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Gorseinon College has been marking its Association of Colleges Beacon Award with a celebratory event.
The UK-wide Beacon Awards provide national recognition for excellence and innovation, as well as acknowledging the talents of staff at all levels. Gorseinon College won the Welsh Assembly Government Award for College Engagement with Employers, specifically for its Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) provision, a programme for collaboration between business, further education, universities and research organisations.
Mr Mike Hopkins, who presented a cheque to the College on behalf of the Welsh Assembly Government, stated that the College is “a flagship in employer engagement and displays great innovation in its work with Welsh businesses. Gorseinon College is to be congratulated.”
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, which operate throughout the UK, are three-way alliances between employers with a particular strategic project, the College (or knowledge partner) and an Associate. The Associate is employed by the College to work within the company 100% of the time to deliver the project objectives, assisted by a team of College staff. The Associate, in turn, benefits from opportunities to develop personally and academically, as well as gaining commercial and industrial experience.
Nick Bennett, Principal of Gorseinon College, explained to an audience, which included many invited guests, that: "This award is national recognition for our work with employers throughout South Wales. Gorseinon College has built a reputation as one of the leading providers of KTP in the UK. More than 100 jobs have been created in the companies involved and the College has also benefited through the development of expert knowledge transfer skills in many of our teaching staff, who gain access to current industry practices.”
Gill Davies, Director of Innovation at Gorseinon College, stated that the College is very proud of its KTP provision and has benefited from working with over 60 companies. Projects have covered a diverse range of subjects but the emphasis has been on IT, business and management. A recently completed project with Clynderwen Farm Co-operative resulted in the development of a software system to introduce e-commerce and electronic management to their wholesale and retail network. As a result, turnover has increased by 10%, the graduate has been employed by the company, and the project has been named runner-up for the Best KTP Project, Wales Award! In addition, the College has won the Best Short KTP Project Programme Award.
Gorseinon College was presented with the Beacon Award by the Rt. Hon. Kevin Brennan MP, Minister of State for Further Education, at a national presentation ceremony held at Westminster in February.
If you think your company would benefit from a KTP project, please contact the KTP department on (01792) 222085.
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