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A college principal has urged Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to increase funding for technical education in the upcoming spring statement.
Janet Gardner, Principal and Chief Executive at Waltham Forest College, has written to Mr Hunt calling for an increase in the budget which takes place next month.
College finances remain below what they were in 2010, according to economics think tank the Institute for Fiscal Studies. Funding cuts mean spending per pupil in 2024-25 will still be around 5% below 2010-11 levels and for adult students it is 22% below 2009' 10 levels.
Janet Gardner said: 'Skills remain a key priority and we need to continue to increase funding so we can continue to support the development of skills needed to boost the UK's economy and ensure the FE sector attracts and retains the very best staff to train the future talent employers need.'
Waltham Forest College is supporting the Mind the Skills Gap campaign, which has been launched by the Future Skills Coalition.
With job vacancies at near record levels of over 1 million according to the Office for National Statistics, businesses are struggling to fill important posts which is reducing their ability to grow, which in turn hampers the health of the local and national economy.
Mind the Skills Gap aims to highlight the important role colleges and other further education providers play in giving people the skills they need to enter these often specialised jobs. Colleges could do even more with greater funding.
The Rt Hon Sir George Iain Duncan Smith recently visited Waltham Forest College to witness firsthand, the important role colleges play in upskilling both young and adult learners in FE. He said:
'Filling the skills gap - it's important that we recognise FE colleges are right there doing that at moment. But the biggest problem we've got, is that they can't afford to do it all, because they need more investment and more funding.
'It's now time that we recognise, without FE colleges, we won't be able to get that reskilling or apprenticeships. The launch of Mind the Skills Gap, makes it very clear ' It's time for us to invest in FE colleges.'
The Future Skills Coalition is supported by sector organisations the Association of Colleges, the Association of Employment and Learning Providers and City & Guilds, has outlined three priorities to tackle this problem: A right to lifelong learning; fair, accessible and effective funding; and a national strategy to support local, inclusive growth.
The organisations held a campaign event in Parliament on Wednesday (1 March) attended by education and training leaders as well as several MPs and peers.
In an increasingly competitive market, Waltham Forest College has launched the Duke of Edinburgh's Award (DofE) that supports the personal and skills development of young people.
Created in 1956, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award aims to improve the personal development and employability of young people by offering individual achievements that differ from person to person depending on their goals, and by encouraging young people to get involved in exciting and new challenges.
Over time, the award builds and promotes teamwork, self-discipline, empathy, and independence which are important attributes to display whilst at college, in their personal life, and in the workplace.
Waltham Forest College is now a fully licensed DofE centre. The DofE Award is nationally and internationally recognised and favoured by employers and universities due to the skills and attributes young people gain to become more rounded and confident adults.
Public Services students have signed up for the Silver Award and are on track to complete the volunteering and skills aspect of the Award. They are excited to be progressing onto the expedition in the upcoming months.
Amir Ahmed, Director of Learner Experience, said: 'The introduction of the DofE Award is a key part of our strategy to develop a ' can do' culture amongst our student body and the opportunities offered to students are an essential part of the curriculum. Students bring skills and qualities learnt back into the campus, applying them in lessons and improving our college community' .
If you would like to know more about the College, please visit the College website at www.waltham.ac.uk to access more information and register for the Open Event.
Waltham Forest College continues to provide exciting opportunities for learners to develop ' essential skills' that prepares them for their future careers through impactful community collaboration.
Waltham Forest College positioned itself as an anchor institution within the community and supports the skills development of learners, not just with qualifications, but with an all-rounded learning experience bringing a positive impact to the community we serve.
November was a hive of creativity at Waltham Forest College as students were given the opportunity to collaborate with local curators Artillery and their associated designers towards the unveiling of a new sculpture to appear on Walthamstow's High Street.
A stunning 3-metre wall mounted sculpture of a griffin, created by Sandie M Sutton, with a celebratory event that launched its arrival to a sea of vibrant flags. Participatory Public Artist and Designer, Alisa Rusavina, led workshops with local community groups and students from Waltham Forest College to create eight flags that reflected the diversity of trades seen and how our community interacts with its high street, a project granted by the Mayor of London's 'Untold Stories' initiative, sponsored by Waltham Forest Council.
The project was hugely successful. Artillery CIC said: "As curators and creative producers, Artillery grow unique projects that forge a cultural ecology within our community. We make visible real pathways into the Creative Industries by partnering with schools and colleges like Waltham Forest College"
The project helped to bring the College and its local community together, whilst enhancing the learners' experience.
Director of Learner Services, Amir Ahmed said: "The College is considered a vital partner to the business community as it continues to provide London with a workforce that closes the skills gap across various industrial and professional sectors. Work-based training and community projects are essential work-experience for our learners, and opportunities to engage with the industry designers met during Artillery's event are vital enrichment to our Curriculum Programmes".
If you would like to partner with the College on a project or community venture, contact the College at
Waltham Forest College has been recognised for its commitment to a fair workplace, being as open and as inclusive as possible, ensuring its #TeamForest workforce are able to fulfil their potential, and make the College and economy more innovative and productive.
The Mayor of London launched his Good Work Standard as part of his commitment to making London the best city in the world to work.
Waltham Forest College is the only further education college to be officially accredited as a leading ' Good Work Standard' employer, incorporating the College value - ' Focus on People'.
Principal and CEO Janet Gardner said: 'We are pleased to be one of the Mayor's Good Work Standard employers in London. We believe this is an important recognition of how we value our most important asset ' our staff.'
The panel was particularly impressed with:
- Commitment to providing health, wellbeing and development of staff.
- Consistent and effective communication across the organisation.
- Focus on continuous development of an inclusive and diverse workforce.
The Mayor's Good Work Standard sets the benchmark for the best employment standards and helps employers contribute to a fairer and more inclusive London economy. This means an economy that works for all Londoners and means more Londoners can access good jobs.
The Good Work Standard recognises best practice across four pillars: fair pay and conditions, workplace wellbeing, skills and progression and diversity and recruitment.
To make this happen, the Mayor is working with businesses like ours to celebrate excellent work practices and assist businesses in adopting best practice approaches by bringing together a range of support and resources. Accredited employers currently cover retail, care, finance, banking, local government, media, the culture and creative industries, charities and more.
By signing up to the Mayor's Good Work Standard, employers signal that they are committed to healthy, fair and inclusive workplaces; an important step in attracting and retaining a diverse, talented and successful workforce to assist other businesses in realising these benefits.
To read more about the Mayor's Good Work Standard, visit The Good Work Standard (GWS) | London City Hall.
If you are interested in progressing your career at Waltham Forest College, visit the College website for more information and vacancies: www.waltham.ac.uk/vacancies.
The remarkable accomplishments of Ashanti France from Waltham Forest College was celebrated as she was awarded the prestigious bronze BTEC Award for Business and Enterprise Learner of the Year 2022.
Ashanti, aged 19 was recognised by teachers and peers for being an exemplary member of Team Forest and driving change through her positive engagement as part of her Students' Union role. Her passion, tenacity and willingness to help and support her peers has led to a drive-in active participation in student led enrichment activities.
Ashanti commented: 'The College has supported my training and empowered me to use my voice to implement positive change. I feel I have an active role here at the College and my ambition is to further develop platforms for students to engage that leads to improved learning experience, through positive contribution' .
Ashanti's hard work and dedication wowed the judges, who felt they were left with no choice but to award here the Bronze Award.
Rochelle Saneria, Director of Curriculum, said 'The Business Team and I are immensely proud of everything Ashanti has achieved with us at Waltham Forest College. Since arriving in the UK a couple of years ago, Ashanti demonstrated being a dedicated and exemplar student. In addition to exceeding with her studies, Ashanti also worked part time, a true role model to her peers. The lecturing team found her a joy to teach and was a shining star in the group. We are so pleased to see that all of her hard work and total dedication has paid off. We look forward to seeing where Ashanti's journey leads her onto ' and we are sure that whichever company employs her, it will lead to business success and a promising future for her' .
Award winners were recognised by Pearson in over twenty categories, including Health and Social Care, Engineering, Music, Esports and Creative Media, with each winner selected from thousands ' and often tens of thousands ' of eligible students.
Freya Thomas Monk, Senior Vice President for Vocational Qualifications and Training, said: 'After two long years spent giving or receiving lessons behind a computer screen, through face masks, or socially distanced, 2022 has been a whirlwind for everyone involved in education. Considering this, it makes the inspiring achievements documented in Ashanti's submission all the more impressive. The hard work and commitment she and all our award winners demonstrated is extraordinary.'
Hundreds of thousands of learners across the globe have completed BTEC courses over the past year. The'career-focused'qualifications are a vital route for those pursuing careers in'sectors such as'IT, business, the creative industries, healthcare, engineering, construction and future industries. Many of these industries, such as health and social care, engineering, and IT and computing, are suffering from chronic staff shortages and skills gaps, which this year's cohort of graduates ' whether they were Award winners or not ' will be more than equipped to fill.
Angelina Khan, Creative Arts student from Waltham Forest College, is here to make a real impact in her new role as the Students' Union Sustainability Officer.
Waltham Forest College is committed to ensuring that its impact on the environment both locally and globally is minimised, via efficient use of resources, energy, and in its purchasing and waste management policies. The College has committed to reduce its carbon footprint and strive to be carbon neutral and have a Students' Sustainability Action Group to help drive this change.
Angelina Khan, sustainable fashion enthusiast and Students' Union Sustainability Officer, shares insights of her plans to drive the awareness and help tackle climate emergency.
'I choose Waltham Forest College because I wanted to venture outside my borough and try something new; plus, I also heard really good things about the College! Three years on, I'm quite proud to be able to say that as a college, we are taking the steps to do our part in becoming a sustainable and green college.
'When I attended my year 3 induction in September, I was informed of a new role within the Students' Union Team ' Sustainability Officer. My friends encouraged me to nominate myself, being such a highly confident, climate-conscious person, I knew I would be able to contribute skills and knowledge gained from past experiences.
'I was previously involved in a project known as the Listening Circles in Hackney, formed to help bring about climate consciousness. This was an eye-opening experience that made me realise that there were many people who are concerned with climate emergency but uninformed on how to respond. That was the beginning of my passion to do my part to help raise the awareness.'
Angelina goes on to share her plans in her new role as Sustainability Officer.
'I plan to take my role seriously and achieve all that we as a team set out to do, in making all (especially young people) feel empowered to take small steps to effect change, and to raise the awareness on the simplicity of getting involved!.
These include'
- Having more access to waste sorted bins around campus
- Maximise usage of the College's eco-friendly water bottles by encouraging re-filling via the College's water dispensers
- Facilitate a ' Swap Shop' for students and staff to swap unwanted clothes & tech items
- Organise & deliver themed workshops on upcycling and recycling
- Introduce eco-incentives for learners, such as tokens or points to reward their sustainable efforts
If you would like to know more about the College's Sustainable Green initiative and impact, visit the College website at www.waltham.ac.uk to access more information in the College prospectus.
In a world where a university degree is more commonplace than ever before, standing out from the crowd when it comes to finding employment can seem somewhat daunting. Leaving school with all the theoretical knowledge you'd need to succeed is one thing but being able to apply your understanding in a practical way is a skill that can only be learnt by getting involved and having those experiences.
A vocational qualification from Waltham Forest College is an excellent way of acquiring the proficiency and talent that universities and employers are looking for, a fact that student, Jahan Hussain, understood well.
'In 2020, I achieved an outstanding set of A level grades with a B in biology, A in chemistry and A* in psychology. I had already been accepted to Kings College London to start a degree course in Biomedical science and was preparing for this next chapter of my education. However, when researching the requirements of having a successful career and flourishing in the work environment, I found that skills are just as vital as knowledge. I realised that I had knowledge, but my skillset was very limited and according to my research, the chances of me thriving are lower than those with a developed skillset. Therefore, I decided to reject my offer from Kings College London and wanted to expand my skillset in a field that can contribute to many areas of knowledge and that was IT. After doing more research, I found the BTEC L3 National Extended Certificate in IT at Waltham Forest College.'
Jahan goes on to further explain: 'I believed this was the perfect course for me as the units such as data modelling and creating systems to manage information (Database Systems subject) are prevalent in many areas like science, finance, and marketing. This means my skillset will expand to multiple areas like these and I can leave with an additional qualification that will allow me to stand out amongst other graduates with just A levels and a degree.'
A clear example of how technical qualifications can enhance your skills beyond simply ticking a box, the opportunities on offer at Waltham Forest College could impact your entire career path, most especially the ease with which you are able to take that first step.
'Not only will I stand out and have a higher chance of becoming successful at work, but my grades and additional qualifications will make me more attractive to employers and more opportunities will be coming my way. I believe my decision to study this course during my gap year instead of going to university straight away is one of the best decisions I have made.'
This is certainly evident by the fact that Jahan successfully completed the first year of the BTEC L3 National Extended Certificate in IT with Distinction overall, allowing her to move forward with more confidence in her own abilities and setting herself apart from the rest with her newfound skills.
'I have now been accepted again at Kings College London and preparing myself for this chapter of my education where I am certain I will utilize all the skills and knowledge I have learnt in this IT department at Waltham Forest College.'
Whether you're looking for more skills, still deciding what your dream career might be, or you're an adult learner looking for inspiration, Waltham Forest College is here to support you as you strive to achieve your dreams. Knowing that many would face difficulties in their day-to-day lives by returning to education, the College offer assistance in the form of financial aid such as bursaries, childcare assistance, and free breakfast for all students.
To find out more about the College and how it can help you to achieve your own aspirations, simply head over to their website www.waltham.ac.uk and register for the next Open Event on Wednesday 19th October, 4pm ' 7pm.
Today, Thursday 25 August, marks for many students another step towards creating their futures in higher education, employment or on an apprenticeship.
Young and adult learners arrived in their numbers today to be recognised and celebrated by college staff for their GCSE achievement.
Waltham Forest College offers the opportunity for many adults to improve their literacy and numeracy skills.
Adult learner, Lidiia Aristova, is celebrating her grade 8 achievement in maths. She said: 'All my hard work has finally paid off and this has given me the confidence to take up GSCE English in September. I am truly grateful to my tutor for believing in me and for all the support given throughout my course.'
Amene Karimi, who also achieved a grade 8 in GCSE maths alongside studying her A Levels, will now be moving on to study Primary Mathematics PGCE at the University of Greenwich. She said: 'I'm now one step closer to my dream of becoming a fully qualified Maths Teacher and look forward to starting my course at the University of Greenwich.'
Hundreds of learners sat GSCE maths and English exams this year, with many also taking vocational qualifications designed to help them progress onto their chosen careers.
Deputy Principal, Hassan Rizvi said;
'We're so proud of our students celebrating their amazing achievement today. Not only is it proof of their commitment to succeed, but it also reflects the high-quality teaching and learning that takes place here at the College, particularly in supporting learners to create their future.
'We're happy to see so many of our students progressing to higher levels of study which includes progression onto university, apprenticeships and into exciting careers.'
School leavers receiving their GCSE results as well as adult learners looking to enrol on a course can visit the College from today, August 25th to enrol on a course.
The College's Learner Services Team is also on hand to advise and support those who are concerned about their grades and looking for a placement to start in September. For more information visit www.waltham.ac.uk.
Students are breaking traditional pathways to achieve higher levels of success.
Today, approximately 200,000 students receive their Level 3 BTEC results according to Pearson, the awarding body for the qualifications. Amongst them are Waltham Forest College students, who attended the campus to collect their results after much anticipation.
Students were awarded grades ranging from a ' Starred Distinction' to a ' Pass' securing top university places and employment offers, proving that BTEC is a fantastic pathway to progress onto higher education and high-skilled employment.
Public Services students, Gulnar Gultekin and Doganay Dogan are today celebrating their results leading to positive destinations. Gulnar was awarded a ' Triple Starred Distinction', and has now secured an offer from City, University of London to study International Politics and Sociology, whilst classmate Doganay Dogan will be moving on to become an Ambulance Practitioner with St John's Ambulance.
Gulnar commented: 'Waltham Forest College is a great place to study as I have been supported every step of the way, to achieve my career goals. I will miss the vibrant environment, classmates and my tutors but I cannot wait to start university and build new successes' .
It was all tears of joy for BTEC Business student, Michelle Sichitiu, after receiving a Triple Starred Distinction'.
After sharing the news with her mum, she said: 'It has been a tough year with what is happening around the world and one thing the College has taught us is to become resilient. I have worked so hard to achieve the top marks whilst maintaining a part-time role, and I am super excited to progress onto the Institute of Banking and Finance, to further my knowledge and pursue a career in commercial finance' .
BTECs are rigorous, future-focussed, and globally recognised qualifications that equip learners of all ages with the knowledge, skills, behaviours, and confidence to succeed in a modern, skills-based economy. One in five UK working-age adults have one or more BTECs, and 6 million learners have achieved a BTEC in the last decade.
Another Public Services student; Abdullah Mohammad, said;
'Happy to have received Triple Distinctions and looking forward to studying Criminology and Sociology at City, University of London. My learning experience has been incredible, and I valued my time here at the College and how I shaped my learning by taking part in additional enrichment and work experience activities that have helped me define the career I wish to pursue, but also provided great experiences through teaching, learning and enrichment.'
Deputy Principal of Waltham Forest College, Hassan Rizvi, said: 'Our students have performed extremely well, and I am pleased that they are progressing onto top universities and entering highly skilled and well-paid employment in a variety of sectors. This is a true testament of their hard work and dedication throughout their time at the College.
'The College will continue to work in close partnership with key employers and universities to support our students in realising their career and personal development aspirations.'
The College has a wide range of vocational and technical courses and apprenticeship routes for GSCE students awaiting results. Enrolment begins on Thursday 25th August for those receiving results or who have been given an offer at the College. Visit the College website www.waltham.ac.uk for more information.
