Heart of Worcestershire (HoW) College, the largest provider of post 16 education in the county, welcomed Jacqui Smith, The Rt Hon Baroness Smith of Malvern, Minister for Skills and Minister for Women and Equalities to the College. The special visit was packed with engaging discussions with staff and students, and a conversation with Principal Michelle Dowse about the important role that the College plays in the Worcestershire community.
Baroness Smith kicked off her tour by visiting the award-winning collaboration between Heart of Worcestershire and National Star College, a dedicated service offering specialist education and support for young adults with disabilities supported by Worcestershire County Council. The tour highlighted the incredible work being done to empower these young adults and provide them with the skills they need to succeed.
The Minister then observed Level 1 Hospitality and Catering students in action during a thrilling 'Ready, Steady, Cook' blind box challenge. The energy was evident as students showcased their culinary skills under the watchful eye of the Minister.
The Minister's visit also included a stop at HoW College’s Blended Learning Consortium. Here, staff shared fascinating insights into how they are harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to develop future skills. Baroness Smith joined the College’s ‘Leaders of Learning’ staff training sessions, underscoring the College commitment to continuous professional development where she engaged in a question-and-answer session.
The visit concluded with a roundtable discussion between Baroness Smith and Principal Michelle Dowse. They tackled critical topics such as funding challenges and pay within the Further Education sector, how best to support young people to improve their numeracy and literacy skills and explored how the College is supporting the Government’s 5 missions.
Baroness Smith's visit highlighted the vital collaboration between local education institutions, government, and industry to ensure the development of skills that meet the needs of both students and employers.
Minister for Skills, Jacqui Smith, said:
"Post-16 education and skills training are crucial to our mission to grow the economy under the Plan for Change. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Heart of Worcestershire College today, and I am grateful to college staff and students for giving up their time to talk to me. As someone who proudly calls this county home, the college's commitment to driving opportunity in their local community was fantastic to see, helping the young people they teach to achieve and thrive."
Michelle Dowse, Principal and CEO at HoW College also commented:
"We are thrilled that Baroness Smith took time out of her incredibly busy schedule to visit us today. It was a fantastic opportunity to showcase the exceptional work we are doing here at HoW College and to highlight our role as a key anchor institution in Worcestershire. As a college, we are committed to providing high-quality education and training that directly supports both our local communities and the regional economy. The visit underscored the importance of further education in driving skills development, job opportunities, and social mobility, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with government and industry to build a brighter future for all."
To find out more about HoW College, visit www.howcollege.ac.uk/