The Sixth Form College, Solihull, celebrated the graduation of its first Business Career Academy cohort on Monday, and launched further Career Academies in new and exciting subject areas at the official Career Academy Celebration event.
The event took place at Arup’s offices in the Blythe Valley Business Park, and staff and students from the College were joined by representatives from local businesses, some of whom have already made significant contributions to the success of the Career Academy programme, and some who wanted to find out more to inform their possible involvement.
The College launched its Business Career Academy in 2010 and those first students (all BTEC Extended Diploma in Business students) have now graduated from the Career Academy and from their courses, and are ready to move onto employment or university. All have benefitted from excellent opportunities with local businesses in the past year, including internships, visits, lectures and mentoring.
A second group of students are approaching the end of their first year on the programme and are currently completing six-week paid internships with Coventry Building Society, Chiltern Railways and Solihull MBC.
At this celebration event, Mark Rogers, Chief Executive of Solihull MBC, spoke about how the programme benefits the College, the students and the local businesses that participate in it, referring to it as “win-win” for all. The Mayor of Solihull was also present to offer his support.
Among the firms that have been actively involved with the Academy this past year are Aston University, BDO, BT, Chiltern Railways, Coventry Building Society, Grant Thornton, HMRC, Jaguar Land Rover, Johnson’s Coaches, npower, the Primary Care Trust, Solihull Chamber, Solihull Community Housing, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, Village Hotel and West Midlands Police.
Ranjit Hayer, Career Academy Co-ordinator and Business teacher, explained, “It’s wonderful to see the first group of students complete their studies and graduate from the Career Academy programme. All have achieved their potential and secured employment or university places, so it’s a real success story and I’m very proud of them.”
“I am also immensely grateful to all the businesses that contributed to a successful year for the Career Academy. We think this collaboration with the College on the Career Academy programme is a mutually beneficial arrangement and we hope to build on the success we have had by expanding the programme. Starting in September 2012, we are launching further Career Academies in Public Services, IT and Science as well, so we are looking for more businesses to get involved.”
For further information contact:
Bev Bishop, Marketing Co-ordinator, The Sixth Form College, Solihull
Tel: 0121 704 2581 (Ext. 2414)
Fax: 0121 711 1598
Email: BBishop@SolihullSFC.ac.uk