Keighley College was mentioned in parliament on Thursday 6 February, following a recent successful visit from newly elected MP, Robbie Moore.

He described the college as ‘passionate about ensuring young people have the very best start in life’ and said he was “inspired by their ‘can do’ attitude and willpower to raise aspiration.”

Robbie visited Keighley College on 31 January and spoke to staff and students about their studies, aspirations and the needs of young people in Keighley.

Steve Kelly, Principal of Keighley College, said: “I am both proud and humbled to work with such a dedicated staff team and pleased we are being recognised nationally in this way.”

You can watch the full video at the bottom of this article  https://silsdentoday.co.uk/2020/02/silsdens-new-mp-makes-debut-commons-speech/

Keighley College is referenced 3 mins 24 seconds in.

National Apprenticeship Week is fast approaching and Keighley College will be joining the celebrations again this year.

It will have a stand at the Leeds Apprenticeship Recruitment Fair (LARF) taking place at Leeds Direct Arena on Monday 3 February.

LARF is the largest apprenticeship exhibition in the north and the college will be among approximately 100 companies recruiting apprentices.

Keighley College offers a wide range of apprenticeships at every level, from entry to degree. Successful candidates split their time between work and college, combining learning, earning and gaining experience needed to develop throughout their career.

The college will also be running an apprenticeship roadshow at its campus on 4 February.

The Apprenticeship team will be available to talk to potential apprentices about the steps involved, as well as information for employers looking to take on an apprentice.

Lee Pryor, Director of Apprenticeships at Keighley College said: “We’re are excited to be getting involved in the Leeds Apprenticeship Recruitment Fair that brings together leading companies to offer potential apprentices opportunities to kick-start their careers.

“Employers are also at the heart of what we do and will gain insight and information on how we can work together to bridge the skills gap in a number of sectors. This includes engineering, health and social care, digital & IT and more.”

Pryor added: We are committed to bringing employers and young people together to provide real opportunities for them to find out what career path they want to take and to help employers find the right candidates for their organisations.”

National Apprenticeship Week 2020 is running until 9 February this year. For the first time, the week has been extended to include the weekend, giving the entire apprenticeship community more opportunity to get involved with activities.

See bus schedule below:

Tuesday 4 February

Keighley College

9am – 2pm

A group of Keighley College students are excelling in their supported internships at Acorn Stairlifts.

In a pioneering partnership, Acorn is providing weekly work placements in its Steeton factory for four students with special needs.

With help from Acorn employees, learners Tom Waddington, Kassam Khan, Ahdnan Younis and Max Soundy have been building their confidence and self-esteem by carrying out tasks and learning new skills with the team.

Keighley College Job Coach, Shameem Koser, said: “Watching their faces on their first day was a picture and you could see their sense of achievement, as they’ve never travelled out of Keighley on their own before.

“It’s been fantastic working with Acorn. Staff have made the students feel part of the workforce and ensured adjustments were in place to meet their needs. The college is proud to be working with local companies to offer students real industry experience to hone their skills and prepare for the working world.”

The interns have been carrying out sub-assembly work which is then fed to production lines. They have also been making up joint boxes which are used to connect stair lift rails.

Acorn’s Manufacturing Manager, Andrew Longthorne, said: “The interns have been great. They’ve had a positive effect on the production team, surpassing daily targets and looking to get involved in more complex work. Having them here has been well received within the factory.”

Supported placements are for college students aged 18 to 24 who might otherwise struggle to cope in a workplace setting. Working with Keighley College, Acorn is paving the way for the industrial sector in this area.

Keighley College held a mock election for students in the run up to the general election. Among the students who took part, over 70% voted for Labour.

This result among the college’s 16-18 year olds, is in contrast to Keighley & Ilkley constituency’s Conservative majority.

The aim of the mock election was to promote democracy, British values and educate young people on the importance of having a collective voice in the community.

Health & Social Care student, Safoora-Amaani Uddin, had the opportunity to be part of Keighley & Ilkley’s election count on Thursday night, following an interview with ITV Calendar.

The 18 year old said: “I was involved in college debates with regional broadcast media about the issues that are important to young people. I was then invited by ITN to be part of the counting process at Keighley Leisure Centre.

“It was a great opportunity to be part of such a significant event, along with 100 other counters. Seeing the live feed throughout the night ramped up the tense atmosphere. Before this experience, I had a good knowledge of politics but my interest wasn’t that big. This has changed my view and I feel far more engaged in the democratic process.”

Safoora is hoping to go to university in Rottherdam, with the aim of working in the social care sector. Following the announcement of the election results, she is now concerned about her future.

“The results of the election will inevitably affect my plans of studying abroad and the industry that I’m hoping to find a career in. It’s now a waiting game to see what happens next.”

Keighley College’s Foundation Studies provision will host a fashion show as part of a wider community initiative that seeks to promote sustainable fashion and entrepreneurial skills.

Organised by 16 students, in partnership with local underwear designer Sam Tretton, the catwalk show, titled Eco-Glam, will take place on 22 November 2019 and will feature collections of some of the college’s upcoming designers.

Carly Newsholme, Foundation Learning Course Leader said: “Students are learning about enterprise and running a business. They have led the project from initial ideas, to press, advertising, sales, modelling and food & drink.

“Students have also learnt about sustainable fashion and looking after the environment, as well as what it’s like to work as a designer in the fashion industry. On top of this, they’ve developed team-building and communication skills.”

Meanwhile, the event will also include a number of stalls, and boutique owner Sam Tretton will be showcasing beautiful handmade vintage clothes and accessories that guests can purchase on the night.

Sam will also host a workshop on the importance of eco-fashion. Late last month, the Keighley-born designer visited the college to talk to students about her career with Tommy Hilfiger as an underwear designer and the reasons she moved on to set up her own business. Sam helped students understand why eco fashion is important (and on trend) across the globe.

With consumers’ increasing awareness of the environmental impact of the fashion industry, it has amplified a fast-growing market for sustainable fashion around the world. This year alone, a number of top brands have created sustainable collections. While there has only been a 2% growth in the industry, there are ongoing talks at various levels about creating more sustainable clothing by 2025.

Tickets are on sale for £5 and are being sold exclusively on Eventbrite. This will include an arrival drink and canapés. There will also be various performances from students, including singing, dancing and beatboxing.

The event will run from 6pm in the Keighley College atrium.

As part of Bradford Manufacturing Weeks, Keighley College hosted the district’s first Bradford Apprentices Live event.
The event ran as part of an initiative which works with students across the district to promote potential future careers within manufacturing. 

Gavin Williamson, Secretary of State for Education has described the initiative as an “excellent” scheme.

Manufacturing Weeks and Apprentices Live

According to the West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, Bradford Manufacturing Weeks is a West and North Yorkshire Chamber initiative, delivered by Bradford Chamber of Commerce. 

Spanning two weeks this year, the fortnight-long campaign involved more than 60 manufacturers who linked up with schools and colleges. The initiative also included work placements, school talks and site tours for young people aged 14 to 18. Proving the success of the campaign, around 6,000 work experiences were created.

Occuring during Manufacturing Weeks, the Manufacturing Live event took place at Keighley College on 15 October. The anticipated event invited students to ask a panels of apprentices, employees and manufacturers questions to gain an insight into what a manufacturing career entails.

Keighley College makes way for the next generation of manufacturers

Keighley College offers an enterprising and collaborative environment, delivering high quality vocational education as a pathway to employment.
It is also home to the Industrial Centre of Excellence (ICE) for advanced manufacturing and engineering and its Advanced Apprenticeship Scheme is accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (iMechE), providing students with access to a range of industry support.

The Industrial Centre of Excellence provides education and training opportunities to prepare young people to progress into the growing engineering and manufacturing economy.
The fully equipped on-site workshop was launched in January 2015 and includes high-quality and industry standard Computer Numerical Controlled (CNC) machinery, lathes, milling machines, 3D printers and other state-of-the-art engineering equipment to develop students’ skills.

The centre has a board of local employers who oversee the development of the centre and the courses it delivers. These employers also contribute by providing work experience opportunities and live projects to help prepare students for the world of work. In addition, employers also have the opportunity to shape the future of young learners by providing master classes, offering mentoring opportunities and providing site visits.

Keighley College provides more support to manufacturers
Keighley College will continue to support the growth of the manufacturing centre by hosting another event this year.

As part of Bradford Manufacturing Weeks 2019, the college is hosting the free Support and Funding for Manufacturers event which will offer networking opportunities and information on funding and support for manufacturers.

Covering business finance, import and export, overseas trade missions and exhibitions, manufacturing growth programme, supply chain improvements, skills, training, information on local enterprise partnership (LEP) and more. The event will also include breakfast.

Keighley College presents portfolio of professional programmes

Keighley College provides a variety of blue-collar courses across a variety of sectors including construction, engineering and manufacturing. Students can train in professional facilities and leverage local industry links to gain practical experience and industry insight.

For more information on our vocational courses and apprenticeships, click here to visit our courses page.

Health and Social Care students at Keighley College have raised more than £300 for Mind UK.

In honour of World Mental Health Day on Thursday 10 October, the students invited staff and students to join them for a cup of tea and a biscuit at the Keighley College kiosk.

Designed to encourage people to take a break and to promote positive wellbeing, the students ran a bake sale with the proceeds being donated to UK mental health charity, Mind.

On the promotional material for the event, the students explained:
“Getting together and talking to people is good for your mental health. At Keighley College we believe a brew and a chat with friends is a good way of staying connected and promotes good mental health for all.”

The college regularly runs fundraising events with Foundation Studies students raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support less than a month ago at the start of October. 

World Mental Health Day
According to mentalhealth.org.uk,“The World Health Organisation recognises World Mental Health Day on 10 October every year. This year’s theme set by the World Federation for Mental Health is suicide prevention.”

Inspired by the event, Keighley College supported World Mental Health Day by promoting mindfulness and positive wellbeing in a variety of ways, including playing relaxing piano music.

In addition, Beauty students offered free relaxing hand massages and Health and Social Care students ran a bun, cake and sweet sale to raise money for Mind.

Running for more than 70 years, Mind mental health charity addresses a range of mental health problems and provides support and advice to as many individuals as possible.

Commenting on the warm and welcoming event, one student said: “The kettle’s always on at Keighley!”

Keighley College champions wellbeing
Keighley College regularly promotes positive mental health and provides wellbeing support to both staff and students.

The most notable example of this, is Chummy the Pug, a friendly puppy brought in to provide relief from stress and worries.

The college also has a dedicated Safeguarding team, devoted to ensuring all students and staff are kept free from harm. The college also cites “Welcoming” as one of its brand values and takes pride in providing an environment that is safe, healthy and inclusive.

Most recently, Keighley College was publicly thanked by the founder of Neurodiversity Celebration Week for signing up to take part in the event which will occur on 16-20 March, 2020.

The event is designed to acknowledge special education needs (SEN) and different neurodivergent conditions such as ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia and Dyspraxia to reduce stigma and negative connotations surrounding the conditions.

For the latest up-to-date news on Keighley College, keep tabs on our Twitter @KeighleyCollege.

Students at Keighley College, who sat their GSCEs earlier in the year turned out in their numbers to pick up their results.

As of 2019, almost all GCSE results are now using the new 9 -1 grading scale which has replaced the old A*-G system, with 9 being the highest grade. The new system has been gradually phased in since 2017.

Steve Kelly, Principal at Keighley College, said, “We are very proud of all our students and we want to say a big congratulations to those who received their GCSE results today.

“Over the past year, hundreds of students have passed their qualifications, including GCSEs, vocational qualifications and apprenticeships. This has been a fantastic year, with improving success rates and students making positive progress.

“Many of our students are progressing to work, higher education and further study at the college. This year is an exciting one for us with the expansion of our Textile Academy, professional sports coaching in partnership with regional sports teams, digital welding and supported internships.

“We are also pleased to announce a new range of courses for adults as well was the opening of Keighley’s very own University Centre. This will offer a number of degrees including Teaching and Learning and Health and Wellbeing. We now have started enrolling and would encourage anyone interested; both studying and working with us to contact 01535 685000 www.keighleycollege.ac.uk”

Young people and staff from Keighley College spoke of their hopes and vision for the future during a day-long visit from Dame Julia Cleverdon.

Members of the council, education organisations such as the Department for Education and the National Literacy Trust, as well as employers that include Gesipa and Airedale Springs, attended the luncheon to discuss key issues affecting the community and the positive work they are doing to promote literacy and apprenticeships, whilst raising awareness of STEM subjects for young girls.

Principal Heather Whitehead, said: “The students are at the heart of what we do and Dame Julia Cleverdon’s visit is a testament to the work that we are currently doing to offer an inclusive and accessible environment where students receive the support they need to thrive.

“The college’s wider objectives include promoting innovation. Working in partnership with the local council, key employers and our community, we endeavour to provide students with the skills they need to succeed,” she added.

Dame Julia, who sits on the Enterprise and Careers Company, a new initiative by the government to try and understand what can be done to raise the employability pathways for young people, said she wanted to find out and understand the great things that are happening in Bradford and surrounding areas.

“I have always been interested in what happens to young people in some of the most important communities and cities across Britain.

“I am very keen to hear from them and to understand what they think is working and what we can implement to make their vocational, academic or apprenticeship journey worthwhile,” she added.

The afternoon consisted of a tour around the college including a visit to the Textile Academy and Engineering department where Dame Julia spoke to students at length, praised the wonderful work they are doing and encouraged them to continue pursuing their career goals.

As Vice President of Business in the Community and former Special Adviser to The Prince’s Charities where she concentrated on responsible business practice and connecting disadvantaged communities, she continues to promote collaboration among senior leaders from business, government, education and community organisations to build a more robust civil society.

Mrs Cleverdon also highlighted the National Literacy Service, which she chairs, and the National Citizen Service (NCS). She added that a lot of work has been done so far in engaging and promoting literacy to the whole community but that more work needed to be done.

Appointed to the NCS in 2018 for a two-year term, Dame Julia spoke of the work that the government-backed programme is doing and its innovation and real concern to do things to help the wider public.

13% of 16 year old students in Bradford went through the National Citizen Service last year and with the support of its social action element, it continues to empower young people to make a difference in their communities and to foster a sense of social responsibility for the future.

This year’s summer programme starts on 24 June 2019 and will host a series of business workshops, volunteering and fundraising programmes. Approximately 500,000 teenagers have taken part in the scheme since 2011.