Havant & South Downs College is celebrating its amazing achievements and contribution to the community as part of Colleges Week.
Colleges Week takes place from Monday 15 October to Friday 19 October 2018 and is part of the ‘Love Our Colleges’ campaign. The week will see colleges across the country join forces to showcase the brilliant stuff they do, as well as national lobby of Parliament on Wednesday 17 October.
The ‘Love Our Colleges’ campaign is a partnership between Association of Colleges (AoC), National Union of Students (NUS), Association of College and School Leaders (ASCL), University and Colleges Union (UCU), Unison, GMB, TUC and National Education Union (NEU).
HSDC is getting involved with the ‘Love Our Colleges’ campaign by celebrating the amazing things it does with the community and valuable links it builds with local businesses as well as successful alumni.
For instance, HSDC has a brilliant partnership with Harwin plc, which in turn has created a first of its kind pathway course for budding engineers. Principal Mike Gaston visited HSDC Harwin Academy students on Friday, 12 October to experience the course first-hand.
HSDC also has incredible relationships with alumni who return to the College to share their experiences and knowledge with current students. This year actor Adam Byron, known for his West End performance ‘The Play That Goes Wrong’, visited HSDC to deliver a clown workshop to current Acting students.
Havant & South Downs College also celebrates its incredible staff – and this year one of its very own lecturers, Nadia Arab, placed second in the ‘editor’s choice’ category of the Women in IT Awards.
Havant & South Downs also gives back to the local community. Earlier this year an A Level Graphics group created an animal picture book to donate to a local primary school. Five students presented to four year one classes at Northern Parade School on 1 May, explaining to them how they got the inspiration for their book from a trip to London Zoo.
Havant & South Downs College is proud to be a part of Colleges Week. Whether it’s through top-class technical education, basic skills or lifelong learning, colleges help people of all ages and backgrounds to make the most of their talents and ambitions. Rooted in local communities, they are crucial in driving social mobility and providing the skills to boost local and regional economies.
However, there is currently a reduction in education funding once a student turns 16 – whether they are in a school sixth form or a college. ‘Love Our Colleges’ is calling on government to increase 16-19 funding by 5% a year for 5 years.
It is also asking Department for Education to provide exceptional funding, ring-fenced for teacher pay.
Mike Gaston, Principal and Chief Executive of HSDC said: “Our young people are being short-changed compared with their counterparts in other countries and compared with previous generations.
“The hours of teaching and support, the choice they have and the enrichment they are offered have all reduced as funding cuts have bitten. This cannot continue if we are to secure the future of our nation.”
David Hughes, Chief Executive, Association of Colleges, said: “Every single day colleges like Havant & South Downs College provides a world class education and transform the lives of millions of people.
“Colleges Week is an opportunity to celebrate the brilliant things that go on and a chance to showcase the brilliant staff that make it possible. It is simple, if we want a world-class education system then we need to properly invest in it.”