North East Scotland College has been named Entrepreneurial FE College of the Year at the Young Enterprise Scotland Bridge 2 Business Awards 2016. The College was deemed the most entrepreneurial focused college combining student attainment with commercially-focused activities and skills development. The award is designed to recognise entrepreneurial excellence across the further education college sector and is backed by the Scottish Governments initiative ‘Scotland Can Do’.
Susan Betty, Director of curriculum said, “We are delighted to receive this award and are proud that we have been recognised for preparing our learners not only for the world of work, but creating flexible and innovative learning pathways linked to employment including business start-ups.”
The Young Enterprise Scotland Bridge 2 Business Programme inspires, connects and supports college students into business through an online presence and a network of staff and volunteers across Scotland.
Lucia Giuntoli, enterprise co-ordinator for Elevator Projects and Business Gateway said, “I am thrilled that North East Scotland College have been crowned Entrepreneurial FE College of the Year. Staff have played an instrumental part in recognising and encouraging entrepreneurial talent with students. Over the last year I engaged with 2,239 students in the North-east, this led to 47 one-to-one meetings to help budding student entrepreneurs with starting up a business.”
Students across subject disciplines often work directly with local employers on real briefs and as a result a few have gained valuable work experience or volunteering opportunities. Recent examples of this include the Play Me I’m Yours initiative where pianos were decorated by Art and Design and Visual Communication students and placed in a range of prominent city centre locations. Aberdeen-based Glencraft is collaborating with Fashion Design and Manufacture students who have been tasked with designing a mattress headboard.
Other activities include:
- Event Management students have formed their own event management company and regularly take on briefs from teams in the College and outwith to plan and facilitate high profile occasions and raise money for charity.
- The College also facilitates its own events habitually including Bridge 2 Business, such as Future By Design, the annual Film Festival, the End of Year Creative Arts Show, over 50 community based music and drama performances per year, external and internal fashion shows, art and photographic exhibitions, and school – links enterprise related projects e.g. ‘How to make an app!’
- The College’s Charity Shop is run by students with additional learning/support needs and raises hundreds of pounds each year for local charities.
- The Hair & Beauty team delivers their programmes with students running College salons as a business.
- The Hospitality team caters for internal and external bookings and their service is second to none.
- Student Services provides an opportunity for students to participate in extracurricular events such as their ImprESs self-assessment skills audit involving evidencing development of entrepreneurial skills.
- The Students’ Association provides an opportunity for people to volunteer to become class reps or part of the Executive and thereby, get involved in fund raising and community based projects.
At the heart of these activities is the NESCol Enterprise Steering Group which reports directly to the Academic Board. The group has representation from each teaching sector, Elevator and the Scottish Institute of Enterprise. Together they have an ambitious remit to help shape and embed enterprise across every curriculum area.
John Davidson, Vice Principal Learning and Quality, said, “For a number of years NESCol has been committed to embedding enterprise and entrepreneurship throughout the curriculum. This is supported by staff at all levels within the organisation and students have benefitted hugely as a result. All students, regardless of their subject of study, have access to advisors and information about self-employment and starting their own business. We are delighted that the College has been recognised and our thanks go to the staff and students who have made this possible.”