Episodi

  • Supporting ESOL learners into Vocational courses

    Supporting ESOL learners into Vocational courses
    Apr 16 2026
    ‘English Into Vocational’ is a targeted initiative by The City of Liverpool College to support ESOL learners through integrated vocational pathways. Seven ESOL Level 1 programmes—Plastering, Culinary Skills, Teaching Assistant, Health and Social Care, Sport and Physical Exercise, Art and Design, and Science—combine English language development with sector-specific content. Funded by the Liverpool City Region, these courses help learners build the linguistic, academic, and practical skills needed for progression. For instance, the English into Science pathway offered 6.5 hours of weekly study over 32 weeks, focusing on scientific terminology, lab procedures, and report writing, leading to a Level 1 BTEC Certificate. This model breaks the cycle of language-only learning by aligning English with vocational goals and providing clear progression routes to Level 2, further education, or employment. Embedding ESOL into vocational contexts enables learners to use English for real tasks—writing care notes, reading diagrams, or completing risk assessments—while gaining industry knowledge. Co-teaching by ESOL and vocational tutors ensures inclusive, adaptive delivery. Employer involvement ensures that learners are developing in demand skills within our city region, and structured guidance supports next steps. This has resulted in faster progression, greater confidence, and improved employability in key growth sectors.

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    25 min
  • The Citizen Hub

    The Citizen Hub
    Apr 16 2026
    This pioneering careers initiative exemplifies the power of collaboration in addressing local needs. Two further education colleges, located equidistant from a town lacking both a dedicated FE college and a job centre, joined forces to support a previously failing though centrally located Citizen Hub. This shared space offers careers advice, training, and wraparound support in partnership with local charities, ensuring that individuals receive holistic, accessible guidance in a friendly and welcoming environment. The colleges alternate staffing the Hub throughout the week, offering walk-in support and signposting individuals to additional services available on-site, such as housing advice, mental health support, and employability coaching. A dedicated training room enables the delivery of accredited courses to those unable to travel to college campuses—particularly benefiting unemployed individuals and leading to positive employment outcomes. Crucially, the colleges co-design the training offer to meet learner needs, regardless of institutional affiliation. Monthly co-design meetings with all Hub partners ensure a responsive, coordinated approach to community support. The initiative’s success has attracted national attention, with other regions seeking guidance to replicate the model. The Citizen Hub stands as a beacon of inclusive, place-based education and support—transforming lives through partnership and purpose.

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    28 min
  • Education for All

    Education for All
    Apr 16 2026
    The project encompasses a range of programmes and initiatives highlighting Hugh Baird’s ongoing commitment to being a ‘Beacon for our Community’ by ensuring education is accessible and impactful for all. In just 3 years, the College has increased its Foundation Studies offer (provision aimed at NEET young people), recruiting higher student numbers and expanding the range of technical and vocational qualifications available at Entry Level and Level 1. Whilst also further developing the curriculum offer at Thornton College, Hugh Baird’s specialist further education college, designed specifically for students with high needs. Leaders and managers recognised the need to take education to the young person rather than the only option being for young people to come to the main college site. We worked closely with our host local authority Sefton and Career Connect to support NEET students, aiming to reduce rising numbers and engage more young people in accessible, adulthood-ready education. Tailored support is offered to all young people across the department through the co production of support and care plans to ensure their needs are recognised and met whilst enrolled at college.

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    39 min
  • Supplementing and Improving Employment Prospects in Chinese Construction

    Supplementing and Improving Employment Prospects in Chinese Construction
    Apr 16 2026
    Our nomination is for the Lincoln College Group’s work in China, set up 12 years ago and dubbed ‘Innovation China’, a jointly developed construction cost engineering programme. Developed with the intent of increasing students’ employability chances post-study on a Chinese qualification by adding an English language element combined with knowledge of Western construction practice. This has been delivered in the Sichuan Province, with more than 2,500 students having benefited from this innovative programme. The programme, delivered as part of an existing Chinese Construction Major course, also provides an inclusion element thanks to being taught in a Western style that also encourages interaction. Most Chinese students for example are used to learning ‘by rote’ and with repetition of key phrases and dictation. This means that their pedagogical norms are challenged and culturally, their minds are opened to new ways of learning and foreign job markets. We believe that this element has two key benefits, that it builds resilience for those Chinese students that are hoping to work in the USA, UK or in Europe by giving them a taste of how information is disseminated. Secondly, the course’s material, which will give them an advantage over students who have not had this essential element added to their standard courses.

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    19 min