Bournemouth and Poole College News

Driving Forward With New Qualifications

6th November 2009

Staff at New Driver join customised training programme

Staff at a well established regional driving school have put themselves to the test by joining a customised training programme designed to help them drive their business forward.

New Driver School of Motoring Ltd was set up over 20 years ago and now has around 250 instructors covering a 150 mile radius with their franchises. Sasha Morgan, proprietor at New Driver School of Motoring believes that in order to maintain a competitive edge in a tough market place it is important to always look for new ways to work smarter, and to implement business efficiencies.

Speaking of their plans, Sasha said, “We are currently embarking on a whole company re-brand, and along with that goes a clear strategy for continuous professional development for all 250 of our driving instructors plus our head office team. We believe it is critically important to constantly improve all aspects of running our business, including keeping up to speed with new technology.”

New Driver School of Motoring has been one of the first organisations to take advantage of funding and support available through the Leadership and Management Advisory Service (LMAS). Following a skills analysis provided free of charge by The Bournemouth and Poole College’s Business Enterprise team, assessors were able to implement a customised training programme combining NVQ’s, business administration and business management courses.

Dan Crowther, Business Development Manager at New Driver added “The assessors from The College have been very accommodating, able to work around our busy environment and our team have completed their qualifications much quicker than expected.

The CMI Certificate in First Line Management was an excellent learning experience; a fantastic mix of real life work issues and experiences linked to proven theories and management techniques. What has been most impressive is the immediate impact and benefits we have seen as a direct result of our training.”

Duncan Newman, Skills Advisor for Business Enterprise said, “As with the New Driver model, any size of business or organisation across the region can contact us on a no-obligation basis. Our consultancy service is complimentary, and we have the flexibility and resources to be able to develop bespoke training packages to suit your budget, plus advise you about any available or relevant funding you may be eligible for.”

For details call Business Enterprise on 0102 205500 or email be@thecollege.co.uk.

'Premier' Cabbies Join the Ranks

5th November 2009

Leading taxi firm in Christchurch keeps ahead of the game

A leading taxi firm based in Christchurch has been the first to take the progressive steps towards getting all its drivers qualified.

Neighbouring borough councils Bournemouth and Poole last year implemented taxi qualifications as a legal requirement, with non qualified drivers not permitted to be licensed.

Chritax Taxis Ltd. have been the first taxi company in the Christchurch area to provide uniformed drivers and have recently started to put their drivers through the NVQ level 2 in Road passenger Vehicle Driving with The Bournemouth and Poole College.

Chris Wilcox, Account Manager at Chritax Taxis Ltd said: “We are committed to delivering a premier service to our customers. I sincerely believe this qualification will give us the skills our customers are increasingly demanding and help us provide them with a satisfying service.”

The College has recently been awarded with the Training Quality Standard (TQS) in recognition for working closely with employers. Sharon Mackett, who set up the bespoke training programme commented, “In Bournemouth and Poole we have been delivering this taxi training as it is now a legal obligation. However, in Christchurch , Chritax have been the first company to take the initiative and come to us for a tailored training course to work around their needs. I have been impressed with the company and their drivers who are all keen and dedicated and want to offer a first class service to their customers. It’s a good move as customer satisfaction leads to a profitable and successful business.”

Oliver Welds Success

3rd November 2009

An Apprentice from The College wins National Sheet Metal competition

An Apprentice from the

College Celebrates Student Achievements

26th October 2009

The School of Hospitality and Food holds award ceremony

The

Floral Ties With Poole Pottery

22nd October 2009

Students create floral designs for new collection

Floristry students from the Bournemouth and Poole College recently held a competition at local retailer Poole Pottery for each of them to create a floral display to fit with the designs in their latest collection.

Students had the opportunity to choose their own piece and create a display to complement the design. Customers watched them at work and had the opportunity to vote for their favourite pieces over a few days.

Sarah Morgan, General Manager at Poole Pottery enthused “Our customers loved the idea of this and were astounded by the incredible artistry of each display. The student’s personalities and individual flair really shone through with one design even incorporating a fish to reflect our closeness to Poole harbour.”

Daniel Hale, 26, from Bournemouth was the overall winner with 34 of the votes and he received one of Poole Pottery’s vases as his prize, an exclusive one off piece with the certificate of guarantee signed by the artist.

Jo Richards, Floristry lecturer from The College commented “It was a great experience for the students to work whilst the public were watching in a commercial environment. It also gave the customers some ideas for their own displays!”

The floristry team can create bespoke floral designs and bouquets for any event or occasion at very competitive rates, call 01202 205894 for more information.

Inspiring Award for Student Volunteer

22nd October 2009

Time and dedication makes great impact on vinspired

MOTIVATION, helping charitable causes, hard work, and thinking about other people are not necessarily qualities that automatically spring to mind where teenagers are concerned. However, bucking the trend is a very inspirational music student at The Bournemouth and

Cherries Fans Cheer on Students

20th October 2009

New Football Coaching programme run in partnership with AFC Bournemouth...

Half time at Dean Court set the scene for a group of teenagers who are piloting a new Football Coaching programme run in partnership with AFC Bournemouth and The Bournemouth and Poole College. The lads who are all working towards NVQs in sport, recreation and allied occupations, were presented with the Football Association’s Level 1 Coaching Award, which is part of their training programme. Steve Cuss, Head of the Community Sports Trust at AFC Bournemouth said, “It was a great opportunity to present the students with their awards at our recent home game against Chesterfield. Over the five months of the course the students have shown great commitment and have worked really hard. They should all be proud of their achievements and I think they enjoyed being on the pitch with the fans cheering them on.” The inaugural course has proved to be popular with those participating, with learners already gaining qualifications including the FA Safeguarding Children certificate and the emergency aid award. Rob Garner, Faculty Director for Sixth Form Studies added, “As with many college courses, we add value by giving learners additional opportunities and experiences related to their subject. With the Football Coaching programme, the students are actually based with the Cherries at the Dean Court stadium which is a fantastic opening for those keen to develop a professional career in sports coaching.”
The College has seen an increase in applications for sports courses in general this year, including the first intake at the new Surf Academy and Watersports Academy, with the new recruits now getting into their first term of studies. Applications are already being taken for 2010 entry. Information evenings will be held at The College at the beginning of November for young people who are leaving school next year. To request a prospectus call The College helpline on 01202 205205. To keep up to date with Cherries news visit www.afcb.co.uk

Forging Business Links

14th October 2009

The College offers free hair and beauty treatments to shoppers

The

Students Help Produce Prospectus

14th October 2009

Next Steps Prospectus out now influenced by feedback from students

Designed to appeal to young people, The Bournemouth and Poole College’s new prospectus should hit the right notes, thanks to involvement from current students.

Staff at The College have been working closely with various student focus groups to find out exactly what sort of information they are looking for, and how they would like to see it presented.

Launching the 2010 – 2011 guide this week, The College’s marketing director, Julie-Anne Houldey said, “Making choices about post -16 education and training is probably one of the first major decisions a young person will make. Choosing whether to stay at school, move to college or look for a job, teenagers have to plan ahead when they sometimes may not be clear in their minds about a future career pathway. Research tells us that they use college prospectuses to help them with the decision making process, often with family members or school advisors.”

Feedback from students this year has influenced some of the content, such as more case studies, a clearer explanation of entry requirements, and clarity about course and qualification levels. As well as the content of the brochure, students voted on the design they liked the most, which this year has a ‘retro’ feel.

Julie-Anne added, “Speaking to college students or prospective students and their parents give us an interesting overview of how people like information presented to them. In spite of all the electronic and web-based forms of communication and information, teenagers tell us they still like to pick up a printed copy to look through with their friends, teachers or parents. Surprisingly, they also told us they really like to receive letters in the post, saving texting and social networking for their friends.”

The 2010 Next Steps guide is available free of charge and is available from Connexions advisors or directly from The College on 01202 205205. You can also order one on line at www.thecollege.co.uk or view e-prospectus on the website.

Minister Visits College on Tour of South West

9th October 2009

Jim Knight meets with young students

Jim Knight, Regional Minister for the South West, kick started his regional tour with a visit to The Bournemouth and

Colleges Week Celebrates Business Relationships

8th October 2009

Regional bosses pledge to train their staff, helping to protect their businesses from the economic downturn.

Despite the recession, The Bournemouth and Poole College has seen an encouraging take up for bespoke and corporate training as regional bosses pledge to train their staff, helping to protect their businesses from the economic downturn.

To celebrate this fact, and as part of national Colleges Week 2009, the Business Enterprise team at The College are hosting two events for local business partners.

The first is a ‘boost your business’ workshop organised in conjunction with Dorset Business (the Chamber of Commerce and Industry). This useful business breakfast seminar is an opportunity for local employers to discover more about training opportunities, apprenticeships and current funding. The second is a ‘big thank you’ dinner for employers who have already invested in staff training and are now reaping the rewards with a more highly skilled workforce.

The Bournemouth and Poole College will also utilise national Colleges Week to announce that it has just been awarded the prestigious Training Quality Standard (TQS) and has been recognised as ‘outstanding’ for its service to employers.

College Principal Lawrence Vincent said, “Nationwide colleges are instrumental in helping businesses and individuals achieve their goals. Attaining the TQS is testimony to our commitment to working closely with employers and empowering people in the south west to gain skills and qualifications that genuinely make a difference to the economy. When employers invest in training, they see tangible results, and our wish is to see the local economy future-proofed for the days of recovery.”

The ‘capitalising on your biggest asset’ workshop will be hosted at The College’s North Road campus in Poole on Tuesday 10 November at 07.45. Tickets are just £10.00 to include breakfast and refreshments and are available through Dorset Business on 01202 714810. Guest presenters will be Aish Technologies Ltd who will share their recent experiences of staff development and training.

Question Time in Town

6th October 2009

Students from The College become audience members

A lecturer and 3 students from The Bournemouth and Poole College ’s Foundation Degree in Marketing were audience members of the BBC’s Question Time when it came to town recently.

To mark 30 years on air, Question Time returned to Bournemouth as the party conference season kicks off and Nick Clegg hosted the Liberal Democrat’s conference in Bournemouth . The producers contacted The College to attend as they like to have an audience that is representative of all ages and the show also ties in well with one of the units on the Foundation degree; Global Business Contexts.

David Dimbleby was joined by Harriet Harman, Michael Heseltine, Digby Jones, David Laws and Fraser Nelson who discussed some of the latest topics in the headlines including the freeing of the Libyan man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing, Baroness Scotland, Nick Clegg’s latest conference and whether the closure of the makeshift camp at Calais will stop the flow of illegal immigrants to the UK.

Bradley Lansdale, college lecturer commented “It was a great experience for the students to be in the audience and encourage them to think about current affairs. At The College we promote participation in extra curricular activities to enhance what is gained on their course. The learners did put some questions forward about tuition fees and HE funding but unfortunately these were not asked!”

You can watch the episode back on iplayer by visiting http://bbc.co.uk/i/n0p0l/

The Faculty of Management and Leadership offer a number of courses at all levels including Marketing, Management and courses of a Financial nature. For more information call 01202 205205.

Specialist Manufacturer Sees Business Growth

5th October 2009

With a well planned corporate training programme

Hospital Metalcraft, a manufacturer of hospital equipment based in Blandford has seen substantial and continued business growth despite the recession. Managing Director Stuart Davis puts part of his company’s success down to a well planned corporate training programme, supported by The Bournemouth and Poole College.

The company, which is the largest employer in Blandford outside the MoD has been reaping the benefits of strong order books, able to maintain its staffing levels and invest in staff development and training.

Mr Davis said, “We believe in developing our teams, giving them the skills they need to be effective in their job, progress and move our company forward. The Bournemouth and Poole College has taken the time to understand our business and have helped us identify and plan a progressive training pyramid.”

The company’s values are to identify strengths and promote from within. This is supported by their training programme and continual development of staff. All tiers of staff have been involved in the training programme which is why Paul Start, Head of Business Continuity believes it has been a success. “It was hard to establish a training programme at first, however at senior management level it is accepted that to help us to reach our vision, mission and values we have to invest in our staff and training. In tough economic times, we are proud to be able to maintain our workforce and share in the success of this company.”

Being manufacturing based, members of the team have taken part in Business Improvement Techniques (BIT) and IOSH Safety courses. The BIT training has allowed many of their team to get more involved with other areas of the business and take greater charge of their own working space, recommending efficiencies and improvements.

Colin Kempster, Cell Leader is on the BIT training and enthuses, “The course gives you a real insight to your working practices and we have seen the benefits already. We work in project groups and are advised and guided by the trainer. At the end we can present the improvements to the Managing Director.”

The training was planned and organised through The College’s Business Enterprise team, a bespoke service to employers and businesses. The Business Enterprise team are able to provide bespoke training packages and can help identify any concessions or grants available to support workplace training. For a no-obligation consultation please call 01202 205500.

Excellence in Culinary Training

28th September 2009

National accreditation received for professional cookery diploma

The Bournemouth and Poole College has recently gained accreditation from the National Skills Academy (NSA) for Hospitality for its professional cookery diploma.

The College is one of only eight who have received this in recognition of their excellence in course content and delivery of the cookery diplomas. The idea behind the scheme is that it also gives employers a greater understanding of what exact skills graduates have.

David McHattie, chief executive of the NSA for Hospitality said “The FE sector has an incredibly important role to play in the development of our future chef talent – and it is essential that employers know which qualification they should seek and who delivers it to students with excellence.”

Nick Harris, Faculty Manager for Hospitality and Food comments “It’s a competitive job market at the moment and students want to be assured they are getting the best training they can for their prospective career in the industry”.

Students train in fully operational kitchens that service the Escoffier restaurant which opens its doors for the new term on the 6th October. The Escoffier offers the highest quality food and wine with contemporary flair, to find out more and to reserve a table call 01202 205874.

College Launches New Community Farm Project

24th September 2009

Harvest festival held to celebrate official opening

The Bournemouth and Poole College has officially launched its new Highmead Community Farm with a Harvest Festival and ceremonial tree planting.

The farm has recently re-located from land near Wareham to new premises at Ham Lane, in Longham near Ferndown, and has exciting plans for developing the farm further in the future.

Fiona Chapman, Director of Faculty for Foundation Studies and Skills for Life said, “For about the past 12 years we have been involved in outdoor gardening and horticulture projects for students with learning disabilities or difficulties. Moving to Highmead will enable us to expand this provision, and empower more learners to enjoy the facilities, helping them with their educational and personal development.”

There are already around 200 students using Highmead Community Farm for their studies, and this number may increase in the future. As well as horticultural skills, students look after chickens, grow organic vegetables and build their social and communication skills.

Project Manager Dave Pollard added, “Our ambition is to ultimately expand our community work. We currently work with schools and various outreach groups, and also some family learning activities. Our ideas include hosting regular open days for the public and setting up some weekend courses.”

Highmead Community Farm is leased from the Trehayne family who have given their full support to the scheme, with further grants given by Wessex Water for the irrigation system. The College is currently in the process of bidding for National Lottery funding to help with redeveloping teaching areas and workshops, and for improving the kitchen and toilet facilities.

Work has been underway at the four acre site for several months, erecting polytunnels, ploughing the land, laying irrigation and landscaping, and the team were proud to have an official opening ceremony.

The Harvest Festival celebration was led by College Chaplain Rev Stu Miller and Rev Laurie Clow from Hampreston Church.

Guests included the Mayor and Mayoress of Poole, Cllr Rev Charles Meachin and Rev Barbara Meachin; Cllr Mrs Pauline Reynolds, Chairman of East Dorset District Council, Mayor of Ferndown Cllr Queenie Comfort; college students and staff, and pupils from Hampreston School. Produce collected at the Harvest Festival will be distributed to Poole Food Bank, helping families in crisis.

Longer term staff at Highmead Community Farm hope to increase the small income already generated from selling produce. Dave added, “We currently sell our free range organic eggs and some of our produce to local stores. We would also like to introduce more livestock such as angora goats and pigs, and we intend to run a variety of short courses for the local community, such as animal keeping. We recently ran a poultry keeping class for beginners which was extremely popular.”

Allotment up for Grabs in Charity Draw

17th September 2009

Win a much sought after allotment and help students in need at the same time.

A unique opportunity has arisen to win a much sought after allotment on the Deans Court Estate in Wimborne and help students in need at the same time.

The unusual prize draw will entitle one lucky winner to grow their own fruit and vegetables free of charge on an allotment within the grounds of the private estate for a two year period, with the option to pay to renewal fee following that.

Sir William Hanham, a benefactor and supporter of The Bournemouth and Poole College Foundation has generously donated the prize to be drawn at the Feast of Dorset Food and Wine Festival being held on the estate this Sunday [Sunday 20th September 2009].

Director of the charity, Marion Davies said, “Allotments are extremely popular at the moment as people gravitate towards eco-friendly organic produce and ‘grow your own’. There are long waiting lists for all allotment plots across the area, so this is a wonderful opportunity to have your own growing space in this tranquil location and help raise funds for a very worthwhile cause.”

The College Foundation raises money to support students in need at The College, and is able to provide bursaries and additional resources not available through statutory funding.

Marion added, “We would like to sincerely thank Sir William Hanham and the other benefactors who have so generously donated prizes. This will be a draw with a difference!”

Other prizes include a 3 hour personal consultation with BBC Gardener of the Year Diana Guy, a gardening course with Diana, and a cash prize of £25. The allotment winner will also receive a starter pack of Rocket Gardens vegetable seeds to sow in their new patch.

Tickets for the prize draw are just £1.00 and will be available from The College Foundation stand at the Dorset Food and Wine Festival.

Innovation for Lauren

14th September 2009

Floristry Apprentice through to final 5 at Young Florist of the year competition

Lauren Curry, an Apprentice at the Bournemouth and Poole College has been adding to her floristry accolades with her latest achievement at the BFA Young Florist of the year competition at Tatton Park RHS Show. Lauren made it through to the final 5 who will go on to compete in Birmingham in October with the final winner gaining the opportunity to represent the UK in the Eurofleurs competition in 2010.

Lauren, who works at Sarah-Ann Florists in Fairmile, had to create a selection of designs as part of the competition and as 2009 is the European year of Creativity and Innovation the competition’s motto was ‘Image, Create, Innovate’.

The designs that Lauren chose to create included a hand tied presentation bouquet to be given to the wife of the EU president, an arrangement to stand in the reception area at the European Heads of State Banquet and a Memorial Tribute to celebrate the lives of famous European poets. The final ‘surprise’ section involved competitors being given identical flowers, sundries and a parasol to complete a design in a timed period.

Sarah-Marie Andrews, college tutor commented “Lauren is especially good at the timed section, whilst some find it hard to do something they have not previously prepared Lauren flourishes! We are all very proud of how much she has achieved and she is now waiting in anticipation to learn what she will have to complete for the next competition.”

Apprenticeships are a popular choice for young people that want to learn a trade as well as earn money in the real world of work. For information on opportunities available now contact the College Apprenticeship Training team on 01202 465533.

College Bus Service Contract Awarded

10th September 2009

The College has awarded Transdev Yellow Buses four bus routes across Dorset

The Bournemouth and Poole College has awarded Transdev Yellow Buses (TYB) the contract to operate four bus routes across Dorset for student transportation.
The college branded buses will hit the road this week as students start their new term of college education. College Principal Lawrence Vincent said, “This is a new pilot service for us. We are launching the subsidised bus service for full time students in areas where it can be problematic travelling across the conurbations. We are pleased to be working with Transdev Yellow Buses who have professionally supported the project and are bringing their expertise and excellent customer service into the mix.”
The pilot scheme will see buses running from Blandford, Swanage, Verwood and across Bournemouth, picking up at routes along the way and dropping students at various college campuses, terminating at either the main sites in Bournemouth or Poole.
As well as improving transport services for students, the new subsidised routes form part of ‘Green College’ and the green travel plan to promote increased use of public transport, and reduce campus parking problems.
Mark Keighley, TYB Business Development Manager commented, “We are delighted to have been awarded this high profile contract. It is an expansion of our ‘your bus’ fleet, providing comfortable, efficient services for students. We are starting with one double decker and 3 single decker buses, and if students enjoy the benefits of the service, we will support The College in expanding their fleet next year.”

The College has invested in the new service to support students and promote environmentally friendly transport. Student Services Manager Robin Coe added, “In this first year we have capacity to subsidise 200 full time learners. We’ve also put in place some additional benefits such as early bird breakfast discounts, and a text alarm call for those using the scheme. The take up to date has been very encouraging. Students and parents have welcomed this new direct to college service.”
Anyone wanting to apply to use The College’s subsidised bus service should call the Travel Co-ordinator on 01202 205660.
http://www.bybus.co.uk

Staff Recruitment Buoyant at The College

4th September 2009

The College has recruited more than fifty posts over the summer period.

The Bournemouth and Poole College has recruited to more than fifty posts over the summer vacation period with staffing levels all in place for the start of the new academic term.

The College’s human resources team report a significant rise in the number of applicants per post, which follows the national trend of more people looking to public sector employment opportunities.

Executive Director of HR, Sue Clyne said, “We would anticipate more candidates showing an interest during times of recession, but at a recent open day for assessors we had more than 500 people attending which was astonishing. Over the summer we have recruited 40 new members of staff and have also appointed to another 20 posts with internal candidates.”

The vacancies have been a combination of new posts, leavers and retirement vacancies being filled, plus the internal staff moves. Sue added, “Despite the government cut backs in public sector funding, further education provides a wide range of career opportunities for many people. Salaries and benefits are good, teaching staff enjoy excellent holiday entitlements and working in an environment where you are empowering people to improve their lives gives a feel good factor. We are fortunate to enjoy the buoyant recruitment situation as it gives us an even bigger pool of candidates from which we can select the best.”

Across the board, The College has seen every aspect of recruitment increase, including students applying for full time courses. A number of programmes have been significantly over subscribed this year, and part time enrolments are due to take place shortly, and the trend for those courses is expected to follow suit.

Football Coaching Students Gain Extra Awards

27th August 2009

Football Coaching programme in partnership with AFC Bournemouth

Students on the Football Coaching programme run in partnership with AFC Bournemouth and The Bournemouth and Poole College recently attended a Football Association Safeguarding Children workshop and also passed their award in Emergency Aid.

This new course enables students to work towards the FA Level 1 coaching award as well as obtaining an NVQ qualification, and other associated awards or certificates.

Steve Cuss, Head of the Community Sports Trust at AFC Bournemouth said, “This is the first college course we have run from the stadium. All the students have been working hard and are now being rewarded for their achievements. They are continuing with their studies towards the coaching awards.”

Rob Garner, The College’s Director of Faculty for Sixth Form Studies added, “This pilot scheme run in association with AFCB has been a huge success so far. It is a wonderful experience for the learners to be at the Dean Court stadium for their studies. They’ve learnt a lot about behind the scenes at a professional football club, which is all integral to their future career aspirations to be involved in football coaching.”

The majority of full time college courses have been over subscribed this year, including many of the sports courses offered, but to check availability for any courses starting this September please call the advice and guidance team on 01202 205312.

To keep up to date with Cherries news visit www.afcb.co.uk.

Imagine That

20th August 2009

Former College Student Excels at Microsoft student technology competition

Daniel Lisle, a former Bournemouth and Poole College student, recently won third place in the world finals of Microsoft’s Imagine Cup held in Cairo, Egypt.

The student, who is now at Bournemouth University studying Software Design, entered with a team from the University. The brief was to use a Microsoft programme to create an inspirational and educational game addressing the United Nations Millennium Development Goal.

They called their game ‘Defile of Eden’, which allows players to either look after the earth or destroy it with pollution. It competed against 140 groups in the final and won them a cash prize of $5,000.

Sylvianne Lambert-Hutchinson, a Lecturer from The College said “It’s great when past students keep in touch and we get to hear about their successes. Daniel went through a lot in his time at The College and has achieved so much, we are all very proud of him.”

Daniel also commented “If it wasn’t for The College giving me a second chance I wouldn’t be so focussed and driven to do well. This competition was such a great achievement, but I won’t be stopping there!”

The Imagine Cup is the world’s premier student technology competition. The contest runs over a year, with local, regional and online contests leading to the global finals held in a different location every year.

Superb A Level Results Celebrated at the College

20th August 2009

Students achieve a 97% overall pass rate

The achievements of students on A level courses at The Bournemouth and Poole College are being hailed as ‘superb’ with a 97% [97.3%] overall pass rate and a 100% pass rate across twenty four subjects.

Young Chefs With Recipe for Success

13th August 2009

Students graduate from the prestigious Specialised Chefs' Scholarship

Trainee chefs from The Bournemouth and Poole College headed to London to rejoice finishing their studies on the prestigious Specialised Chefs’ Scholarship. Eighteen successful students cooked up culinary delights for VIP guests at their graduation dinner held at the Royal Automobile Club, London.

Renowned as being one of the UK’s finest catering courses, the Specialised Chefs programme has seen over 232 graduates attain The Academy’s much coveted Diploma in Professional Cookery, an award which is deemed to be a passport to their future culinary careers.

Running for over 20 years, the course, sponsored by the Academy of Culinary Arts and Waitrose, food stores of the John Lewis Partnership, has gone from strength to strength. Former college graduates have gone on to work in some of the finest kitchens around the world, as far afield as the USA, Australia, New Zealand, the Caribbean and of course Europe and the UK.

John Williams MBE, Executive Head Chef of The Ritz, London and Executive Chairman of the Academy of Culinary Arts hosted the evening where guests including parents of the young chefs, employers, members of the Academy, the Savoy Educational Trust and members of The College celebrated and praised the support and commitment of everyone involved.

As part of their apprenticeship, the students focus on professional cookery, food service, patisserie and confectionery and study a combination of block release training at The College’s School of Hospitality and Food in Bournemouth and work-based learning with an employer.

This year the students have been completing their apprenticeships with esteemed employers such as Claridge’s, The Ritz, Buckingham Palace, Roux Fine Dining, Chewton Glen Hotel, and Langan’s Coq d’Or to name but a few. The students also benefit from additional training from food buyers, learning about provenance and organics with visits to farms producing food for Waitrose stores and taking part in food festivals across the summer.

Sharon Collett, Vice Principal commented “This course demonstrates just how powerful and successful training partnerships can be. Thanks to the commitment and expertise of college staff and the support of Waitrose and the Academy of Culinary Arts, catering students from the Specialised Chefs course will become the elite of their profession. I congratulate the students and all of those involved in aspiring them to reach their goals.”

The Bournemouth and Poole College’s Hospitality and Food department has just been accredited by the National Skills Academy for Hospitality, one of only eight in the UK.

Thirty Apprentices are enrolled to start the course in September, for details or further information contact The College helpline on 01202 205205.

Record Breaking Numbers Visit Kube

12th August 2009

Latest exhibition Retro Robot attracts new visitors

The

Picasso Themed Entry Scores Velvet in Top Six

11th August 2009

Student becomes runner up at Hair and Beauty competition

Velvet Jade Mitchamson from The Bournemouth and