests cover the experiences of new Tutors within the Further Education sector.

For further information about Access courses, email enquiries@centralbeds.ac.uk or call 0845 355 2525.

]]> http://www.centralbeds.ac.uk/web10/index.php/2012/04/fancy-yourself-as-a-poet-enter-central-bedfordshire-colleges-poetry-competition-to-win-50/feed/ 0 http://www.centralbeds.ac.uk/web10/index.php/2012/04/central-bedfordshire-college-students-win-awards-at-national-hairdressing-competition/ http://www.centralbeds.ac.uk/web10/index.php/2012/04/central-bedfordshire-college-students-win-awards-at-national-hairdressing-competition/#comments Wed, 04 Apr 2012 08:09:01 +0000 LHunter http://www.centralbeds.ac.uk/web10/?p=4311

Justin Carr and Robul Islam Level 3 Hairdressing students at Central Bedfordshire College, have both been awarded first place in the “Mens Cut and Finish” and “Mens Alternative” respectively at the high profile finals of the Association of Hairdressers and Therapists (AHT) National UK Trainee Competition.

Alongside Robul and Justin who also received 1^st and 3^rd place in the “Mens Creative” Category was, Stephanie Liasu Runner-up in the “Woman’s Afro-Caribbean”.

These awards are the culmination of many months of hard work by the students and staff, with the competition team forming and putting in extra hours for five months to ensure success. The competition started with the South Regional finals at The College of North West London in February.  During this heat, seven students studying Hairdressing and Theatrical Makeup at Central Bedfordshire College were chosen to go to the national finals.

The event took place at The Blackpool Winter Gardens Hair Festival. The festival attracts more than 600 competitors and up to 6000 visitors each year with the students being rewarded for their wins with prizes, medal and certificates. Justin and Robal’s tutor, Steve Campbell commented, “We are so proud of Justin and Robal and all of the finalists from the College, to win all the awards we have shows how versatile and committed to student success the College is as a whole”.

Lindsey Peck, Curriculum Team Leader at Central Beds, added; “This has been another wonderful year for the College. In the past three years we have had great success at the Regional and National Finals with Central Bedfordshire College students winning more than any other College. The College has rapidly become a force to be reckoned with in the competition world of hairdressing”.

Some of the students in the competition team will be finishing their studies in the summer, with some already having found work; in their hometowns of Luton, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard and the surrounding villages; while others are choosing to continue to study to gain more skills.

The show was directed by Laurie Asher (Lecturer of Acting and Musical Theatre), and Choreographed by Lyn King (Dance lecturer and Course team Leader), with a superb band led by Peter Dodsworth of The Royal Academy of Music (featuring musicians from Dreamgirls in London’s West End and the national Tour of Hairspray).  The students wowed the audience, even sparking a spontaneous standing ovation on the show’s closing night.

Speaking after the run of performances, Laurie commented, “The students have really set the stage on fire with their unrelenting energy and talent, and have truly reaped the rewards”.  The annual Performing Arts musical project began last year with the department’s production of ‘tick, tick…BOOM!’ which “tested the water” in regards to the demands of putting on a full scale production for both students and the college.  Such an undertaking pushes the course in a new direction, providing training in all three disciplines of performance, and seeking to make students “triple threat”.  Laurie added, “The challenge of staging a musical is a daunting one, however the teamwork demonstrated by the students and staff to carry off the production to the best of their ability is incredible, mirroring the teamwork shown within the casts of many professional musicals that I have been involved with.  It really has brought about new friendships, and I think there will be a strong case of the “after show blues” with the students……and no doubt, the staff involved!!”

Next year’s musical will be announced at the beginning of the next academic year, so watch this space!!!!!

The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) protects academic standards, the quality of learning opportunities, and the public information provided by universities and colleges delivering higher education.

Central Bedfordshire College delivers a Bachelor of Art degree, Professional Graduate Certificates and Foundation Degrees in a variety of subjects, for example Creative and Editorial Photography, which are accredited by the University of Bedfordshire.

A team of QAA reviewers visited the College last year and gave the highest rating – a ‘confidence’ judgement – on its management of both standards and quality.

 It also concluded that ‘reliance’ could be placed in the public information that the College provides.

 QAA reviewers identified a number of examples of good practice at the College, including:

• Effective engagement with employers, leading to creative and innovative work that supports the development of employability skills
• The proactive approach to links with the partner university, which enhances learning opportunities through excellent access to resources, expertise and support.

 They also made recommendations for improvement, including:

• Ensuring the inclusion of information about learning support and disability entitlement in the higher education course guides
• Considering the development of more generic materials to support work-based learning and so provide greater consistency in the support of learning opportunities.

 Ali Hadawi CBE, Principal of Central Bedfordshire College, commented that ‘Central Bedfordshire College strives to provide a high quality education experience for all our students. 

‘I am delighted that the QAA Summative Review team are confident in the College’s management of academic standards and in the quality of learning opportunities that we provide to our students on higher education courses. I am pleased that the hard work and dedication of the staff in supporting the students to achieve their best has been recognised.’ 

The report, published this week, is available at www.qaa.ac.uk/InstitutionReports/Reports/Pages/IQER-Central-Bedfordshire-11.aspx.

Central Bedfordshire College Floristry and Sugarcraft students have again excelled on a national level, with Elena Capel and Emma Matthews both being awarded City & Guilds Medals for Excellence for Outstanding Performance in their respective disciplines.

The City & Guilds Medals for Excellent recognise and reward inspirational and exceptional work in both learners and their Tutors.  The coveted medals are awarded annually to those who have shown outstanding talent through the learning / teaching.  Having been awarded these medals, the students and their Tutors will now attend the Lion Awards, which is a prestigious annual awards ceremony held in London on Wednesday 15^th March.

Elena Capel received the award for Floristry, , and Emma Matthews award was for Sugarcraft.

Judges marking Elenas work commented:

“Elena you have produced a lovely set of floral work…you have used innovative ideas using a diverse range of materials and a high level of skill”.

“The portfolio and floral items submitted for the nominee evidence a high level of taught skills and commitment by the centre”

Judges comments for Emmas work included:

“Absolutely stunning work of a very high standard”.

“An exceptional student worthy of this achievement”.

For further information about Floristry and Sugarcraft courses at Central Bedfordshire College please contact 0845 355 2525 or enquiries@centralbeds.ac.uk