Meet Sam & Sara – the Director of Apprenticeships and Work Based Learning and the new Business Development Manager respectively.
Sam Treadwell and Sara Jolly tell us about the college’s thriving apprenticeship provision and how they’re working to bridge the gap between the education sector and business community…
EDB: Please tell us more about East Durham College’s apprenticeship programme? ST: We currently offer over 30 apprenticeships in a diverse range of sectors and areas, from engineering and manufacturing, metal fabrication and carpentry and joinery to arborist, equine and horticulture.
We are always looking for new areas to offer apprenticeships in, but will only commit to something if we know we can do it well. The focus is very much on quality and that has really impressed me as I’ve got to grips with the role.
We are also keen that our apprenticeship offering is fit for purpose, so that our students are leaving here with a really tangible route into employment with businesses in the area.
We want our students to undertake apprenticeships that are right for them, in areas that they are passionate about, but that also fit with what the business community tells us they need.
EDB: Sam, you’re new into the role of Director of Apprenticeships. How are you finding it so far and what is your background? ST: I have been here around three months now and am really enjoying it. Before this I was at Education Partnership North East. I knew a couple of people here at East Durham College and heard about this role being advertised and was encouraged to go for it, as with my experience and skillset they felt it was a good fit.
The college has a great reputation within the further education sector so I was delighted when I was offered the role.
My focus is on building on the already excellent provisions and identify new areas that we may want to offer apprenticeships in, but we offer far more than just apprenticeships; for example we deliver bespoke training and CPD which taps into various funding streams which may be available.
EDB: Sara, you’re responsible for business development. Tell us more about that? SJ: I suppose I am the link between the college and the business community, looking at both sides to ensure that what we’re offering fits with the needs of our employers.
We appreciate that apprenticeships, training and funding are complex areas and at times businesses don’t know where to start. They’ll research but then stop because they think it’s complicated and time consuming.
But what we want to stress is, it isn’t their job to know all of it, it is ours, so if they speak to us we can work with them to identify what is best for their business. In some cases that can involve us working on a training needs analysis with the business to identify their needs, in others it’s simply about identifying whether an apprentice would be right for them. We can also help with the application process, or the paperwork they need to fill out to access our help.
Sometimes the process can take a year, sometimes five years, but Rome wasn’t built in a day and we’re here to guide them through every stage.
EDB: You’ve both worked for other organisations and colleges in the past. How does East Durham College compare? ST: I have been so impressed with the way the college works and the attention to detail in place across all provisions. The reputation it has for its excellent education and work-based learning programmes is rightly justified – the staff go above and beyond to give the students the very best chance of progressing with qualifications in the courses they’ve chosen to take so when they leave us they are ideally placed to either continue with their education or enter the world of work.
SJ: I feel like I have come home, as I worked here 20 years ago in a marketing role, but then I worked in commercial media for 20 years and also the University of Sunderland before I came back here 20 months ago. I am really enjoying being back, it’s like I’ve never been away.
I’m enjoying working with the business community and am very keen to strengthen my links with employers who are looking at their future plans and know they’ll need to recruit and develop existing staff to achieve their aims and objectives. eastdurham.ac.uk
