Colleges Week Celebrations
1st October 2018 1:05pm - Return to press releases
East Riding College is celebrating Colleges Week with a variety of activities to highlight the contribution it makes to people’s lives and the local economy. It will also join a national campaign for fair funding for colleges.
East Riding College plays a vital role in the social and economic development of the region, supporting thousands of students to learn and train. It works with over 400 employers locally, to provide apprenticeships and training opportunities.
David Hughes, Chief Executive, Association of Colleges, said: “Every single day colleges like East Riding College provide a world class education and transform the lives of millions of people.
“Colleges Week is an opportunity to celebrate the brilliant things that go on and a chance to showcase the brilliant staff that make it possible. It is simple, if we want a world-class education system then we need to properly invest in it.”
The first ever Colleges Week will take place from Monday 15 October to Friday 19 October 2018 as part of the ‘Love Our Colleges’ campaign. Colleges across the country will be showcasing how they transform people’s lives and lobbying Parliament about fair funding on Wednesday 17 October.
Rooted in local communities, colleges are crucial in driving social mobility and providing the skills to boost local and regional economies.
However, there is currently a reduction in education funding once a student turns 16 – whether they are in a sixth form or a college. ‘Love Our Colleges’ is calling on government to increase 16-19 funding by 5% a year for 5 years. It is also asking Department for Education to provide exceptional funding, ring-fenced for teacher pay. Those who teach in colleges are paid less than school staff – the average salary for a teacher in a school is £37,000 a year, whereas in a college is it £30,000.
Mike Welsh, Principal and Chief Executive of East Riding College said:
“We are pleased to be able to join with other colleges to support the fair funding campaign. Colleges have always had to respond to changes to the way they are funded, but in the last ten years in particular we have suffered funding cuts of around 30%. In response to those changes and cuts many of us have evolved into dynamic, flexible and responsive organisations, but the pressures to deliver ‘more for less’ have never been greater.
“Colleges are an essential part of education and skills, training more than 2.2m people each year. In the context of Brexit, delivering a skilled workforce is more important than ever, and to do this we need fair funding and fair pay in order to give our students a fair chance.”
What you can do to help – get behind the Colleges Week campaign, follow the hashtags #CollegesWeek #LoveOurColleges on social media. Send East Riding College a message of support on Facebook or Twitter, which will add your voice to the national campaign.
