Case study


employer from all aspects, but continues to give of himself and his company time and time again. “Without him we would have struggled


to implement this Diploma course in such an effective way. He has become a highly respected member of the team as far as my pupils are concerned. When he talks they all listen with interest.” Te desirability to offer a rich work-based


learning experience is shared by Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), which provides opportunities through its Education Business Centre based on the Halewood Automotive Factory, on Merseyside. Te centre, led by Marion Tomas and


employing a team of education officers, has been instrumental in advising on, and providing a number of activities for students of the Diploma in Engineering. All JLR staff, including the workforce in


the factory, engage the learners, raising their aspirations and treating them with respect, and encouraging mature behaviour in return. Students are treated as fellow workers,


which promotes strong working principles, and are allowed to visit the centre and factory, by prior arrangement, to pursue their studies on non-Diploma days and in the holidays. Te company has also used its links with


other firms to organise visits, broadening the scope of experience available to students and enabling them to draw comparisons between workplace practice. Tomas Riley, line lead for the Engineering


Diploma with the Knowsley Consortium, said: “Tis employer provides enthusiastic delivery of teaching and learning and is very engaging for the learners. Te JLR staff are very innovative with the curriculum delivered, which is PLT-centred and relates to Functional Skills wherever possible. All learners, at the company’s expense, have been provided with green work shirts and black sweatshirts embroidered with the company logo.” Te need for strong employer involvement


in Diplomas is particularly true in subject areas where students may not previously have had any experience, or where the knowledge may be sketchy, at best. In Croydon, the construction company,


Wates, has been working with the local consortium since 2006, initially in developing the Diploma and now ensuring continuous high level engagement in delivery. It has led by example locally and nationally by broadcasting the message about Diplomas to a wider audience and encouraging other companies to become involved. Te company is involved in the steering


Delivering Diplomas • Volume 2 No 2 Autumn 2010


group of the Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment (CBE), contributing to staff training events as well as specialist instruction in key curriculum themes. Wates has supported the creation of an on-


site Project Build Facility at Croydon College to promote engaging learning opportunities and provides sample building materials and equipment as resources. It is also developing a specialist website to support Diploma learning, and hosts in-house staff training and student visits through its Leatherhead head office, in Surrey. John Stopani, the Director of 14 to 19


Partnerships at Croydon College, said: “Wates fully recognises the depth and scope of the CBE Diploma and has ensured student work placement opportunities reflect progression opportunities through technical and professional routes. “To this end, placements have focused


on working with professionals within the company’s head office and one of the pilot Diploma group students has successfully gained employment with the company as a production trainee. “Wates also provides work shadowing


opportunities for Consortium teaching staff and thereby ensures the currency of Diploma delivery.” Mr Stopani added: “Wates goes well


above and beyond the expectations of the consortium and does so with a view to developing sustainable approaches to ensure continued access in the future to company time, expertise and resources. “Te company has an admirably altruistic


outlook, seeking to invest in the longer term workforce needs of the sector rather than immediate corporate gain.”


Winning ways: GMTV chair Clive Jones presents Katie Laidlaw with her runner-up prize (above), while winner John Short gives his acceptance speech (below left)


Te National Trust may not be an


obvious partner for consortia developing and delivering Diplomas, but its work with Backwell School in North Somerset on the Creative and Media qualification has been described as “of exceptionally high quality”. By securing Heritage Lottery funding, the


National Trust, through its principal contact, Katie Laidlaw, has regularly visited schools to provide real-life perspectives to the students. Te organisation, another runner-up in this


year’s Awards, has funded filming training for the Creative and Media Diploma and on- going work experience at its Tyntesfield site, including employing the whole Level 3 group for three weeks on a specific project. Julian Baldwin, head of Backwell School,


said: “Troughout their relationship with us, which is ongoing and planned to continue for the foreseeable future, staff of the National Trust in Tyntesfield have been marvellous in their support of the development of the course. “Tey have encouraged the students to take


on new challenges and provided a real life work based perspective to their learning.” Jenny Clark, employer engagement


co-ordinator for North Somerset 14-19 Partnership, said Ms Laidlow and the National Trust staff had “provided many hours of support, above and beyond the call of duty, and assisted in the development of cutting edge resources that have been shared online so that other consortia across England can also benefit from this work”.


DD 23


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