Lisa Capper MBE, Personally Speaking

Since joining Stoke on Trent College almost three years ago, I firmly believe more than ever that colleges can create impact far greater than the institution they are. They have a vital role as an anchor institution in shaping place and prosperity as our corporate strategy Skills Ready, Future Ready?highlights. It sets out our vision and values that are focused on collaboration to achieve complex objectives about meeting skills needs, technical capability, driving social mobility, and making ground on challenging and stubborn indicators for the city.

Colleges should be an integral part of the system with schools and universities if we are to succeed in boosting productivity, higher level technical skills and social mobility. Looking back over the first year of our strategy, we’ve worked hard to achieve this with key partnership agreements now in place with both our local universities, Keele University and the University of Staffordshire . The College is also a license holder for the new local Institute of Technology. These partnerships help fuel the ambition to enable young people and adults to access higher-level skills and be part of a new boosted pipeline for employers in the areas. Our Careers partnerships mean that our learners have greater awareness and knowledge of their options beyond Stoke on Trent College, helping them to make informed decisions about future courses and careers.

Further education has something unique and significant to contribute to the economic, social and civic growth of their localities. I believe our colleges are a touch-point for individuals and colleagues who look to us as a community of professionalism, expertise and inclusion. Stoke on Trent College serves a diverse learner base of adults, young people, those with a special education needs as well as apprentices and NEETs.

Building social capital is part of our job and doesn’t just stop with learners. College staff pride themselves on volunteering and creating projects to add value to our mission. Examples include our Challenge programme which will celebrate its 20th Anniversary in 2025 as staff and students travel to South Africa to support education organisations with voluntary work and best practice and who this year will also travel to Erlangen twinned with Stoke-on-Trent and meet companies like Siemens.

Last year one of our Foundation Teachers was a finalist in the Your Heroes Awards for her work on creating additional opportunities for learners with disabilities at Port Vale Football Club . Developing higher horizons and creating hope for the future is not easily measurable, but it can be felt through our ethos, culture and values which we carry into our partnerships.

Our four skills hubs in key sector priority areas of Creative and Digital, Construction and green, Engineering and Health and Social Care aim to meet the needs of employers and work with them to co-create the curriculum and pathways for young people and those already in work. Across the college, we are focused on careers, not courses, and progression to a good job, further - or higher education or to an employer career pathway is our version of success. It is only by being responsive to the skills needs of businesses and organisations can we facilitate sustained businesses success that will grow the local economy and attract inward investment for the city. We work closely with employers and industry and partner organisations such as universities, local authorities, the Chambers of Commerce as well as with other colleges and training organisations to achieve this.

Stoke-on-Trent is a proud city, affectionately known as the Potteries. Creative industries are thriving across the city and we are proud to partner the many cultural organisations bringing together cultural, civic, education and business partners.

Our Cauldon campus is built on a pot-bank and in the last 12 months has launched its new partnership restaurant ‘The Hammersley’ which has been awarded an AA Rosette and has become first choice for many events for civic and business communities. It epitomises the integration of the College into the civic life of the City.

Our students thoroughly enjoyed welcoming the World Craft City jurors on their recent visit to showcase their creative work and design a bespoke Staffordshire themed menu to serve them as part of the hosted dinner and as a city of makers, craftsmanship and creativity, our recently launched alumni campaign ‘Made at Stoke on Trent College’ celebrates the journey and success of those who have studied at the College over the years. Aligning itself to the famous Stoke-on-Trent backstamp found on ceramic ware across the globe.

Stoke on Trent College continues to place itself at the heart of the city and will use its unique standing to celebrate the City’s Centenary Year as we celebrate 100 years of skills on the park -we look forward to welcoming you to our College community.