‘Get in, go further’ ethos celebrated with AoC Deputy Chief Executive

Kirsti Lord visits Walsall College during Colleges Week 2021

Walsall College celebrated the ‘get in, go further’ theme of Colleges Week 2021 with help from the Association of Colleges’ (AoC) Deputy Chief Executive.  Kirsti Lord joined students and staff during activities demonstrating how the college works with employers and supports local communities, day in day out.

These included multi-skills construction students attending a guest lecture by a representative from Mitie about the role of a maintenance.  Employer partnerships were also showcased through the many live briefs students are currently engaged in, from higher education photography students taking official photographs at Birmingham Magistrates Court to creative media students producing promotional digital content for Ductu, who support SEND students with work placements.

Kirsti also met adult health and social care students hosting an on-campus Black History Month event, as well as an AoC youth social action apprentice who represents four Black Country colleges.

Regarding her visit, Kirsti Lord said: “It is always a huge pleasure to meet students who are confident in their progress and how their courses are preparing them for their next steps.  The opportunities offered by staff for students to engage with industry partners through talks, placements and live briefs extend throughout the academic year, but #collegesweek is a brilliant opportunity to shine a light on this and celebrate the fantastic work of staff at Walsall College to ensure their students are employment ready.”

Neil Sambrook, Director of Faculty for STEAM said: “Colleges Week is a way for us to highlight the amazing work colleges do and why long-term investment is crucial if the government is to ‘level up’ all areas of the country.

“Further education involves so much more than classrooms and qualifications.  It’s about ensuring all our students ‘go further’ becoming properly equipped with the skills they need and can make a difference in whatever career they choose to pursue.”

He continued: “The big contribution further education will make to the country’s economic rebuild must be recognised and long-term investment is vital if we are to combat long-term challenges like climate change and training workers for the jobs of the future.”

Colleges Week is a key part of the Love Our Colleges campaign, and is a partnership between AoC, National Union of Students (NUS), Association of College and School Leaders (ASCL), University and Colleges Union (UCU), GMB, TUC, National Education Union (NEU) and UNISON.