DCG Celebrates Employer Partnerships

A wide range of businesses and organisations who work with @derbycollege (DCG) to better prepare students for the world of work have been officially recognised.

DCG 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, specialist speakers and projects for students across the College sites in Derby, Morley and Ilkeston.

DCG’s Academy Awards are held every year to celebrate the commitment of employers but this year’s winners have been announced over social media #DCGAwards20.

DCG Deputy Principal April Hayhurst said: “Employers are embedded in the co-design and co-delivery of our curriculum.

“We are extremely grateful for this support and are obviously disappointed not to hold our annual Academy Awards celebration to formally recognise the commitment from our partner employers to work with us to bridge the gap between education and the workplace.

“We have continued to work with members of the Employment and Skills Boards and Employer Academies virtually throughout lockdown and there are some highly creative plans in place moving forwards.”

The University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust was named Employer Academy of the Year having provided work placement opportunities for Health and Social Care students for many years with First Response Finance named as runner up for their involvement in a wide range of events including workshops to highlight the importance of maths and English in the workplace.

The Digital and Science Employment and Skills Board won their category in recognition of the wide range of opportunities for ICT students with the Rail Employment and Skills Board runner up – highlighting the support for students from Engineering, Digital, Land-based and Construction programmes.

The Professional Construction Employment and Skills Board was given a special recognition award for the range of support to students including mentoring, industry insight days, masterclasses, site visits and work experience.  Special mention was given to Board members representing Morrison Design, J Tomlinson, Bowmer + Kirkland, Rodgers Leask, GF Tomlinson, FP McCann, and Whitehouse Construction.

Nexperia in Stockport was named as Apprenticeship Academy of the Year with Rolls-Royce plc as runner up.

DCG Recruitment Employer of the Year was Vivid for the part time job opportunities created through the Roundhouse Christmas party programme with Flowerworld named as runner up, again for part time work opportunities available to students throughout the year.

The Placement Award was won by The Royal Bank of Scotland who provide a wide range of work placement and support for ICT students and the runner up was Equine specialist Becky Mullan-Froze who hosts students at her workplace.

Project of the Year was won by The Prince’s Trust and Rolls-Royce who involved Engineering students in a STEM project with The Bell Group and Derbyshire County Cricket runners up for a joint project to provide work experience for Painting and Decorating students.

The Visit of the Year Award went to Jurys Inn at East Midlands Airport who hosted Travel and Tourism students and Resonate were runners up for the annual visit that takes place to give students an insight into how digital technology is used in the rail industry.

David Torrington, managing director of Sky Recruitment Solutions, was Speaker of the Year with Steiner Cruises hair stylist Kate Finch runner up.

The Charity and Community Investment Award went to Rainbows children’s hospice which has worked with Public Services students on a wide range of activities and runner up was Shirley Church who have worked with Construction students on a restoration project.

Finally, Castlefield Kennels and Morley Hayes both received special recognition awards for their commitment to staff development supported by the European Social Fund and D2N2.