Author: Emma Wilde

Over 3,000 people from Stoke-on-Trent have benefited from free courses aimed at tackling numeracy confidence.

Stoke By Numbers, is part of the government-funded Multiply programme, which since 2022, has provided free and flexible training to over 3000 adults across Stoke-on-Trent.

The programme has been led by Stoke-on-Trent City Council with Stoke on Trent College managing the marketing campaign. Delivery partners have included – Potteries Money Wise, Acacia Training, Landau, Acorn Training, the City Council Adult Community Learning team and Stoke on Trent College.

Courses were tailored to raise awareness of numbers in everyday life, providing learners with ways to manage money plus improve their career prospects by being more number confident, help children with homework or budget for special occasions like holidays and Christmas.

Stoke By Numbers has also seen 27 National Numeracy Champions complete training to be numeracy ambassadors and encourage people to get confident with numbers, ensuring the legacy of the programme will continue for years to come.

Other highlights of the campaign include the Stoke By Numbers Roadshow whereby the fully branded Stoke by Numbers bus toured the city – offering local residents the opportunity to find out more about numeracy courses on offer and complete some on-site learning.

Someone who has benefited from Stoke By Numbers is Jamee Ann Fisher, who felt her struggles with numeracy were holding her back from pursuing a career in Accounting plus helping her children with school work.

Since completing numeracy courses on offer, Jamee has since been accepted onto a further pathway to further enhance her skills, she said:

“My number confidence has grown dramatically. I learnt so much on how I can now support my children with their homework, as the numeracy approach has changed so much since I was at school.”

Hassan Rizvi, Principal and CEO at Stoke on Trent College said:

“Stoke on Trent College is proud to have led the marketing campaign for Stoke By Numbers and also be a delivery partner. Throughout the project, ourselves and the other delivery partners have provided people from Stoke-on-Trent with a platform to improve their numeracy skills, which will benefit them in all walks of life.

“We’ve shown that a lack of confidence with numbers is nothing to be ashamed of, and with the courses offered we can improve outcomes for adults in the city.

“According to participant feedback, over a third will progress now to a formal accredited maths course to continue to develop their skills.”

Councillor Sarah Jane Colclough, cabinet member for education and anti-poverty at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said:

“It’s pleasing to see so many residents benefitting from Stoke by Numbers and getting on the path to increasing their confidence in numeracy.

 “These skills are vital when completing daily tasks – whether it’s DIY, cooking, shopping or budgeting, maths is used in so many aspects of everyday life.

 “To hear that so many people have been overcoming these barriers and becoming more confident with their numeracy is a resounding success that will only improve outcomes across Stoke-on-Trent.”

To find out more about Stoke By Numbers, please visit www.stokebynumbers.co.uk.

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors

 Picture caption – All partners from Stoke By Numbers attend a celebration event for the program at Middleport Pottery.

Stoke by Numbers, part of the government’s new £560 million national programme, Multiply, which aims to transform the lives of hundreds of thousands of adults across the UK.

The programme is a partnership across the city by Stoke on Trent College and Stoke-on-Trent City Council, with training courses being delivered by six learning providers across the city.

Partners include: Stoke on Trent College, Acacia Training, Acorn Training, Pathway Group, Potteries Moneywise and Adult Community Learning (ACL) at Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

Stoke on Trent College serves up to 9000 students a year including young people, adults and apprentices. Working with a wide range of employers in key growth areas of the economy such as Digital, Construction, Engineering, STEM and Health and Social Care and more.

For more information, contact Paul Downey, PR & Communications Officer at Stoke on Trent College on pdown1sc@stokecoll.ac.uk.

The first ever apprenticeship course focusing on putting people at the centre of the design of digital public services is celebrating the successful graduation of its three students.

The User Centred Design apprenticeship was developed by the Centre for Digital Public Services (CDPS) in partnership with Gower College Swansea (GCS).

The 18-month course is the first of its kind in the UK and provided on job training with CDPS around service design, user research and content development, as well as a formal qualification from Gower College Swansea.

The aim of the apprenticeship was to build digital skills and capability to ensure that services are sustainable, accessible, inclusive and designed to meet the needs of the people who use them.

All three apprentices have not only successfully completed the Agored Cymru accredited course but have also been offered full time employment with CDPS.

Ruth Garner, Sarah Floyd and Alexandra Wagstaff are now Junior User Centred Design Officers and will be working on content design and user research supporting public sector services in Wales.

Reflecting on her experience, former teaching assistant Ruth from Cardiff said, “I was nervous to leave my familiar job, but this apprenticeship has exceeded my expectations and fully prepared me for a career in this field. I completely understand the importance of user-centred design as it literally has the capability to make or break a service. I’m excited to continue developing my skills and applying what I have learned in future CDPS projects to create services that meet peoples’ needs and make a real difference across Wales.”

Centre for Digital Public Services Head of Skills and Capability Peter Thomas said, “We launched the apprenticeship scheme to begin to address the critical shortage of digital skills in Wales. Our goal was to create practical pathways into digital careers, particularly for public services, and to build a pipeline of skilled professionals.

“The success of this scheme, marked by the graduation of our first-ever apprentices, is a testament to the hard work, creativity, and commitment of everyone involved. Our pioneering apprentices, Ruth, Alexandra, and Sarah have set a high bar for future participants and the scheme has laid the foundation for meaningful change in digital public services in Wales.”

Bruce Fellowes, Head of GCS Training helped to develop the course and is inspired by the achievements and learning of the first three apprentices.

He said, “I am delighted with the success Gower College Swansea has had with the User Centred Design learners from the Centre for Digital Public Services. From the planning stages right through to the completion of the apprenticeship framework, the managers and apprentices have been fully engaged with the programme. The managers have supported the apprentices with time to carry out their studies, given relevant roles and responsibilities to gather the necessary evidence for the course, and looked to promote the apprenticeship both internally and externally. I look forward to working with CDPS for many years to come.”

Eight other organisations from across Wales are already accessing the course, with 15 apprentices currently learning vital digital skills.

Welsh Government Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership, Jack Sargeant, said, “Digital skills are the foundation of a modern public service, and this pioneering apprenticeship demonstrates Wales’ commitment to developing homegrown talent. It’s great to see Ruth, Sarah and Alexandra graduating as our first cohort of specialists, bringing vital skills that will help transform how we deliver public services. By investing in digital skills and focusing on user needs, we’re building a stronger, more responsive public sector that works for everyone whilst creating valuable career opportunities for local talent.”

Case Study

From digital learning to digital working: the Apprentices’ journey

A passion for helping people was the key reason all three of the apprentices signed up to the inaugural User Centred Design course.

Sarah Floyd from Swansea joined after a 21-year career teaching pupils with additional learning needs, bringing with her an empathy for creating public services that are truly inclusive for the people who use them.

She said, “Putting users first and making services that fit the needs of those users attracted me and I’m grateful to CDPS for championing this apprenticeship which enabled me to gain hands-on experience as well as completing college modules. Although I no longer work with children and young people, developing better public services will help create a future in Wales that’s fit for purpose for those youngsters I once taught.”

Ruth Garner also has a background in education, having worked as learning support assistant in a primary school in Cardiff. Her enthusiasm for digital communication had inspired her to pursue a Certificate in Professional Digital Marketing and the apprenticeship was the next step to developing her career.

She said, “This experience has reinforced how content design plays a crucial role in making digital services more inclusive and user-friendly. In today’s world digital communication plays a vital role in bringing people and communities together and I hope the skills I have developed will help me to design accessible public services within Wales.”

Alexandra Wagstaff, from Barry, was inspired to sign up to the apprenticeship after working in clinical research and seeing the value of including patients in the process.

She said, “Having seen the value of patients’ views to ensure the focus remains on outcomes and wellbeing, I was keen to learn about user voices driving service design. We are living in the digital age, and there is so much to be done to make the most of the digital tools we have! It’s exciting to think my future contributions could help people all over Wales.”

***

The Centre for Digital Public Services (CDPS) was set up by Welsh Government to help public sector organisations in Wales deliver better, user-centred digital services. They provide guidance, support, and tools to build digital capabilities across the public sector. 

Gower College Swansea is one of the largest providers of apprenticeships in Wales offering a diverse range of training programmes supporting small private companies, large multi-national organisations and the public sector. Some of its programmes are also offered in England. 

Learners from Stoke on Trent College have been embracing their diversity and different cultures as part of the annual Multicultural Day.

 

Now in its 13^th year, the student-led event was held in the Sports Hall at the Cauldon campus, with a host of activities going on throughout the day.

 

Attendees were treated to a mix of delicious Indian foods, prepared and served by Hospitality and Catering students.

 

Maths lecturer Amna Jamal also led a sing-a-long of Pakistani songs used traditionally for weddings and happy occasions as well as playing a traditional drum known as a Dholak.

 

Students from various courses also hosted stalls showcasing different cultures plus presenters from Blue Sky Radio were broadcasting live as well as speaking to learners and Principal & CEO Hassan Rizvi. A range of external College partners also attended including Amity Hub and Staffordshire Police.

 

The culmination of Multicultural Day saw learners and staff take part in a catwalk, showcasing traditional dress led by BBC Radio Stoke’s Reverend Geoff Eze.

 

Level 3 Health & Social Care learner Umaiza Noveed, was one of the organisers of Multicultural Day and said,

 

“I’ve really enjoyed being an organiser of the Multicultural Day. Through the planning we’ve got to work with College staff and understand how to plan events.

“To see everything come together today has been a really rewarding experience.”

 

Hassan Rizvi, Principal and CEO at Stoke on Trent College said;

 

“Multicultural Day is the perfect way for learners and staff at the college to embrace our different cultures and come together for an unforgettable celebration.”

 

Dave Hopley, Assistant Principal Student Experience at Stoke on Trent College said;

 

“Multicultural Day is always one of the highlights of the college calendar. Our learners have been working extremely hard, planning and managing the event and the results are truly outstanding.

 

“We’re proud to honour and embrace the multitude of backgrounds and cultures represented at the College and the uniqueness this brings.”

 

ENDS

 

Notes to Editors

• Stoke on Trent College serves up to 9000 students a year including young people, adults and apprentices. Working with a wide range of employers in key growth areas of the economy such as Digital, Construction, Engineering, STEM and Health and Social Care and more.
• The College also work with young adults who may have a special educational or additional need.
• A wide range of flexible and distance learning is provided by the College to individuals and businesses.

For all media enquiries, please contact marketing@stokecoll.ac.uk  

Nineteen-year-old Subhan Mahmood, an apprentice from Keighley College, has secured a full-time role at Acorn Stairlifts.

Subhan began his training with the stairlift manufacturer’s customer services team in August, 2023 and made an impact thanks to his enthusiasm, hard work and desire to learn new skills.

Those qualities convinced the business to offer him a permanent role, and Subhan – who previously worked in a fast-food restaurant – couldn’t be happier.

‘I’m on my way!’

He said: “It feels fantastic. I think my hard work has really paid off and I’m well on my way to achieving my goal of becoming a service engineer for Acorn.

“In customer service, I talk to customers on the phone, helping them if they have any problems with their stairlift, and book services for them.

“I had a good experience on my apprenticeship course. Every Monday I had sessions with my tutor, Sarah Barwell, who really helped me with my coursework. And my team leaders at college were very supportive if I needed extra help.

“I would recommend doing an apprenticeship to others. I have gained so much customer service experience through my apprenticeship, placement, and coursework and I’m comfortable now talking to different customers in a good manner.”

A reward for commitment and a positive attitude

Subhan’s Team Leader at Acorn Stairlifts, Bethany Berry, said: “The apprentices we take on from the college are always hard-working and add value to our business, but Subhan stood out.

“He showed that he was willing to try hard throughout his apprenticeship, and was always happy to take part in any training offered to help him gain further knowledge of Acorn and our stairlifts.

“He has also been working hard on improving his customer service soft skills, and as a result has one of our highest inbound call numbers.

“Subhan has aspirations of becoming a service engineer at Acorn, so we will help in every way that we can with that – at the moment he is working in our customer services faults team to build up his knowledge of the product.”

‘A brilliant option’ – apprenticeships unlock careers

Keighley College, which is preparing to open a dedicated new Engineering hub, has a longstanding working relationship with Acorn Stairlifts and regularly places apprentices, plus supported interns, with the firm.

Head of Stakeholder Engagement and Growth, Clare Fitzgerald, said: “We are delighted to see Subhan land this position which could be his first step into a rewarding career.

“It is through our partnerships with prestigious local firms like Acorn Stairlifts that we secure quality placements for our apprentices and students that lead to opportunities like this.

“Apprenticeships are a brilliant option for anyone who wants to earn while they learn and gain a quick route into their chosen career path, as Subhan’s story – which we’re proud to share during National Apprenticeship Week – demonstrates.”

National Apprenticeship Week, which this year runs from Monday 10 to Sunday 16 February, is a week-long annual celebration that highlights the benefits of apprenticeships for individuals, businesses and the economy.

18 students from Gower College Swansea are holding offers to study medicine or veterinary science at university this September.

The College’s Medics, Dentists and Vets (MDV) tutorial support provision – which is part of the wider GCS Honours programme – gives students who have expressed an interest in medical sciences, veterinary science, dentistry and pharmacy an opportunity to gain the skills and experience needed to apply to their chosen university.

All 18 students benefitted from the College’s MDV tutorials as well as taking part in the Seren Academy, the Welsh Government’s programme to equip learners with the necessary tools to apply to leading institutions in Wales, the UK and across the world.

“This is a fantastic achievement for the learners who have all worked so hard over the course of their A Level studies,” says Assistant Learning Area Manager, Jess O’Driscoll. “It is also a huge testament to the dedication of our teaching staff who have played a huge role in this success – from helping with personal statement and reference writing, to interview prep, and providing incredible support both in and out of the classroom.”

The students are:

Brooke Davies (formerly Cwmtawe Community School) who has been offered a place at the University of Surrey
Ava Phillips (formerly Cwmtawe Community School) who has been offered a place at Cardiff University
Jess Fowkes (formerly Bishopston Comprehensive) who has been offered a place at Cardiff University
Ben Hawkins (formerly Bishopston Comprehensive) who has been offered a place at Cardiff University and University of Bristol
Milly Jenkins (formerly Bishopston Comprehensive) who has been offered a place at University of Exeter
Sophie Peter (formerly Bishopston Comprehensive) who has been offered a place at Cardiff University
Edward Spanner (formerly Bishopston Comprehensive) who has been offered a place at Cardiff University
Adina Zafar (formerly Olchfa) who has been offered a place at Cardiff University, University of Bristol, University of Exeter and University of Birmingham
Steffi Saji (formerly Coedcae School) who has been offered a place at Cardiff University and University of Nottingham
Asmaa Riaz (formerly St John Lloyd Catholic School) who has been offered a place at Lancaster University
Kacper Rejniak (formerly St John Lloyd Catholic School) who has been offered a place at Cardiff University and University of Nottingham
Rhiannon Reed (formerly Ysgol Gyfun G?yr) who has been offered a place at Cardiff University and Bangor University
Millie John (formerly Penyrheol Comprehensive) who has been offered a place at Cardiff University and University of Exeter
Ebony Johnston (formerly Ysgol Glan Y Mor) who has been offered a place at University of Exeter
Sam Jones (formerly Ysgol Maesydderwen) who has been offered a place at Cardiff University and the University of Sunderland
Sebastien Maskell (formerly Ysgol Gyfun Maes y Gwendraeth) who has been offered a place at University of Plymouth
Beth Plowman (formerly Pontarddulais Comprehensive School) who has been offered a place at Cardiff University and Bangor University
Ella Watkins (formerly St John Baptist Church in Wales High School) who has been offered a place at Cardiff University

HSDC is proud of its dedication to the local community, with both students and staff regularly organising and participating in charity fundraisers, such as Engineering’s recent Movember campaign and Esports’ Winterfest event. 

Recently, a student on the Extended Diploma in Sport at Alton College has embodied these values of charity and community that have come to define Alton. From 9am to 9pm on Friday 28 February, Tegan Peers-Holland organised and participated in a twelve-hour long netball tournament, raising money for Cancer Research UK. 

Tegan undertook this task as part of her course requirement to plan and lead an event, but ultimately wanted it to be an opportunity to bring together people of all skill levels for a day of fun, fitness and fundraising. When asked about how the netball went, Tegan said:

“The netball matches went so well! It was an amazing opportunity to raise money for a good cause whilst also getting so many people involved both inside and outside of the College. People of all ages and skill levels were allowed to participate, making it an inclusive event with fantastic attendance!”

The netball tournament was open to everyone, with lots of local community groups from outside the College also taking part, including family members and  local league teams. Alton Lions were also in attendance and helped to sponsor the event, for which Tegan was incredibly grateful.

In total, Tegan was able to raise £760 for Cancer Research UK, a truly amazing achievement. Dean Gillatt, a Sports lecturer at Alton who helped to supervise the event, praised Tegan’s efforts:

“Tegan is a truly outstanding student, both in and outside of the classroom. Her charity match was amazing and really showed what she can achieve. Everybody had a great time, and whilst there were a few tired faces at the end of the 12 hours, it was well worth it!”

Everyone at HSDC is extremely proud of Tegan, who hopes to use the skills she has acquired on the Extended Diploma in Sport to pursue a career as a PE teacher in the future.

An Art Foundation student from Reading College and University Centre has received a highly commended award in a University Art competition. 

Aish Kheti-Heer, 18-years-old, from Caversham, entered her photograph of two models surrounded by her sculptures into Southampton Solent University’s Fine Art and Photography competition, which was launched last year. Her entry was shortlisted from 300 submissions from college students across the south of England.  

Her submitted photograph was of two models surrounded by her sculptures that she had previously made as part of her Art as activism project, entitled Exposing the gaze. She photographed the sculpture with two models from her class, depicting the male gaze. 

Speaking about her work, Aish said: “It was about the male gaze, so I looked at a lot of feminism and hyper sexualisation of women’s bodies and from that I made sculptures and then I used those sculptures and the models who interacted with them in the photography that I made. I took lots of photos, but the main one was the one that was submitted. 

“I’ve always liked using feminism in my art and tackling challenging subjects and being a woman myself it’s easier to relate those themes into my art. I think it’s an important subject that people play around with, but they don’t really tackle it head on and I hope that with my art I tackled it head on in a way was really exposing.” 

To choose the winning entries, Southampton Solent University collaborated with ‘a space’ arts, an Arts Council England National Portfolio organisation who have been supporting and inspiring artists in Southampton for 25 years. The winning entries represented five different colleges and featured mediums ranging from painting to photography. 

Aish’s photograph along with the winners and the other highly commented entry, went on display in an exhibition housed in shipping containers in Guildhall Square in Southampton.  

Aish recently attended a special showing in Southampton’s Guildhall Square, where the winners and highly commended entries were announced to an audience of friends, family and members of Southeast England’s art community. 

Aish is studying an Art and Design Level 3 Foundation at Reading College and University Centre.  

Speaking about being highly commended, Aish said: “It feels a bit surreal. I’ve never had my art in a public exhibition other than in the Reading College End of Year show in the summer. 

“Going down and seeing that I got highly commended was a very surreal experience but also nice because I worked so hard on that project so it’s nice that it gets that recognition.  

“I spoke to one of the judges, Nina Sverdvik, Course Leader Photography, at Southampton Solent University who was very interested in my work and impressed with my photography and asked if I was going to pursue it in the future. She said that she found it very captivating.”  

“It’s given me more confidence in my work. I applied on a whim and then I got the email that I had been shortlisted which gave me a much-needed confidence boost.”  

Celia Green, Visual Arts Teacher at Activate Learning, said: “She’s done so well, and I think the piece of work that she submitted was very thought-provoking and it was a really good push within her practice at that time. 

“I’m so proud of her and I think it’s a really good starting point for her artistic journey and her career, and it will be amazing to put on her CV and in the future that she’s had that experience of an exhibition and that other people in the art world also recognised her talent.” 

In September, Aish will go to Falmouth University to study a BA (hons) degree in Fine Art, as she wishes to pursue her studies in this area.  

Discover our Art, Design and Digital Creative programmes available to study at Reading College or contact us via 0800 612 6008. 

 

ENDS 

 

Notes for editors 

 

Images 

 

Images can be viewed via We Transfer using the following link: https://we.tl/t-4KgsN9dWc5

 

Aish Kheti-Heer, Art Foundation student at Reading College and University Centre cropped. 

 

Aish Kheti-Heer, Art Foundation student at Reading College and University Centre. 

 

Aish Kheti-Heer’s photography on display in Southampton Solent University’s Fine Art and Photography competition exhibition. 

 

About Activate Learning: 

 

Activate Learning is a forward-thinking education group working across further and higher education, schools, apprenticeships and training. We transform lives through learning. 

 

GROUP MEMBERS: 

 

Activate Apprenticeships | Activate Business School | Activate Cycle Academies | Activate Rugby Academy | Banbury and Bicester College | Bracknell and Wokingham College | City of Oxford College and University Centre | Farnham College | Guildford College | Merrist Wood College and University Centre | Reading College and University Centre  

 

www.activatelearning.ac.uk 

 

For more information, please contact Rebecca Duncan, Marketing Communications Officer at Activate Learning, on 01344 566449, 07493970252 or email Rebecca.Duncan@ActivateLearning.ac.uk 

 

 

 

Stoke on Trent College has added two new organisations to its portfolio of Future Skills Pledge partners.

Materials development, testing and assurance firm Lucideon have signed the pledge, as have the North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust.

Stoke on Trent College is committed to ‘Partnerships with a Purpose’ – a key strategic priority detailed in the College corporate strategy, Skills Ready, Future Ready.

Lucideon will work at depth to help the College to shape the curriculum across STEM subjects, having already been part of the college’s Skills Advisory Panels. Moving forward they will offer site visits and work experience for STEM and Construction learners. The college is also exploring ways to support Lucideon’s apprenticeship delivery.

As part of the Future Skills Pledge signing, representatives from the College were given a tour of Lucideon’s Stone-based facilities and the chance to find out more about different parts of the business.

North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust have also committed to the pledge and will be supporting the college with second year placements for T Level Health students. Professionals from the trust are also keen to meet and support students from right across different levels in Health and Social Care.

Hassan Rizvi, Principal & CEO at Stoke on Trent College commented:

“We are really excited to have both Lucideon and North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust signed up as Future Skills Pledge partners.

“We’re looking forward to working more closely with Lucideon to inform and evolve our STEM courses to ensure our learners are work ready. The Combined Healthcare Trust will lend their industry expertise to our T Level Health learners initially, but will also look to support other Health and Social Care learners.

“Working with industry leaders will only enhance the courses we offer, and give our learners the best chance to gain employment in their chosen field.”

Kenny Laing, Chief Nursing Officer at North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust commented:

“We are absolutely delighted to sign the future skills pledge with the College.  Supporting the development of local people and contributing in partnership to the development of local partnerships and life opportunities is something to which we attach enormous importance.  We look forward to deepening and developing our links with the College over the course of the coming year and beyond.”

Tony Kinsella, CEO at Lucideon commented,

“I am delighted that Lucideon is a partner with Stoke on Trent College, and we are able to sign the Future Skills Pledge. It is vital that our nation has the right skills for its growth mission; It is even more vital that we can help our people in the region acquire the necessary skills.  

“I have to say that if all colleges of learning adopted the flexible, adaptable, and industrial focused approach to learning then we would have more of the skills for our nation, and more of our nation wanting to acquire those skills.” 

Lucideon and North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust join Stoke-on-Trent City Centre BID, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Carson Powell Construction and Carse and Waterman amongst others as Future Skills Pledge Partners for Stoke on Trent College.

If your business would be interested in becoming a partner of Stoke on Trent College, please contact the Business Support team on 01782 603603 or emailing business@stokecoll.ac.uk.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

• Stoke on Trent College serves up to 9000 students a year including young people, adults and apprentices. Working with a wide range of employers in key growth areas of the economy such as Digital, Construction, Engineering, STEM and Health and Social Care and more.
• The College also work with young adults who may have a special educational or additional need.
• A wide range of flexible and distance learning is provided by the College to individuals and businesses.

For all media enquiries, please contact marketing@stokecoll.ac.uk