Summer 2015. £5

Supporting college marketing professionals since 1987FEFIRST

Derby College launches innovativelearning academy with local builders

BUILDING FUTURES

See page11

Launching the 2015 FE First Awardsfor marketing excellence – see p6. Have your creativity, initiative andhard work recognised this year..!

CMN social networks

FacebookJoin us at our Facebook site athttp://www.facebook.com/TheCollegeMarketingNetwork

CMN BlogVisit our blog athttp://cmnoffice.wordpress.com andjoin the discussions there.

CMN JISCmail groupJoin our thriving JISCmail group toshare experiences and ask for help andadvice from colleagues. A confidentialnetwork where you can ask for supportwith any aspect of marketing. Emailoffice@m-network.org to join.

Linked In groupA Linked In group for CMN membershas been created called CollegeMarketing Network. It’s a “closed”group so you do have to be a memberof CMN to join. Discuss issues withcolleagues around the country andshare experiences without leaving yourdesk.

Twitter@cmnoffice - trying to keep you up-to-date with what’s happening withthe Network, at the office and aboutfuture events. Why not follow us andbe the first to find out what’s going on?

2 www.m-network.org

contenthighlights3 .........................CMN’s new mentoring scheme launched4 ....................................Be inspired at our 2015 conference6 ...............................................2015 FE First Awards launched8 ...................................................Regional meetings round-up10 ............................................................Chief Executive’s report12 ..........................................................Edge Clever innovations14 .....................................................Marketing Career Colleges16 .................................................Shrewsbury College Agency17 ....................................................................................People news18 ........................................Promoting careers in agriculture20 ...................................................Your digital marketing plan22 ..........................................................Sixth form college news

OUR JISCmail networking group is aprivate email group of CMN members,who you can ask for advice, for informationand to share experiences.

All you need to do to join is email me,and I will sign you up to our group - thenyou receive a welcome email from JISCmailasking you to register a password with thesite. You'll then be directed to our homepage where past discussions are filedmonth by month - browse the topics andresponses, join in or start a new topic.

If you've forgotten your password oraren't sure if you are registered, get intouch and I will check for you.

Don't forget - all emails go to allregistered colleagues, so please keep themprofessional and relevant. Full set of rulesfor use below:JISCmail group rules

The aim of the group is to enableconfidential networking betweenmembers to help them increase their skillsand experience in college marketing.

CONFIDENTIALITY: Nothing discussedwithin the group should becommunicated to anyone outside it. Nointelligence shared within the group is tobe given to external companies ororganisations. Members found to have

Keep intouch with

EditorialEditor: Rachel SmithSales & Advertising: 01772 257833Design:Hewetson Media 07776 143005ProductionPrinted on FSC (Forest StewardshipCouncil) approved paperEventsConference Organiser: Alex ErwinFE First is published by The CollegeMarketing Network and is sent to theUK’s Further Education MarketingManagers via subscription. If youwould like to subscribe, pleasecontact us on 01772 257833.

If you would like more informationabout the Network, our publicationsand seminars or almost any aspect ofmarketing in FE, then please contactthe College Marketing Network, F16,Preston Technology ManagementCentre, Marsh Lane, Preston PR1 8UQor email office@m-network.org

Disclaimer:FE First has a policy of fairness to itsreaders and everybody who comes intocontact with the magazine. We offer aright of reply to anyone who has reasonto believe they have been slighted in thepublication.

To this end we welcome letters, butalso publish a clarifications andcorrections column should the needarise.

Whenever it is recognised that asignificant inaccuracy, misleadingstatement or distorted report has beenpublished, it will be corrected promptlyand with due prominence.

We endeavour to get things right andin most instances we do. However, FEFirst supports the Press ComplaintsCommission Code of Practice. If you feel we have failed to match up tothese high standards, please write toThe Editor at the address above.

The views expressed by our contributorsare personal and may not reflect the viewsof the College Marketing Network.

done so will be removed from the group.Participants must be marketing staff

directly employed by the college, notexternal consultants, outsourced providers orsimilar.

Unlimited enquiries can be posted but theymust be directly related to individuals' jobs incollege marketing - all posts will bemonitored and sanctions will include removalfrom the group.

All posts should be written in clear, simpleEnglish, not textspeak, and should berespectful and constructive. The CMN will nottolerate any abusive or defamatory language

and any posts deemed inappropriate will beremoved and the poster removed from thegroup.

Members should respect the fact that this isa private group for internal networking, andshould seek permission from colleagues ifthey want to use any materials or experiencesshared within their own college. Anyinformation shared via JISCmail must NOT becommunicated to any third party outside theCMN group.

If your college leaves the College MarketingNetwork, all members of staff enrolled in theCMN JISCmail group will be deleted from it.

JISCmail

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THE COLLEGE MarketingNetwork has launched amentoring support service

for marketing staff in membercolleges (whilst in currentmembership).

We hope this can be a service wecan offer to staff at all levels: formanagers who may be new to FE, formarketers who need to develop a newskill, for junior staff starting theircollege marketing careers. The servicewe can offer will of course depend onthe numbers of you willing tovolunteer as mentors, as often demandexceeds supply for this kind of support.

DefinitionFor the purposes of this service, we aredefining mentoring as being apersonal development relationship, tohelp people develop their potentialand progress in their careers in collegemarketing.

AdministrationMembers should register with theoffice (via office@m-network.org) as apotential mentor or mentee, orpreferably both, in a range of areas –you can choose one area, like teamdevelopment and management, orseveral. Registration will be bycompleting a form asking for specificinformation.

The CMN will maintain a databaseand will match potential mentors andmentees. Individuals will be asked toprovide:

The areas in which they could offermentoring;

The focus of their mentoring need;The levels of their current

competency and experience;

The programmeCMN will supply a simple proformacontract for the two parties tocomplete and sign. A copy of thiscontract should be sent to the CMNoffice but once this has been agreed,the two parties will then beresponsible for completing thementoring project and will informCMN when it is complete.

CMN may then ask for feedback fromboth parties on how effective thescheme has been as a mentoring

exercise (but not on the detail of thetargets set for the mentee, progressachieved, etc.)

We suggest that a mentoring projectshould last six months, with the twoparties meeting or communicatingvirtually for a significant period (eg anhour) each month. Up to 3 targets orareas of focus should be agreed at thefirst meeting, which should bereported/reviewed/updated asrequired at each meeting with the aimof completing them by the end of thesix months.

The scheme is only open to collegesremaining in membership of CMN – if acollege terminates its membershipbefore the end of a mentoringagreement, the CMN cannot be heldresponsible for this. If a mentee loses amentor in this way, CMN willendeavour to provide a replacementbut will not guarantee to do so.

Benefits to mentors and menteesCMN hopes that members will see thisas a significant addition to theirmember benefits, enabling:

Individuals to learn new skills;Individuals to pass on skills and

develop colleagues to the benefit ofthe college marketing profession;

Individuals to gain personal and jobsatisfaction;

Individuals to add to their skills andCVs;

Individuals to improve overall skillslevels within college marketing.The service is free to CMN members,but any travelling or other expensesinvolved in a mentoring project wouldbe borne by the individual or theircollege.

TrainingCMN does not have the capacity tooffer training to be a mentor, butpotential mentors will be welcome tocontact the CMN office for an informaldiscussion about what will beexpected.

You may have access to appropriatetraining through your college oranother professional organisation, andwe may be able to signpost otherresources available.

For more information, contactRachel Smith on 01772 257833 or atoffice@m-network.org

FORMER Barnsley College student AmyTurner has capped a successful period in herfootballing career by being commended atthe 2015 Professional Footballers’ Association(PFA) Awards.

The 23-year-old, who is currently studyingfor a PGCE at University Campus Barnsley,was nominated in the Young Women’s Playerof the Year category.

The nomination followed hot on the heelsof Amy’s debut for the England women’sfootball team in March and herperformances in defence for FA Women'sSuper League club Notts County Ladiesduring the 2014 season.

Amy has also tasted success in her role ascoach of Barnsley College’s under-19swomen’s football team, who clinched theAssociation of Colleges (AoC) Yorkshire andHumberside Female Football Leaguerecently.

Amy said: “It was a bit surreal on the nightas I was sitting next to some Chelsea playersand it was strange to see them clapping mein action on the video screen! It was a specialnight.”

Enabling mentoringsupport for members

Amy’s a league leaderat PFA award ceremony

NEWSfrom colleges

Be inspired..!

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OUR 28th Annual Conferencewill take place on Monday 23rdand Tuesday 24th November at

the Hilton Leicester. Book the datesnow in your diary!

We’ll have a great range of plenaryspeakers and practical workshops, someoffered by external companies andsuppliers, others by your marketing peers.

We’ll have some marketing suppliersattending as exhibitors and the conferenceand awards will be supported by the AoC,Net Natives and FEmarketing, amongstothers. And there’ll be lots of opportunitiesto network with colleagues. And we’ll havethe 2015 FE First Awards and Gala Dinneron the evening of Monday 23rd November.

You can choose to attend for the fullresidential event – including all meals andaccommodation – and this is probably thebest way to get the most out ofconference. But we also have lots of flexible

options to attend as a day delegate or for awide range of combinations eg. Attend forthe Monday as a day delegate and stay onfor the gala dinner with bed & breakfast. Orcome to the gala dinner, stay overnightand attend the conference on the Tuesdaymorning.

Accommodation will also be available atconference rates for those travelling somedistance on the Sunday evening. Justcontact the office to enquire for details.

Our Annual Conference brochure will bepublished and circulated soon and moreinformation will be emailed out to you overcoming months. Looking forward to seeingyou there.

*If you have any suggestions for inspirationalspeakers (who don’t charge a fee) or if youwould like to volunteer to lead a workshop,please get in touch at office@m-network.org

Alex ErwinConference Organiser

ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2015What you said aboutlast year’s conference:

The conference provided agreat opportunity to meetcolleagues from collegesacross the country and topick up new ideas andinitiatives from the excellentrange of workshops.

Covered all critical issuesfacing FE marketers todayand a great networkingopportunity.

Really great way to sharegood practice and meetother college marketingprofessionals.

Good opportunity tonetwork, bond with yourteam and find out somemarketing insights fromother colleagues.

Really useful couple of dayswith informative speakers.Good networkingopportunities.

A great event where youcan network with othercollege marketingprofessionals, share bestpractice and discusschallenges within the FEsector.

Excellent event for sharinggood practice, networkingwith marketing people at alllevels and in a relaxed andpleasant atmosphere.Highly recommend it.

An excellent supportgroup. Great to discussideas and developmentsand be reassured that weare all working to thesame issues!

“

“

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DO you know a company or supplier that would be interestedin supporting our FE First Awards and Annual Conference?

Why not encourage them to join us in celebrating the best in collegemarketing in 2015 by sponsoring the Awards and/or supporting our28th Annual Conference, to be held at the Hilton Hotel Leicester, 23rd– 24th November.

The FE First Awards 2015First awarded in 1998, the FE Firsts are highly valued by collegemarketers as the only awards specifically for FE/post-16 marketing.Here are just two comments from recent winners:

We’re inviting companies working in post-16 marketing to associatethemselves with the excitement and prestige of the awards, and toshow their commitment to the dynamic and creative work beingdone at the forefront of college marketing, recognised both withinand beyond the FE sector for its innovation.

Options include:Sponsor an Awards category Support the presentation

ceremony Award winners’ brochure editorial

28th Annual Conference of theCollege Marketing NetworkThe only residential annualconference focussing on allaspects of college marketing.

Options include:sponsoring the conference

(two levels available)exhibiting at the conferenceexhibiting alongside awards

sponsorship

More options available onrequest – contact us on 01772257833 or office@m-network.org

We’re inviting companiesworking in post-16 marketingto associate themselves withthe excitement and prestigeof the awards, and to showtheir commitment to thedynamic and creative workbeing done at the forefront ofcollege marketing.

The only residential annualconference focussing on allaspects of college marketing

Supporting CMN in 2015

Collegiate Media

Hotcourses

Global Radio

Lesniak Swann

Glued

www.m-network.org 6

The College Marketing Network isinviting entries for the 2015 FE FirstAwards for Marketing Excellence. Theawards will be presented at the CollegeMarketing Network’s Gala Dinner onMonday 23rd November 2015 as part ofour 28th Annual Conference at the HiltonLeicester.

The categories for FE First Awards2015 are:

PR campaignCommunications campaignEvents managementWebsite development, sponsored byFEmarketingInnovation Digital and social media campaign, sponsored by Net NativesSchool leaver recruitment campaignSpecialised recruitment campaignPrint publicationFull-time prospectusMarketing Team of the Year,* sponsored by AoCLifetime Achievement Award*

* These categories are only open to collegesin current membership of the CollegeMarketing Network at the time of theaward being made (23rd November 2015).

What Awards will be made?Judges can award a Gold, Silver andHighly Commended award in eachcategory. Judges reserve the right not tomake all of these awards if they do notfeel all the entries reach their expectedstandard.

Shortlisted colleges will be contactedbefore the 2015 Annual Conference andinvited to the Gala Dinner and Awardsceremony at the Hilton Leicester. Theorganisers very much hope that thoseshortlisted for one of the Awards will beavailable to attend, so that all awards canbe made at the ceremony.

How to ApplyThe deadline for entries to arrive in hardcopy at the CMN Office is 1pm, Monday28th September 2015. Please note: incomplete or late entriescannot be accepted. The following items MUST be included

with your entry:1 awards entry form to cover all the

categories you enter;A purchase order number or entry fee

for the total number of entries;3 copies of each category submission,

including any prospectuses, brochures orcampaign literature, in 3 separate folders;

A completed proforma executivesummary at the front of each of the threecopies of your entry.* Don’t forget there are separateproforma entry forms and guidance foreach category. Your entry MUST be madeon the correct proforma which isavailable for download at www.m-network.org

Extra information about the categories,criteria and how to enter can be found atwww.m-network.org

PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ THEGUIDANCE AND THE PROFORMAS,even if you have entered the Awardsbefore, as there are specificrequirements for your entry. If you donot read and follow the guidance, yourentry may not be considered.

Awards entry fees:MEMBERS – £70 per category for the

first 2 categories entered, or £65 percategory if three or more are entered.

NON-MEMBERS – £105 for eachcategory entered.(or join the College Marketing Networkbefore 14th August 2015 and pay thereduced members’rate.)

VAT is N/A to entry fees Remittance details available on

request; cheques must be made payableto ‘The College Marketing Network’

Send your entries, with an entry form, to The College Marketing Network, F16, Preston Technology ManagementCentre, Marsh Lane, PRESTON, PR18UQTel: 01772 257833Email for enquiries: office@m-network.org (Please note: we do notaccept entries via e-mail)PLEASE NOTE we do not return anyentries.

The College Marketing Network’s

FE FIRST AWARDS 2015

“Receiving the “InnovativeUse of Technology” goldaward at The MarketingNetwork Conference wasa real career high ….because this award was averdict made on oursignificant move towardsusing digital media as aprimary communicationchannel. For this to beevaluated by industryprofessionals was veryimportant to us.”

Dave Cooper, SolihullCollege, also winner ofthe 2014 LifetimeAchievement FE FirstAward

“The benefits for us havebeen widespread: gaininga third partyendorsement of ourservice enhances ourreputation bothinternally and externallyand is always anincredible morale boost…. Not only are they afantastic way to gainrecognition from industrypeers but they alsoshowcase thedepartment, create abuzz and raise the bar soother departments beginto think about how theycan gain recognition fortheir excellent practicetoo. It helps to create aninternal culture ofpushing boundaries andraising aspirations.”

Elvie-Jo Shergold,Barnet & SouthgateCollege, winner of FEFirst Awards includingGold for PrintPublication 2014 and(with her team) Gold forMarketing Team of theYear 2014

YOU SAID

Birmingham Metropolitan College

Marketing Team of 2014: Barnet &Southgate College

Bedford College

7www.m-network.org

Bournville College and friends

Activate Learning

Lifetime Achievement Award: Dave Cooper

8 www.m-network.org

REPORTDirector of Finance

& Strategy

O NE of the great benefits of theMarketing Network has always beenthe chance to network with

colleagues at our free regional meetings –where members can share experiences, hearfrom fellow practitioners and discuss theissues facing them.

Following your positive feedback, we’ve focussedon peer-to-peer presentations at the meetings,sharing expertise and experiences with fellowmarketers.

We’ve also benefited from the support of DigitalEdge, the new FE marketing company set up byDave Cooper, previously Director of Marketing atSolihull College and winner of our 2014 LifetimeAchievement FE First Award last November.

We’ve covered a new model for restructuringmarketing teams, using research to support 16-18marketing and curriculum planning, producingquality video on a small budget, summerrecruitment campaigns and achieving high profilePR around apprenticeships.

We’ve made time for round-table discussions ofyour key topics, and we’ve heard from Dave aboutnew developments in digital prospectus building,providing course information and biometrics.

I’d like to thank all of our college speakers for theirtime and their courage in presenting to theirpeers – always the most critical audience! Thanksto:

Michael Bennett, South Essex CollegeElvie Shergold, Barnet & Southgate CollegeMiriam Braham, Activate LearningMatt Brown, Aylesbury College

Charmian Turner & Catherine Buckley,Shrewsbury College

Louise Marsden, The Manchester College

It’s been really impressive to meet so manymembers who are busy, committed andenthusiastic about their work, but who are alsokeen to take the time to learn and develop skillsby coming to our meetings.

The regional meetings are free, and form one ofyour key member benefits, and we aim to makethe programmes as useful to you as we can – weknow it’s hard to justify time out of the office soyou need to get lots out of the day. They are alsoan ideal opportunity for us to meet you and findout what your concerns and priorities are, to helpwith planning future events.

Thanks also to our host colleges this year –Birmingham Metropolitan, Aylesbury, WestThames and Rugby (part of the WarwickshireColleges Group) – for making us welcome andproviding their facilities free of charge. We reallyappreciate the support of member colleges inenabling these meetings to take place. Thanks toRachel, our Chief Executive, for all the organisationof these events.

Although November seems a long way off,planning is already under way for our big event ofthe year – the 28th Annual Conference, 23rd -24th November at the Hilton Leicester. Get thedates in your diary now, and I look forward toseeing you there!

Alex ErwinDirector of Finance & StrategyCollege Marketing Network

Making the most of your member benefits

‘It’s been reallyimpressive tomeet so manymembers who

are busy,committed and

enthusiasticabout their work.’

NEWSfrom colleges

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A COLLEGE in Cumbria received glowingrecognition at a prestigious industry food awardsceremony recently.

Kendal College has been the host venue for theCumbria Life Food & Drink Awards for the last threeyears – an event which brings together and celebratesCumbria’s best hospitality businesses.

The awards are one of the College’s most prestigiousand challenging nights of the year, as around 40hospitality students cater for and server a speciallycreated and locally sourced 3-course dinner to around200 invited guests.

This year’s event was hosted by TV presenter HelenSkelton, who along with Chairman of Judges StevenDoherty, presented the evening’s final and headlineaward for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Cumbrian Food& Drink’to Kendal College.

Judges praised the “Lakes School”, the college’s hoteland catering department, as one of the top schools ofits kind. They highlighted investment in state-of-the-artteaching facilities and the success of the College’s ownrestaurant as major achievements, along with thedevelopment of the Castle Dairy restaurant, which isbased in Kendal town centre, and run by apprenticesunder the guidance of Head Chef, Robert Stacey. TheCastle Dairy is a previous winner of the BestNeighbourhood Restaurant award.

Speaking after the event, Graham Wilkinson, Principalat Kendal College and a former chef, said: “It’s lovely tobe recognised on the day for the things thedepartment has done over a 15-year period.”

Robert Marshall-Slater, another former chef and nowHead of Culinary Arts at Kendal College, said: “Largescale events like these awards are a fantastic platformfor our students to showcase their skills to potentialfuture employers – the great and good of Cumbria’shospitality industry – who between them have manyyears of experience, Michelin stars, and numerous AArosettes.

“Over the last three years, we have proved that wecan successfully deliver the full package and we’redelighted with the feedback we receive from the highprofile guests both on the night and afterwards, asmany of them regularly come to dine with us at theCollege’s restaurant.”

For more information, visit http://www.kendal.ac.ukand for more information on the Cumbria Life Food &Drink Awards, visit http://cumbrialifefoodawards.co.uk

College recognisedat key food awards

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NOW open – the FE First Awards2015! We have several newcategories again this year to keepup-to-date with your priorities –thanks to those of you who took partin our consultation on this.

There is more information on the website(www.m-network.org) and on the blog(www.cmnoffice.wordpress.com), whereyou can download the proforma entryforms as well.

The 28th Annual Conference is nowbeing planned for 23rd - 24th Novemberat the Hilton Leicester.

We’ll be following the same format as lastyear with a Monday morning start, andthere will be rooms available atconference rates on the Sunday eveningfor those of you travelling long distances.

As always, there’ll be a wide range offlexible attendance options availableincluding attendance just for the galadinner and FE First Awards on theMonday evening.

I’ve spent a lot of time recently workingon the regional meetings – moreinformation about these elsewhere in themagazine.

We’ve also launched our new mentoringscheme recently – thanks to all those of

you who took part in the consultation onthis, and especially to those of you whohave volunteered already to take part.

If you are interested in finding out more,please get in touch on office@m-network.org. Thanks to Sarah Baxter,Director of Sales & Marketing at BedfordCollege, who made the suggestion to us.

And we’ll soon be getting all the detailedresults of our recent benchmarkingsurvey of college marketing, which Ihope will be a really valuable resource foryou.

Members who completed the survey willreceive a free copy of the detailed results,which will also be available to purchase ifyou didn’t take part. Thanks to all thoseof you who contributed.

And don’t forget our JISCmail (privateemail discussion) group for CMNmembers. I’ve summarised the processand rules again in these pages, in caseyou’re not familiar with JISCmail.

As always, I’d like to thank our Director ofFinance & Strategy, Alex Erwin, for hissupport in the office and with organisingthe regional meetings. And thanks to ourcollege contributors for taking the timeto write articles for this issue.

Rachel SmithChief Executive

New categories inFE First Awards

NEWSfrom colleges

Caring for hedgehogs

Media bus visits Bury

THE Animal Care team at Derby College’sBroomfield Hall held a one day course to helplocal people care for hedgehogs in theirgardens this Spring.

The course covered all aspects of attractingand then looking after these shy creatures asthey wake from hibernation. Sessionsincluded handling, correct feeding andcarrying out health checks.

The course was run by zoologist AbbyBruce who was a veterinary nurse specialisingin hedgehog conservation before joiningDerby College as an Animal Care lecturer.

She said: “Nationally, the hedgehogpopulation is in decline so it is important thatpeople understand how to look after theseanimals if they come into the garden, what tofeed them on, signs of ill-health and whatthey should do if there is a problem.

“Our resident hedgehogs have beeninjured and are therefore not able to bereleased back into the wild. Tipsy has a headtrauma and balance issues and Tripod hasjust three legs.”

Chief Executive’s report

PETROC’S top catering students gathered at the North DevonCampus recently for the college’s 2015 Chef of the YearCompetition.

The annual event, held in partnership with Philip DennisFoodservice, was open to students on all food-related courses.

Head judge was Mark Dodson of the Michelin-starredMasons Arms in Knowstone. He said: “I will be looking forsomeone who puts a twist on a classic dish; someone withcreative flair. I will also be looking for someone who isdisciplined and works well under pressure.”

Students were required to design two dishes to suit theMasons Arms menu. After an intense two hours, the judgeschose Jake Hatch (pictured) as their Chef of the Year.

“Jake produced the tastiest dish. Presentation and methodis obviously very important but at the end of the day, food isthere to be eaten and Jake produced an exceptional dish,”explained Mark.

Part of Jake’s prize is to work at the Masons Arms with Mark:“It’ll be a once in a lifetime opportunity. I can’t wait!”he said.

Trainee chefs battle it out

The Key103 media bus visited Bury Collegeto highlight apprenticeships recently.

Setting up shop at the heart of thecampus, the bus invited students to sharetheir career aspirations after college.

Journalist Paul Hurst took the lead withinteractive sessions creating podcasts andinterviews and giving some impartialadvice about different routes intoemployment.

He said, “We want to bust some mythsaround what people know aboutapprenticeships!

Paul and his colleague Justin werejoined by Cherry Hughes, advisor from thecareers charity Positive Steps. Their aim isto raise the profile of apprenticeships as areal alternative to higher education

Jobs warning as funding cutsthreaten adult training courses

11www.m-network.org

THOUSANDS of people across the North East could losethe chance of retraining for new job opportunities as aresult of “drastic” government cuts.

That was the stark warning from college principals in theregion, who have united in their opposition to a 24% cut infunding for adult learning for 2015/16 announced by the SkillsFunding Agency.

The £460m reduction, which follows five years of fundingcuts for the further education sector, will result in swathes ofadult education courses being removed.

They will include employability programmes that are crucialin enabling unemployed adults to access the labour market andin tackling social and economic exclusion.

Vocational courses that develop the practical skills demandedby employers will also be affected, in sectors such asengineering, manufacturing, health and social care, andconstruction.

This comes at a time when the proportion of over-50s in theworkforce is set to rise to a third of the workforce by 2020 (from27 per cent at the moment) and 50 per cent of workers agedover 55 are proposing to work beyond the state pension age.*

In an unprecedented move, principals from colleges acrossthe North East have joined forces with union leaders to lobbypublicly against the swingeing cuts. All 16 North-East FEcolleges are involved in the campaign.

Natalie Davison, Principal of Bishop Auckland College, said:“How can we improve skills to help North East firms compete inthe global marketplace when adult learning funding has beenreduced by 50% in real terms since 2009?

“This will have a devastating impact on the communities weserve. It will stop unemployed people being able to accesstraining to help them secure work, and hamper businesseswanting to upskill their workforce in order to enable growth.”

A DERBY businessman hasteamed up with Derby College tolaunch an innovative learningacademy to tackle the skillsshortages facing the constructionindustry.

Ian Hodgkinson, who ownsHodgkinson Builders, will workwith the College to launch TheHodgkinson Brickwork Academythis September at two of DerbyCollege’s campuses.

As well as teaching practicalbrickwork skills and theorystudies, students will haveindividual support andmentoring from Mr Hodgkinsonand his team, practical workexperience and a guaranteedinterview with the company atthe completion of their one ortwo year course.

Mr Hodgkinson explained: “Wehave politicians on all sidespromising great house buildingprogrammes but, at the presentrate, we will struggle to find the

people to build them. “This is where our new

academy comes in. I’ve workedwith Derby College on theirEmployment and Skills Board andalways been very impressed bytheir facilities and their teaching.

“This approach to training willhave a positive effect on the localand national economy. Our aim isto build a future workforce forthe UK. A workforce that has theacademic, technical and life skillsto thrive in the modernworkplace.”

Derby College Director April

Hayhurst continued: “As a Collegewe are committed to workingwith employers to ensure thatthe skills we are developing inyoung people today are thoserequired by businesses in the

future. “Our aim is to help smooth the

transition from education toemployment and with that, fill askills gap that this country sobadly needs.”

Why Ian isbuilding aworkforce of the future

Ian Hodgkinson and April Hayhurst launch the new academy

United in opposition: Darren Hankey, Principal ofHartlepool College of Further Education; Natalie Davison,Principal of Bishop Auckland College; and Suzanne Duncan,Principal of East Durham College. Photo by Barry Pells.

www.m-network.org 12

Applyinginnovation

Edge Clever Feature

by Dave Cooper

EDUCATION marketing has often been shaped by thepolitical landscape. Changes in curriculum,participation eligibility and funding all have animpact.

Whilst this agenda affects the marketing message, issuesaround falling school leaver demographics, reducingfunding and increasing competition mean growingnumbers is now the only way to meet income targets. Atthe same time, colleges face even further pressure assignificant operating budget cuts have resulted inreductions in support staff including within marketing.

The intensity of this dilemma would suggest it is not a goodtime to be involved in education marketing, howevernothing could be further from the truth. Those of us whohave significant experience in marketing know that havingto overcome significant adversity allows you to thinkoutside the box. The pressure to do what was always donereduces and management becomes more receptive tochange, aware the “same old” will no longer deliver theresults.

Working in FE marketing for some considerable time, I havelived with the financial pressures regularly placed on thesector and the changes these bring. Often these are in-yearwith little or no time for effective planning. However, whilstthese demands grow and change, the basic processundertaken by Marketing has, for many, remainedunaltered. Significant spend on printed documents basedon historic necessity and adverts in papers and radio tooptimistically grow the number of enquirers still pervadesthe sector. At the same time, the governament’s recentwhite paper “Make or Break: The UK’s Digital Future” seemsto formalise what many in education know needs tohappen. Though the document focuses on the curriculumthat needs to be delivered, it has wider implications on thedelivery infrastructure, particularly in the face of continuedreduction in revenue.

As part of a senior management team, it was clear to me anumber of years ago that the current financial situation wasinevitable and in order to ensure success, traditionalmarketing strategies needed to change. Implementing thismeant moving from digital supporting print to digital as theprimary source. Online prospectuses were only thebeginning as the bigger vision was to develop not only acomplete digital communications strategy but acomprehensive digital student enquiry journey that wasmore streamlined and essentially trackable.

Though individual elements were offered by separatesuppliers, in areas such as social media, web design, appsand alumni, no-one had looked to encompass the biggerpicture. It was clear then that understanding your enquirers,students and their destinations is crucial.

ineducation

With this as a backdrop, EdgeClever wasborn. As part of the BeClever group, thecompany is unique as it brings togetherexperts from both the FE sector and thefast-moving world of digitalcommunications and innovation.

EdgeClever is headed up by Dave Cooperand Michelle Rodger, who between themhave over 40 years’ experience ineducation, and have collected awardsfrom both education and industry for theircolleges and for individual achievements.The development side, DevClever, is an

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innovative digital architecture company working with many prestigiousnational and international clients, excelling in areas such as retail biometricsand customer engagement, segmentation and retention.

Already working with a number of colleges developing their digitalarchitecture from websites to integrated enquiry software and with aninvestment of £250,000 to develop an increased infrastructure to supporteducation, the Edge Clever business model provides a unique opportunityfor education marketers to benefit from a broad digital marketingexperience.

The current education portfolio of products include innovative web design,and a series of Clever products which includes CleverHub, CleverFlip,CleverForm, and CleverTrack.

The Clever Hub is a fully live course leaflet management solution thataccepts imports from MIS and allows Marketing to internally create fullyeditable course leaflets. This easy-to-use system can then export to bothcollege marketing channels as well as third party affiliate sites and itincorporates HESA data and HE course specifications. Essentially, the CleverHub system allows Marketing to be not just accountable for courseinformation but also empowered to manage its content and context whilsttaking accurate course file data from MIS.

CleverFlip is an interactive, digital prospectus that can be created in minutesand at the touch of a button. Using data pulled from the CleverHub system,this magazine style brochure presents images, videos and information in aforward thinking, high tech manner and it can completely personalised andtailored to any college. Not only that, it can be amended at any time, it isquick to produce and it is cost effective. As it also lets students applydirectly for courses, it further simplifies the application process anderadicates the need for paper based applications and traditional printedbrochures.

CleverForm (Fully Outsourced Registration Management) is a unique systemthat has been designed to track attendance at open days whilst collatingcrucial data for remarketing purposes.

Through employing a branded, self service check-in area complete withinteractive biometric pods, the CleverForm system collates crucial biometricdata whilst allowing for quicker registration and improving the guestexperience. It also frees up vital staff and resources as attendees registerthemselves, allows students to pre-register for the event and even sendsalerts and notifications of upcoming events.

CleverTrack is a communication system which is designed to ensure that acollege communicates with applying students more effectively via a web-based app. The app allows students to track the progress of applicationsand through the use of push notifications, a college can communicate ‘keepwarm’ information on open days, taster events and student successes. Asthe student progresses through the college, information aroundprogression, apprenticeships, and new provisions can all be promoted.Essentially, it provides a direct, trackable communication channel to astudent that is completely tailored to their needs.

Behind all of these products sits an application-mapping package.Cleverform uses data captured both online and at events to give up-to-datemapping of where your enquiries and applicants are coming from. Thesubjects of interest, schools they attend and where they reside are allidentified and a realtime map ensures Marketing can develop strategies tomaximise or mitigate trends and changes in potential student behaviour.

All of the products in the set have been created with the aim of saving bothtime and money for FE institutions and for the first time, the completejourney from enquiring, applying, re-enrolling, progression and alumni canbe seen as a single marketable journey. At the same time, these productsenable the management of the marketing function to be more effective,which is essential for success in today’s ever evolving and highly challengingeducation sector..

To find out more about these revolutionary products please visitwww.edgeclever.co.uk.

Record numbersattend Fleecy Frolics

Engineering day toencourage more girls

FLEECY Frolics, MerristWood College’s annuallambing event, sawthousands of visitors flockto the 400 acre site duringApril. The top attraction was ofcourse the Lambing Unithousing the new bornlambs. There were even afew live lambings on theday and visitors had achance to cuddle the newarrivals, including twins.Principal Mike Potter CBEsaid: “This is a greatcommunity event and anexcellent showcase of ourprogrammes. Everyone had

a fantastic day and we weredelighted with the recordnumber of visitors”

DERBY College recently held a special event to encouragemore girls into Engineering.

Derby College Director Neil Fowkes explained: “It isimportant that we raise the profile of Engineering as acareer as it’s the backbone of the local and regionaleconomy.

“Nationally, according to the Royal Academy of Engineers,around 100,000 new science, technology, engineering andmaths graduates are needed every year to fulfil the jobopportunities in the UK.

Among the Engineering students currently at DerbyCollege are twins Nikita and Daniela Johnson, aged 17(below), from Chaddesden. Daniela said: “Engineering issomething we’ve both always been interested in. We lovedmaking and fixing things right since we were little.”

Nikita added: “We had Barbies when we were young andwe’d deliberately pull their heads off just so we could workout how to put them on again!”

NEWSfrom colleges

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Successfully marketing a new FE concept

The Career Collegesexperience

By Sarah NewmanDirector of Marketing and Communications atthe Career Colleges Trust.

T HE MAIN aim of the marketingteam within an FE college is almostalways to help ensure that student

recruitment targets are met. A number ofstrategies are employed to achieve this –usually incorporating an annualprospectus, a series of open events, directmail and online activity.

Increasingly though, in a time of budget cutsand competition, colleges are having tobecome much more creative with theirmarketing strategies.

And with this in mind, what happens when atotally new, innovative concept is introducedto a college? How do you demonstrate toprospective students that this is somethingtotally different and not simply a new course?

Career Colleges were conceived by formerEducation Secretary, Lord Baker to helpaddress the growing skills gaps appearing inthis country. They aim to provide 14-19 yearolds with career-focused, employer lededucation. Students study for their GCSEsalongside high quality vocational study, withcurriculums designed and delivered byemployers.

The upshot of this unique educational modelis that alongside gaining necessary academicqualifications, young people develop theemployability and enterprise skills thatemployers so badly need and gain a clear lineof sight to work.

The difficulty of marketing such a concept isgetting across to new students and theirparents exactly what a Career College is andwhy/how it is different from a normal FEcourse.

Many FE College have great links withemployers and day-release programmes havebeen in operation for many years. But CareerColleges are different in the fact thatemployers design the curriculum and have anactive, ongoing role in the delivery.

Career Colleges acknowledge that not everyyoung person is suited to a purely academicschool environment; others will flourish in amore hands on and practical set-up, beingtaught by industry professionals and learninghow business works.

So where do you start with communicatingthis and how best to market such an excitingoffer?

Harrow College will be opening two CareerColleges in September 2015 – one of whichspecialising in Digital and the other inProfessional Services, the first of its kind in theUK.

The College quite rightly identified thatcommunicating the message internally firstwas key. Getting staff on board is vital,ensuring they become advocates for the neweducational concept.

Current students must also be included in thisinternal communication; not only to make

them aware of future opportunities, but tohelp them understand the positive impact oftheir College being involved with a nationalmovement.

When putting the message out to externalaudiences, ultimately the focus has to be onparents and prospective students. Numerousstudies suggest that parents are the biggestsingle influence on a young person’s careerdecisions, with schools and teachers coming inbehind. Parents need to be well-informedabout the options available.

Producing a prospectus and holding an openday, although important, can reflect the(wrong) message that this is just anothercollege course. A much more effective strategyis to get employers to take the lead by, forexample, holding an open event on their ownpremises.An employer-led campaign, featuring a keyfigure from the industry and focusing oncareer opportunities for young people willhave far more traction with parents than an

Often, youngpeople have noidea as to what aparticular industrysector even is, letalone the careeropportunitiesavailable within it.

“

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Strategic alliance tomeet skills agenda

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NEWSfrom colleges

event fronted by the college.

South Tyneside College did just this, with itsemployer partner Siemens, to recruit youngpeople to its new Career College North East.

Siemens hosted the career-focused event onits own premises, demonstrating to parentsand students not only the employmentopportunities available, but that here was anemployer committed to providing high qualityvocational education. As a result, SouthTyneside has nearly filled all the 14-16 placesfor its September 2015 opening.

Harrow is planning something similar in theweeks leading up to the opening of its CareerColleges, to be located in the EnterpriseCentre, also scheduled to open in September2015.Often, young people have no idea as to what a

particular industry sector even is, let alone thecareer opportunities available within it.

This is something that colleges must address, ifthey are to attract prospective students. Socialmedia must come into play here – with thecreation of targeted online campaigns thatreach the right audience.

Getting employers and experts into schools tochat to children about their particular industryis also a great way of getting the message outthere.

More and more colleges are choosing todiversify from their core business now –expanding their offers in order to generatenew income streams. This innovation presentsa wealth of opportunity for marketing teamsand it is certainly an exciting place to be rightnow.

ONE of the largest and most significant higher andfurther education partnerships in the country hasbeen formed by The Manchester College andManchester Metropolitan University (MMU).

This strategic alliance aims to offer an innovativeresponse to the opportunities presented bydevolution, placing the two organisations in a strongposition to meet the skills agenda in GreaterManchester.

The partnership will provide higher level technicaland vocational education opportunities forcommunities throughout Greater Manchester.University-level courses with flexible study optionsare being developed which will be delivered by TheManchester College and validated by MMU, forminga key part of the College’s exciting plans to open adedicated higher education facility in Manchester.

Plans are also being developed to offer higher levelApprenticeships and Apprenticeship degrees,providing new pathways for learners to progressthrough qualification levels into better employment.

The new partnership also plans to work togetheron bids to allow a more holistic response to meetingemployers’needs for training and workforcedevelopment at all levels.

The collaboration not only signals closer workingon initiatives for employers and residents, but alsoprovides a new platform for cutting-edge criminaljustice research. The Manchester College is the largestprovider of offender training and education in thecountry, working with around 55,000 offenders atover 100 locations around the country.

The Young People’s Estate of the National OffenderManagement Service will partially fund research byleading academics at MMU into the impact of theCollege’s programmes on young offenderreoffending rates. The latest innovations in offenderlearning and management will also be explored.

John Thornhill, Chief Executive of The ManchesterCollege Group, said: “By bringing together two of thelargest educational institutions in the UK, thepartnership will create an educational ‘powerhouse’based in the North West. This is brilliant news for ourstaff, students, employers and the GreaterManchester and national economies."

L-R: John Thornhill, Chief Executive of TheManchester College Group and Professor JohnBrooks, Vice Chancellor of Manchester MetropolitanUniversity

NEWSfrom colleges

Developing the future talent pooOver 200 studentsregister to vote

Students have alava-ly adventure

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I N SEPTEMBER 2013 Shrewsbury Collegelaunched an innovative concept toensure students get the experience they

need to help them move on to furthereducation or employment and in two yearsit has already helped nearly 2000 youngpeople.

The Agency involves a team working to helpstudents gain the skills they need to progress.And the 600+ Shropshire businesses alreadyworking with the college are being invited to tapinto a talent pool of over 9,000 full and part-timestudents.

Already there are huge plans in the pipeline toexpand The Agency, as the college completes its£15m re-development, including the newEmployability Passport scheme.

Students will sign up to get involved in five areas- academic achievement, work experience,volunteering, enrichment and enterpriseactivities. They will have to gain credit in all fiveaspects and will then gain their passport whichwill demonstrate their skills to employers. Thescheme has been endorsed by the ShropshireBusiness Board.

Agency Manager Karen Hayward said: “TheAgency was designed to support studentprogression, onto higher education oremployment and we offer careers advice, workexperience opportunities and employer projects.

“We are developing opportunities for localemployers to tap into the skills of thousands ofstudents who are studying a range of vocationaland academic courses including Motor Sport,Aeronautical Engineering, Entrepreneurship,Visual Merchandising and Retail and many more.

“We arrange work placements for students eitheras part of their curriculum or for experience fortheir CVs. We act just like a recruitment agencyand are organising about 600 work experienceplacements this academic year.

“We are inviting businesses, across a range ofsectors, to contact us with any roles they have,either for work-experience, full, part-time orcasual roles or if they are looking for anapprentice or to fill a graduate level position andwe can advertise them on our online job shopfor free and put forward students from age 16and above.”

Principal Steve Wain said: “We are creating acollege which prepares students better for lifeafter they leave us. It is more apparent than everthat employers want people who are ‘ready forwork’.

“We were delighted when the college becameone of the first FE colleges in the West Midlandsto become a member of the National Associationof Student Employment Services (NASES) withour new ‘one-stop job shop’.

ADVENTUROUS students set foot on newground during a breathtaking trip to theland of ice and fire.

The South Cheshire College A-Levelgroup spent four days in Iceland learningall about the volcanically-active Nordicisland, located on the fringes of the ArcticCircle.

During the trip, students visited historicalsites and natural phenomena including theLake Pingvallavatn and Gullfoss, theSeljalandsfoss waterfall and Skogarmuseum, one of the best folklore museumsin the country.

They also spent a morning at the famousBlue Lagoon, a natural outdoor spa whichis one of the most visited attractions inIceland.

MORE than 200 students registered tovote during a drive by Waltham ForestCollege to encourage young people totake part in the political process.

The college invited Operation BlackVote to bring their big orange bus to itsmain campus during its tour of the UK.

The bus is equipped with 30 computersto enable people to register online, andstudents flocked to it to obtain the rightto vote in time for the General Election inMay.

OBV Director Simon Woolley said: "Wehad more than 200 people registering tovote, not only students but alsoconstruction staff working on site, andbutchers visiting the College.

The College also invited five prospectiveparliamentary candidates from the majorparties to take part in a lunchtime debateheld in the students' common room.

l in Shropshire

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“As part of the activities around this, we held aCareers Week and a later Jobs Fair jointly withour local Jobcentre Plus. Both were hugelysuccessful, involving over 40 employers andexternal speakers, Shropshire Youth advisers andinternal staff who focused on studentprogression.”

For more information, contact Karen Haywardon karenh@shrewsbury.ac.uk or 01743 342644.Visit www.shrewsbury.ac.uk, follow on twitter@shrewsburycol or like us on Facebook atshrewsburycollege

PEOPLE

NEWS IN BRIEF

COLIN Booth OBE, Principal of BarnsleyCollege for the past seven years, is to leavehis post at the end of September 2015.

Colin has been appointed as the new ChiefExecutive and Principal of Leeds City Collegefollowing Peter Roberts’ decision to retireafter six years in post. Leeds City College isone of the largest college groups in thecountry.

Colin was appointed as Principal ofBarnsley College in 2008 and steered thecollege to an Ofsted outstanding rating,doubling turnover and achieving studentsuccess rates that are among the best in thesector.

EASTER this year brought with it a change at the helm of Salford CityCollege with the announcement from the Corporation that JohnSpindler is to join the College as its new Chief Executive Officer andPrincipal from the beginning of the summer term. John was DeputyPrincipal of Hopwood Hall in Rochdale, where he played a major rolein transforming that college.

In his new role, John will be responsible for leading Salford CityCollege through working in partnership both internally with theCorporation and management team, and externally with GreaterManchester partners to shape the future strategic direction anddeliver against the College’s mission, vision and values.

Barnsley College Principal totake up new challenge

Salford City College appoints new CEO

Dr Lynne Sedgmore has announced her plans to retire later this year, after seven years asexecutive director of the 157 Group and 35 years working in the further education sector. DrSedgmore will stand down once a new chief executive has been appointed to lead the group.

Sarah Robinson, chair of the 157 Group and principal of Stoke on Trent College, said, “UnderLynne’s leadership, the 157 Group has become established as a major organisation in the sector,an influential body fulfilling Sir Andrew Foster’s vision that principals of large, successful collegesshould play a greater role in policymaking.”

There have been lots of changes in the marketingdepartments of member colleges over recentmonths. Here are some:

Beth Curtis, previously Head of BusinessDevelopment at Lincoln College, is now Head ofBusiness Development at the Education BusinessPartnership.

Laura Hodgkinson, Marketing Team Leader atLincoln College, is now Account Manager at OptimaGraphic Design.

Kate Atwell has moved from her post as MarketingManager at the Warwickshire Colleges Group, to oneas Sales Manager at Educare Learning Ltd. StephanieCombs is now Marketing Manager at WCG.

Nikki Kennard, previously Marketing Manager atChelmsford College, is now Communicationsmanager for the De Vere Travel Group. SarahHamilton, Employer Engagement Manager, iscurrently responsible for marketing at the college

and for recruiting a new team.

Linda Tebb, previously Marketing Manager atBishop Burton College, is the new Head of Marketingat York College.

Rachel Gowers, has moved from BirminghamMetropolitan College to become Marketingmanager for Learners at UCAS.

Lee Parker, previously Marketing Manager atBedford College, is now Marketing Manager atISMM.

Jeff Hyland has moved from his post as PR &Marketing manager at Westminster KingswayCollege to become Editor at the Commonwealthparliamentary Association.

Jane Chapman, previously Head of Marketing atBracknell & Wokingham College, is now Director ofMarketing and Student Services at FarnboroughCollege of Technology.

W RITTLE College has teamed upwith industry bodies to launch anew campaign which aims to

raise awareness of careers in agriculture. Targeted at secondary school students, the

campaign aims to tackle stereotypes of thesector, as well as explaining the impactagriculture has on the world around us.Organisations including Lantra and the EssexAgricultural Society have given their backingto help improve the appeal of agriculture toyounger people.

Craig Emery, Marketing Manager, said:“Agriculture is such an important industry forthe long-term future of the planet and it’s vitalthat the younger generation understand the

impact agriculture has on all our lives. “It was essential to get the support of

organisations such as Bright Crop and Lantra,as we are all positively promoting careerswithin the food and farming sector, and are all

passionate about the sustainability of theworld.

“The purpose of this campaign is to try andexplain agriculture in a way that the youngergeneration will listen to and encourage themto consider a career within this field.

“There are many different pathways forpeople from many different backgrounds andthat’s the message we are trying to get across.People may assume that you need to be froma farming background to do well atagriculture, and I think these are the types ofbarriers we are trying to overcome.”

Dan Corlett of Farming and CountrysideEducation (FACE), the charity behind BrightCrop, said: "Bright Crop's research shows that96% of young people wouldn't consider acareer in agriculture.

The main reason is that they simply aren'taware of the diversity of roles, the scale of theindustry, or the career potential. This videopresents farming as it is - dynamic, highlyprofessional, and above all - vital to our world".

The launch of this campaign is the start ofan online #WrittleFutures campaign.

To view the video go to the Writtle CollegeYouTube channel:www.youtube.com/writtlecollege1

Digging in for a career in

agriculture

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College teams upwith business topromote the roleof farming sector

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NEWSfrom colleges

SHREWSBURY-based artist and lecturer Ed Catley has had a piece selected for the RoyalAcademy’s Summer Exhibition.

Ed is course Leader for the UAL Extended Diploma at Shrewsbury College and an associateLecturer at Staffordshire University.

Hi protrait, ‘Malcolm 2014’, is a large wood-cut portrait painting, which took him eightmonths to complete.

Ed has exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts before and at other venues including theFitzwilliam Museum and Cambridge Kasser Art Foundation in America.

Artist exhibits atRoyal Academy

Young gardeners win Ideal Home awardWRITTLE College won Best in Show in the Young Gardeners of the Year competition at the IdealHome Show 2015.

Celebrity horticulturist Alan Titchmarsh, one of the judges, said he was proud to be WrittleCollege patron while competition organiser and TV gardener David Domoney described thegarden as “beautiful” and said the accolade was “well-deserved”.

The College was one of only two teams to win a gold medal before taking the top honour atLondon’s Olympia. The team were handed a trophy as well as £1,500 prize money.

Writtle College lecturers Ben Wincott and Simon Watkins, who have created numerous RHSChelsea Show gardens, provided guidance to the team of horticulture students who designedand built this year’s Writtle College entry.

Simon said: “I am absolutely over the moon for the students! They have put in so much effort.All the hard work has paid off! This is so good for their CVs.”

College supportsdementia weekWALTHAM Forest is the first London college to jointhe Dementia Action Alliance (DAA). The college ishelping to raise awareness of dementia in thecommunity, and to raise donations for theAlzheimer’s Society and Ross Wyld Nursing Home.

Fundraising during National Dementia Weekstarted with Beauty students offering mini-manicures from a stand in Walthamstow. Cateringstudents made cupcakes and sold them at thecollege.

Students and staff took part in a sponsored 5Kwalk to the Ross Wyld Nursing Home where theyaccompanied people with dementia for a walk inWalthamstow’s Lloyds Park.

Around 850,000 people in the UK have a form ofdementia, and 2,055 are living within WalthamForest. The college runs a dementia awarenessprogramme which is ideal for people working withpatients or those supporting a person withdementia.

The College of Haringey, Enfield and North EastLondon hosted over 35 local employers as part ofHaringey 100, a project run in partnership withHaringey Council working to create 100apprenticeship places for Haringey people in 100working days.

Haringey 100 also provides web and telephonesupport to SMEs, account management forbusinesses with over 250 employees and access tothe Apprenticeship Vacancy website.

Jackie Chapman, college Director forEmployability, said: “We place great importance onmatching the employers with great apprentices.Working in partnership with the Council, we areleading the way on apprenticeships through theHaringey 100 project.”

Apprenticeship success

Bake sale raises fundsESOL learners at The College of Haringey, Enfieldand North East London raised £142.32 recentlythrough a bake sale as part of NationalVolunteering Week.

The students chose to donate the funds to theNoah’s Ark charity, a community based hospiceservice providing support for children and youngpeople with life-limiting or life-threateningconditions and their families in North London.

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AT THIS time of year, many of you will befocusing on your digital marketing and websitestrategies for the next twelve months andbeyond.

One of the most frequent requests I receivefrom colleges is whether I can recommendexamples of digital marketing planningtemplates.

Over the years, I have reviewed numerousimpressive-looking digital marketing plans fromcolleges and universities. The challenge manycolleges face is how to create a digital marketingplan that can be easily implemented, continuallyreviewed and adjusted to meet the strategicgoals of the college.

In this article, I will start to outline a four stepdigital marketing and website planning process Irecently shared with the forty collegesparticipating in The FE College Digital MarketingBest Practice Project.

The four step process, if implementedcorrectly, will help you keep your core websiteand digital marketing objectives on track:

Step 1: Where are you now with your websiteand digital marketing?

Step 2: Where do you want to be in threeyears’ time with your website and digitalmarketing?

Step 3: Where do you want to be in twelvemonths’ time with your website and digitalmarketing?

Step 4: Putting your plan into action

You may notice that in Step 2, defining yourthree-year objectives is a critical step in thisprocess. For many, this may prove to be difficultgiven the level of uncertainty in the FE sector butthis process is about developing a digitalmarketing strategy that aligns with your college’sthree year objectives.

As you will be all too aware in the currentclimate, any marketing plan will have be flexibleto adapt to the increasing financial constraintsand changing priorities.

Step 1In future articles, I will share with you all of thefour steps in the process. In Step 1 you need toreview where you currently are with yourwebsite and your digital marketing …

The starting point is to identify three criticalpieces of information:

1. What’s working with your website anddigital marketing?

2. What needs improving?

3. What would you like to do with yourwebsite and digital marketing that you arenot doing already?

I’m a big believer in identifying what is currentlyworking and using this as the starting point tocreating a digital marketing plan that will helpyou continually improve your return oninvestment.

You use these positives as the basis foridentifying the areas that do requireimprovement and to help identify areas that youmay not be doing effectively at the moment.

So you could use your Google Analytics data toreview the current academic year:

What percentage of your overall applicationswere submitted online?

If you don’t offer online application how manytimes was your application form downloaded?

How many times has your Prospectus beendownloaded?

How many online enquiries have you receivedin the last twelve months?

What percentage of your website visitors usedtheir mobile or tablet to access your content?

Which traffic sources delivered the mostapplications?

Which campaigns delivered the highest returnon investment?The next step is to identify the areas of yourwebsite and digital marketing requiringimprovement.

In the first instance, you could think about theareas of your website that could be improvedwithout redeveloping the whole site:

How effectively is your copy selling thebenefits of your college?

How effectively are you using testimonials andcase studies from current and former students?

How compelling is the copy on your coursespages?

How effective are your calls to action on yourcourses pages?

How effective are your data capture and followup processes?

Creation and implementing your next

digitalmarketing

planBy Simon Connor, The FE

College Digital MarketingBest Practice Project

NEWSfrom colleges

Stonemason Sam aimsfor gold at World Skills

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How could you improve the onlineapplication process to motivate morecompleted submissions?

How could you improve the user experiencefor desktop and mobile visitors?

How could your landing pages be improvedto increase conversions?

The final step in this part of the process is toidentify what’s missing from your digitalmarketing strategies or your current website. Ifyou are considering redeveloping your websitewithin the next three years, then now wouldbe the time to start building your wish list offeatures you would like to include in the future:

Would Live Chat improve the userexperience?

Would call tracking help you measure theincrease on investment from your online andoffline campaigns?

Could all your online enquiry forms beintegrated with a CRM?

Would more videos on your website increaseengagement and ultimately increaseapplications?

The objective of Step 1 of this process is toidentify where you are with your website anddigital marketing and where ultimately youwould like to be.

In the next issue of FE First I will share with youhow to develop and implement your threeyear digital marketing plan….

If you can’t wait until the next issue to startto develop your digital marketing plan justcall me on 07930 887847, email me atsimon@femarketing.co.uk or click here toreserve your FREE Digital MarketingPlanning Session.

YORK College student Sam Turner, 19, will becompeting to be named the best young stonemasonand win Gold at WorldSkills 2015 in August.

Sam is a stonemasonry apprentice at York Minster,and was selected to represent Team UK in theArchitectural Stonemasonry competition afterexcelling in Squad UK and the WorldSkills UKNational competitions.

Sam said: “It is a huge honour to have beenselected to represent the UK at WorldSkills São Paulo2015.

“It still really hasn’t sunk in! I have trained hard forfourteen months and I will keep training right upuntil the competition in August – I want to be thebest in the world! I want to use this opportunity toinspire the next generation of the UK’s workforce andshowcase how apprenticeships and training can leadto successful employment opportunities.”

Paul Hill, stonemasonry tutor at York College,commented: “From day one Sam had a natural abilitywith stone, producing advanced work at a youngage. He deserves his place in the WorldSkillscompetition and has every chance of proving himselfto be the best stonemason in the world!”

EVERYBODY needs good neighbours – but practicalqualifications are more highly rated than degrees! Newresearch reveals Brits would rather live next door to aplumber than a doctor.

Other practically skilled neighbours such as electricians,builders, carpenters and mechanics – all ‘hands-on’trades– appeared in the top 10 list of the most valuedneighbourhood occupations. Neighbours with jobs inlaw, psychology and politics came lower down the scaleof perceived value, with actors coming bottom of the pile.

The report was unveiled by the Edge Foundation tomark VQ Day 2015, the annual celebration of vocationalqualifications. Edge found that nearly half of thepopulation have required practical help over the last 12months with the majority (56%) likely to call upon aneighbour for assistance in a crisis. Read more athttp://www.edge.co.uk/news/2015

Practically speaking

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Sixth Form College News

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RICHARD Huish College student Nick Bebbington will be jetting off to study at a topuniversity in Holland this summer.

Nick has received an offer from Erasmus University Rotterdam to study for a BSc ininternational economics. The University is one of the top universities in the world accordingto the THS World University Rankings.

The 19-year-old said: “I am really excited and a bit nervous. It is nerve-racking movingaway to uni anywhere, so going to another country is doubly so.

“I have been over to Rotterdam to visit during the summer holidays last year and to theiropen day in November. I enjoy the Dutch lifestyle. I like that the people cycle everywhereand have an open healthy lifestyle.”

Dutch courage as Nick heads abroad to uni

Now Mudessar has designs on flagship Dubai store

EXCITED: NickBebbington willbe studyinginternationaleconomics inHolland

Hannah boxes clever to helpinspire sport students

FORMER Leyton Sixth Formstudent Mudessar Ali(pictured) has been offeredthe chance to create theinterior and exterior of ashowroom for a luxury goodsfirm in Dubai.

Mudessar, 21, described theopportunity to design theFeathers UAE flagship store asbeing “ almost like a dream.”

After finishing his A Levels in3D Design, Graphics, Mathsand Media Studies, Mudessarleft Leyton Sixth Form forCardiff University.

He said: “Leyton had theright courses to prepare me

for architecture: I use everyskill I learned at college in mycurrent projects uni. I even usethe skills of video editing tocreate montages for projects.”

Mudessar hopes to set up hisown practice eventually. Hesaid: “My plan is to have apractice, which would not onlydeliver architectural projectsbut also graphic design,advertising and productdesign.

“I have also thought aboutopening up a privatearchitectural school inPakistan. There is a lot ofpotential there.”

SPORTS students at Palmer’sCollege were blown away bythe powerful words of GBBoxing Champion HannahBeharry on success anddetermination.

The two times Englandchampion visited Palmer’sCollege to talk to over 200 BTECSports and Science students.Hannah gave an insight intowhat life was like for her at 17 and how shegot to where she is today.

The students had the opportunity to askquestions and were also treated to apractical session with the champion whogave a few tips on the fundamentals ofboxing.

Hannah, from Acton, said: “I’ve had a

fantastic morning, the students asked somegreat questions. It’s always so great to talk toyoung people and help them achieve theirbest. I really wish all the students the bestfor the future.”

She added: “Sport has changed my lifearound: if I hadn’t started up boxing, I don’tknow what I’d be doing now.”

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CMN OfficeThe College Marketing NetworkF16, Preston Technology ManagementCentre, Marsh Lane, Preston PR1 8UQ T: 01772 257833www.m-network.org office@m-network.org

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Lloyd Webber joins college masterclass

Special offer for sixth form colleges: £165 for the firstyear, £245 per year for second and subsequent years.

Contact

STUDENTS enjoyed a day of music-making withtwo of the country’s most important artisticfigures, when they visited The Sixth Form CollegeFarnborough recently.

Julian Lloyd Webber, the doyen of Britishcellists, was joined by Europe’s top youngmusician Laura van der Heijden (BBC YoungMusician, 2012) in a series of masterclasses.

Informal lessons and small group workfocussed on small ensemble playing,interpretation and communication. Next, Lloyd

Webber led a series of short, formal masterclassesin front of a student audience, followed by astunning recital from van der Heijden.

As student Catherine Porter said: “I reallyenjoyed the whole day. It was such an amazingopportunity to meet truly prestigious musicians. Ilearned a lot from their advice.”

Julian Lloyd Webber commented: “I was hugelyimpressed by the standard at the College and,perhaps even more importantly, everyone wasenjoying themselves!”

Tigers roar into Huish

Promoting safe biking

RICHARD Huish College have joined forceswith Somerset Tigers Basketball Club todevelop a thriving junior National LeagueProgramme.

The club will now be renamed Huish Tigers.At the heart of the development is GaryCarter, who will become the HeadPerformance coach at the college as well asbeing Director of Coaching for the HuishTigers.

The Tigers are a growing club with over onehundred players training and playing on aregular basis including a newly formed girls’team. Gary said: “This is a fantasticdevelopment which will link a performancebasketball programme with an outstandingcollege.”

RICHARD Huish College is promoting safemotorcycling by sponsoring a staffmotorbike racer.

Al Harvey, of the College estates team, hasridden motorbikes all of his life andcompetes in Hill Speed Climbing events.

He took up Hill Speed Climbing afterbecoming frustrated with heavy traffic - itinvolves racing on tarmac hills withinstringent safety parameters. Helmets have tomeet racing standards, full leathers must beworn and the motorbikes are thoroughlychecked.

Principal John Abbott said: “We are reallyproud to sponsor Al and are using him as away of encouraging our students to be saferon the roads.”

David Robinson, of Somerset Road Safety,said: “Al would never race his bike if it wasn’tin perfect condition. This is the mindseteveryone should have.”

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