Innovative Partnerships Celebrated at Derby College’s Academy Awards
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More than 300 people attended Derby College Group’s annual Academy Awards at the Roundhouse.
The event celebrated the success, achievements and commitment of employers, staff and students who are involved in DCG’s innovative Employer Academies, Employment and Skills Academy Boards and apprenticeship programmes.
Derby College works with around 3,000 businesses and organisations with a large proportion involved in helping to shape the curriculum for students and providing work placements, speakers and special projects for students across the College sites in Derby, Morley and Ilkeston.
The evening was compered by Derby College Deputy Principal April Hayhurst and presented by Dean Jackson from HUUB and Ryan Duckett from Derbyshire County Cricket Club.
Sponsors included Anoki, Caterpillar, Champions, Derbyshire County Cricket Club, Derby Telegraph, East Midlands Airport, East Midlands Chamber, Flower World, HSG, HUUB, Mercia Image, Oberoi Business Hub, Porterbook, Rail Forum Midlands, RDS, Sigma Group, Sky Recruitment Solutions, Elev8, The Red Olive, Rolls-Royce plc and Vivid Experience.
The awards were followed by live music by Madison Avenue UK and the event raised £1,350 for the Derby Breakfast Club initiative which is Derby College’s designated charity partner in 2018. This brings the total so far raised by students and staff for the cause to £11,450.
Derby College Group Deputy Principal April Hayhurst explained:
“We now have Employment and Skills Boards working across all curriculum areas and a wide range of Employer Academies which have won been recognised as innovative best practice nationally.
”Our second annual Academy Awards were a huge success and a fitting tribute to all the employers, staff and students who have all worked hard to make these partnerships so effective in bridging the gap between education and employment.”
Awards winners were:
- Student project by an Employer Academy winner: Huub; highly commended: Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service.
- Work placement programme winner: Castlefields Kennels; highly commended: Hair Angels salon.
- Workplace visit winner: Wilson James; highly commended: Bowmer & Kirkland.
- Specialist speakers winner: Rail Careers Day highly commended: Business Communications Day and equine specialist Natasha Dolman.
- Charity and community investment project winner: Derby College Inclusion curriculum academy; highly commended: Derby’s deep clean programme.
- Work Experience Officer winners: Sally Turner and Sarah Smith; highly commended Hassan Mazhar.
- Curriculum employee winner: Health and Social Care team manager Paula May; highly commended: Sports lecturer Kevin Bunting.
- Student of the year winner: Former Hospitality student Dion Gayle; highly commended: Applied Science student Wezie MBale.
- Apprentice of the year winner: Joshua Cawley, Plastic Omnium; highly commended: Thomas Richardson, Uniper Academy.
- Apprenticeship employer winner: Rolls-Royce plc; highly commended: Nxperia.
- Apprenticeship Academy winner; Caterpillar UK; highly commended: The University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust.
- Employment and Skills Academy Board winner: Professional Construction highly commended: Digital and Science and Construction.
- Employer of the Year winner: Derby Museums; highly commended: Déda.
- Roundhouse Recruitment Employer of the Year winner: Flower World; highly commended: Vivid.
- Employer Academy of the Year winner: RDS Global; highly commended: East Midlands Airport.
- Special Recognition Award: DCG Assistant Director – International Learner & Employer Partnerships Work Placements, Debbie Keegan.
Other Employer Academies recognised were Bespoke Inns Hospitality Management, Sport Leaders, Seven Restaurant and Café Bar, Derby Telegraph Media Sales, Capita Travel and Events and The Finesse Collection.
It was also announced that the new Food and Drink Manufacturing Employment and Skills Academy had recently been launched and future Employer Academies under development included those in partnership with Derby and Sandiacre Canal Trust, HSG, Jury’s Inn Employer Academy, Oberoi, Sally Montague Hair Group and Hair Angels salon.
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