‘We wanted other designers to be inspired by Sophie’

 An award at the Cleveland College of Art and Design remembers an outstanding student who always thought of others. Rebecca Cooney reports

A young designer in Derbyshire has won a college award dedicated to a former student who lost her battle with breast cancer last year.

Cleveland College of Art and Design (CCAD) student Charlotte Hall, 18, is the first recipient of the Sophie Cutts Excellence Award for her textile designs based on butterflies.

Former textile student Sophie Cutts died last September, aged 21.

Her parents Tracy and Craig, with her tutor Lynne Carverhill, dedicated an award in tribute to her talent and commitment to her studies.

“We were thinking we would like to have an award . . . and then Lynne got in touch as she was thinking along the same lines,” said Tracy.

“The big thing for all of us was that she was so young and so talented, and had a lot to give from her own ideas of design.”

After completing her studies at CCAD, Sophie went on to Edinburgh’s Heriot-Watt University. Her family collected her first-class degree on Friday.

“After her diagnosis and although she was poorly, she still had the commitment,” said Tracy.

“She finished her third year of university while having chemotherapy and after a huge operation and… was still focused, still excited about design.

“We wanted other designers to be inspired by Sophie; to follow their dreams even through the depths of darkness.

“We thought it would be nice to recognise somebody who had her qualities. It’s a nice way of saying to someone ‘you’re really good at designs, you’re a really good human being and your attitude to work is exceptional’.”

Charlotte, from Darlington, won the award for a final year project that the college said showed the same quality, commitment and attention to detail as Sophie’s.

“I was genuinely shocked because there was so much amazing work,” said Charlotte, who hopes to become an interior designer. “It is a real honour to receive the award.”

Lynne Carverhill said: “We felt we wanted to do something to celebrate the life and work of Sophie as she was a truly outstanding student.

“We wanted to remember her for the good things and to raise awareness that even if you are 21 you can get breast cancer.”

Tracy said: “When she was diagnosed, her doctors kept saying ‘but you’re too young’ and she wanted young people to know . . . they should be checking their bodies and being aware of the factors in cancer.”

Sophie’s dream was to use her talent to help others.

In her third year at university, she designed scarves for the holistic unit at James Cook Hospital, where she was being treated, for patients who were losing their hair.

“She wanted to produce a design so when people her age were offered a wig or a scarf there was a trained designer there giving a designer edge,”  said Tracy.

“Always thinking of others, that was who she was. We wanted to share that with the world and say ‘look at this wonderful person’. Here she was in her own distress and she just said ‘you’re not going to stop me’.”

Sophie’s family are now making sure that her designer scarves will be available to patients at the hospital unit.

“If Sophie were here, she would be going forward with her own business,” said Tracy. “It’s for us to say look what the world is missing, but you’re not going to miss out on her designs.”

Featured image caption: Winner Charlotte Hall with Craig, Tracy and Jacob Cutts. Right: Sophie Cutts with her partner, Paul Thomson

Pop-up shop inspires volunteers

Hopwood Hall College students in Rochdale demonstrated their flair for retail by setting up a pop-up shop, and designing merchandise to celebrate the town’s heritage.

The learners volunteered for a three-day residential scheme, run by the college, vInspired — a volunteering charity for young people — and the Retail Trust, to gain hands-on retail experience.

Health and social care student Nahida Abasi, 17, said: “It has been a fantastic experience, I didn’t know what business was about before I joined.

“The programme has taught me so much and I’ve really had a great time.”

The students came up with the heritage theme and the idea of producing t-shirts, tote bags, tea towels and posters.

They then enlisted the help of local artists to help them with designs and to find their premises.

Featured image caption: Hopwood Hall students chose a heritage theme for their pop-up shop

‘Big lunch’ offers chance to make new friends

A students’ union in Nottingham served up a Wimbledon themed lunch to 150 people to celebrate the hard work of some of its top students.

Each school of learning at West Nottinghamshire College nominated its 15 top achieving students to attend a ‘Big Lunch’ buffet that featured a guest
magician, free drinks and food — including, traditional Wimbledon strawberries
and cream.

The ‘Big Lunch’, which started at the Eden Project in 2009, aims to get people to have lunch with their neighbours to promote community, friendship and fun.

Learner voice co-ordinator Sue Harries said: “The atmosphere was fantastic and everyone had fun and enjoyed each other’s company and the entertainment.

“It proved to be a great chance for students from different schools of learning to meet people they’ve never met before . . . there was a wonderful sense of camaraderie.”

Featured image caption: Top performing students got to know each other at the Wimbledon-themed Big Lunch

Ministerial visit for Warwickshire College

Business Secretary Vince Cable dropped in on students at Warwickshire College to see how they are minding their own business.

Dr Cable visited enterprise and entrepreneurship students working towards a diploma at the college’s Peter Jones Enterprise Academy (PJEA) as well as meeting students from construction, plumbing and carpentry.

Student Phoebe Cowley, 18, from Rugby,
said: “Dr Cable asked about my business, which is called Glow All Out, providing products for festivals.

“I told him how the PJEA course has really supported me, given me ideas and experience and even helped me to change my business model to improve it.”

Dr Cable also visiting the college’s Power Academy, which trains engineers in power generation manufacturing.

“It is good to see a college giving people the key skills and training to help build a balanced, sustainable economy,” said Mr Cable.

Featured image caption: Business Secretary Vince Cable with Michael Clough, 18

Students show what they’re made of

London fashion students displayed their talents on a market stall at a new designer street market in Soho.

The Barking & Dagenham College fashion students sold a range of textile accessories they had made over the past few months at the market that aimed to bring together all of London’s creative talents in one place.

Anisah Yasrin, 16, from Manor Park, said: “Being at the market was a great experience. I enjoyed communicating with customers, seeing what they were looking at and what
they wanted to buy.”

Items for sale included necklaces, soft
toys, bags, cushion covers, key rings and summer scarves. The group took more than
£200 on the day.

College art and design curriculum manager Gail Glazier said: “It gave them the opportunity to not only showcase their fashion and textile skills but also helped them to gain more entrepreneurial skills.”

Featured image caption: From left: Barking & Dagenham College student Latifat Akande 57, fashion course leader, Jo Price, and fellow student Anisah Yasrin, 16

A battle against each other and the elements

Eight teams compete in the Lake District for top honours in a national contest for apprentices

Scores of youngsters descended on the Lake District last week to take part in the gruelling finals of a national competition aimed at boosting the profile of apprenticeships.

Eight teams from as far afield as Plymouth, Norwich and Burnley rowed, paddled and orienteered against each other — and the elements — in the grounds of Brathay Hall in Ambleside.

The two-day Brathay Challenge was the culmination of six months’ hard work in which the teams raised funds and visited schools to promote vocational learning. More than 90 teams entered the competition, now in its second year, which is organised by the Brathay Trust charity and supported by the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS).

A team of engineers from Innovia Films, Cumbria, were this year’s victors, fighting off stiff competition from last year’s winners, Cobham  who were pushed into joint second place with Norse Group.

“I cannot put into words how happy I’m feeling right now,” said Aidan Harrison, 20, a member of the winning team.

“We didn’t think we’d do this well — it’s incredible.”

The electrical engineering apprentice from Wigton said that his team took the charity element “very seriously”, winning the round with a race night and auction that netted £6,275.

Everyone was apprehensive. But we stepped it up a gear . . . it was great team building”

“Winning or not we were so proud to raise that much,” he added.

Teammate Sam Ogle, 19, also from Wigton, said: “We raised money for a heart machine for a hospital in Newcastle after my mum had surgery there. It meant a lot to me.”

Other teams came from East Midlands Housing Group, Unilever, Plymouth City Council, Burnley Borough Council, and BCTS, a team from small Norwich businesses trained by Broadland Council Training Services.

Between them they raised £34,000 for charity and made around 300 school visits.

Jaine Bolton, NAS director, said: “The real point of this event is to showcase what apprenticeships can do. To get out the message about the diversity of the young people involved. The community work they have all done is amazing.”

Plymouth apprentices topped the awareness-raising element with a careers’ fair. Other teams went along to school assemblies while some held CV workshops.

Although Cobham was the first side to power over the finish line of the whaler boat race — a nail-biting final element, fought in driving rain — Unilever was the victor after the team picked up bonus points for strategically stopping at markers along the way.

Innovia after the whaler boat race

Alex Hunt, 19, a Unilever chemistry apprentice, said: “Everyone was really apprehensive until we got into a rhythm — but then we really stepped it up a gear. It was a great team-building exercise.”

Godfrey Owen, chief executive of the Brathay Trust, said: “The competition was of a high standard this year and we are pleased to recognise Innovia Films as the apprentice team of the year.”

Skills Minister Matthew Hancock said: “The competitors in this year’s challenge are an asset to their companies and an inspiration to other young people.”

Eleanor Radford goes on the ropes at this year’s Brathay Challenge

As Team Cobham’s war cry echoes around the shores of Lake Windermere you’d be forgiven for thinking a herd of stags is in the surrounding woods.

Not lads on a pre-wedding weekend or on tour, but a herd of the real stuff.

Their macho call “ouwooo”, shouted in unison, makes me realise how seriously these young apprentices are taking this competition.

Armed with megaphones and some wearing false moustaches, the support teams are pretty ferocious, too. Innovia Films, for instance, has chartered a yacht where executives loll, cheering on their team.

I am in the Lake District to catch up with the teams and “have a go” at the challenges they face on the two-day Brathay Challenge final.

It is relentless. Two days of orienteering in the Lake District fells while attempting challenges such as balancing 14 nails on top of a single one. How does anyone do that?

Then there are gruelling stints of rowing, canoeing, and balancing on high wires, all between non-physical activities such as assembling puzzles and guiding each other through tests, blindfolded, into the night. It doesn’t stop . . . breaks are used to plan strategies for the next stage.

Elliott Dobbs, 19, from Marlow and a member of the Cobham team, takes me under his wing to have a go on the high Vs, a tight rope strung about 30ft up in trees.

We scramble up rungs on a pole, then hold hands and lean against each other to prevent ourselves falling off. We are in harnesses, but it is nerve-racking stuff.

The electrical engineer immediately puts me at ease, guiding me along as his teams mates calmly shout tips of support. We complete it, almost.

Eleanor Radford takes to the trees (right) with Elliott Dobbs

What comes through strongly is how friendly and open all these apprentices are.

I’m not sure that I’ve come across such a self-assured, confident, bubbly, yet professional, group of young adults. And I believe this comes from the vocational pathway that they have chosen.

Gregg Black, a customer service apprentice from Plymouth City Council, tells me that his apprenticeship.

“I did other jobs, I tried college, I tried a degree but it didn’t work for me,” says the 23-year-old.

“What worked for me was learning skills while doing the job.”

The tension mounts before the final results are read out.

Proudly defending their title as last year’s winners, Elliott says Cobham  is “gutted” to come joint second to Innovia.

But after the trophies are given out to jubilant cheers, everyone shakes hands and heads back to work.

Kate signs up for new apprenticeship

A 21-year-old from the North East has become the first person to enrol on a 12 to 18-month apprenticeship in social media and digital marketing.

Kate Veitch, 21, from Gateshead, will cover search engine optimisation and website design, as well as techniques for marketing a business through social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.

“I’m really interested in the marketing side of running a business so this course is perfect for me,” said Kate.

The apprenticeship, run by Access Training, will lead to a level three diploma in social media for business.

Managing director of Access Training Malcolm Armstrong said: “There is a requirement for businesses to recruit employees that are keen to work in this area and to develop these skills.”

Featured image caption: Kate signs up for new apprenticeship

Playing their cards right on new course

Students in North East England are odds-on favourites to win careers in the casino industry after completing a new course.

Middlesbrough College’s first level two gambling operations cohort will celebrate its achievement at a glittering event at the Riverside Stadium, demonstrating their new croupier skills to invited guests from Middlesbrough FC, Middlesbrough College and the gaming industry.

The students range from 18-year-olds with no work experience to a former soldier and a former businessman.

They spent six weeks learning how to oversee games of poker, blackjack and roulette and applying for their licence to work as a croupier.

Middlesbrough College head of business development for service industries Anthony O’Donnell said: “It’s been an amazing six weeks and everyone has thoroughly enjoyed it — the course has opened the door to a new life for many of the students.”

Featured image caption: From left: Andrew Cummings, 26 Natalie Rogers, 20 Anthony Peacock, 20 and Shannon Duce, 18 are among the first students to take part in the new NVQ level two gambling operations course at Middlesbrough College

Future shock?

The 157 Group will next week publish the results of a project in which aspiring FE leaders across the sector envisage what the sector might look like in 2020, as Christine Doubleday explains

It seems that everyone has something to say about further education. We must get unemployed people into work; we must repair the economy; we have to cost less and make more; we have to specialise and have a general offer for everyone and every need; we must focus on industry sectors and on geographic regions and on partnerships and on sharing and collaboration and on competition. We must adopt the newest sparkly business methodologies to achieve efficiencies while ensuring that those with the greatest needs are welcomed and supported. We are told often of our failings and shortcomings and given feverish instructions on how we can make ourselves better.

And so sure are those who judge that often they do not allow a mere lack of evidence to get in the way of a doggedly held belief on opinion. Nor do they hold their horses while they are fact-finding or listening, instead charging in with another helpful insight or policy.

So, we decided to seek out opinions and beliefs — and be honest that they are just that. But they are not ill-informed opinions, nor are they from those outside looking in. They are from those actively working in this sector of ours, those who spend their waking hours making sense of what the learner wants and needs and how best to do it. They could be the leaders of our sector in 2020 and beyond.

Our Delphi project is more structured than just asking a bunch of people what they think about the future. It gathers opinions from groups of people, synthesises those opinions, asks for votes on those opinions and comes up with most likely and least likely scenarios across a range of themes. From the beginning, we were clear that this project was led by 157 on behalf of the whole sector.

The work started with FE colleges but, very quickly, workshops for private, third sector and adult providers began. I was never sure if we would end up with four separate reports on how practitioners in a certain part of the sector viewed their future or if it would be possible to find sufficient commonality to put together an overarching report. By the sixth and final workshop, it was obvious that practitioners had distinctive features but that the heart of their work is common  — we really do all care about the learner above and beyond everything else.

It was obvious that practitioners had distinctive features but that the heart of their work is common  – we really do all care about the learner above and beyond everything else”

We lighted upon five main themes: the economy; supply and demand of learning; technology; social inequality and public service reform. We gathered the fears and hopes for those themes and present in the report the most and least positive potential outcome for each. We explored the purpose and mission of FE and offer a framework of business strategies and models that could be adopted, depending on the primary purpose. Finally, we offer an insight into the needs of those working within the sector to give us a fighting chance of steering the positive path. The report is there to be useful, to stimulate debate and to offer a framework to explore and determine our own business strategies.  We know our sector, we are honest about what we can do better and eager to find practical ways of doing so.

It offers a collective view of the possible futures for FE in 2020 and beyond. It is not a representative view, it does not pretend to be an expert view (except that all those involved are steeped in practice), it does not pretend to cover every inch of the sector. But it is the synthesised view of a range of people from across the sector who came together to tell us and each other what the world in 2020 might look like.

Most importantly, it shows that those who could be leading the sector are thoughtful, insightful and care deeply about what learners will need and want in the future. We present their views for you to use as you wish. I suggest that the voices of our practitioners should be listened to, heard and acted upon.

Christine Doubleday, deputy executive director 157 Group