Foundation Degrees in Lancashire

Winners of Prestigious Foundation Degrees in Lancashire Awards Announced

2007-03-28T08:57:00.000-07:00

Lancaster University hosted the second Foundation Degrees in Lancashire Awards Evening on Tuesday 13 March. Students, tutors and employers from across Lancashire were nominated for these prestigious awards by the 15 colleges and universities in Lancashire that offer Foundation Degrees.

Winners were announced in four categories: Young Student of the Year (under 25 years), Mature Student of the Year (25 and over), Tutor of the Year and Employer of the Year.

The winner in the category Young Student of the Year was Nathan Pendrey, who was nominated by Lancaster and Morecambe College and who had taken a Foundation Degree in Sports Coaching. Nathan was nominated by Course Leader, Iain Parkinson, because he successfully overcame the huge educational differences between his previous school experiences and those he faced on the Foundation Degree. He joined the programme after a career change, and had to adapt quickly to a new style of education. This he did very quickly and impressively, and completed with a Pass with Merit grade. Throughout the course he showed excellent personal development both academically and vocationally, allowing him to progress to complete the top-up degree at the University of Central Lancashire, leading towards his goal of becoming a PE teacher.

Iain said, "Nathan has been a very positive and enthusiastic student throughout his time at Lancaster and Morecambe College. Daily he faced a 50 mile round trip to the College, maintaining a high attendance rate. He has a very determined manner, and I expect him to succeed in his chosen career."

The winner in the category Mature Student of the Year was Norman Pickavance, who was nominated by Myerscough College and took a Foundation Degree in Professional Gardening and Plant Knowledge. Norman found the course to be life-changing, in particular it led to a new and rewarding career. As a direct result of the significant progress and commitment which he demonstrated, he gained employment as Head of Horticulture at Edge Hill University. He has been making a major contribution towards developing the landscape at Edge Hill, and now also helps to demonstrate the importance of the grounds for Ecology to several student groups each year. He has also introduced a health and safety culture across campus.

Norman was nominated by Horticulture lecturer David Stokes, who said: "Norman is the first member of his family to study at HE level, while overcoming bereavements within his family and also poor health. He has shown significant commitment to the course by managing a full-time job, study, magistrate's duties and a very demanding home life. He has also clearly shown significant academic progress and personal development over the last two and a half years of the course."

The winner in the category Tutor of the Year was Gill Watson of Runshaw College. Gill has led the development of eight Foundation Degrees at Runshaw College, across a diverse range of areas. She has been involved in every aspect of this, from initiating the course proposal, undertaking market research with employers and prospective students to check out needs and demand and then respond in the design of courses. Gill has also taught on a wide variety of Foundation Degrees, and currently teaches on five different ones in the areas of Computing, Computer Games Development, Travel, Hospitality, Computer Aided Engineering and Information Communication Technology. Gill provides tremendous support to all course leaders developing new Foundation Degrees at Runshaw College, and is known to always 'go the extra mile' in terms of responding to the needs of individual students.

Gill was nominated by HE Co-ordinator Alison Robinson who said, "Gill is a wonderful role model for the College and Foundation Degrees in general. She is a keen enthusiast of FDs and has sought to embed good practice in FD design in order to share this with her colleagues. Gill fully engages with inclusive learning strategies, in particular supporting students who have a wide range of physical or learning difficulties both inside and outside of her FD classes. She adopts a wide range of innovative learning and teaching strategies in order to support her learners and cater for their individual needs."

The winner in the category Employer of the Year was Leyland Methodist Infant School, which was nominated by Runshaw College for its support of the Foundation Degree in Early Years. The school has been providing work placements for the College for over ten years, and is described as an exceptional and inspirational learning environment for both the children and students on work placement, who feel nurtured and supported. The Head Teacher helps students prepare for their assessment, and other students are assessed in the workplace with the full support of the school. The employer values the worth of Foundation Degrees, and provides real work placements which value and enhance learners' skills and abilities.

Leyland Methodist Infant School was nominated by Course Leader Deirdre Dougan, who said,
"What is very special about this employer is the very welcoming environment where students are given real work experience in a place that is up-to-date with regard to government new initiatives. The workplace gives students the opportunity to link theory to practice. The student experience is facilitated so that they have the opportunity to see a wide range of different activities, skills and techniques that are both relevant to their course and their future careers."

The award was collected by Christine Cranfield, Head Teacher of Leyland Methodist Infant School.

Rosemary Hindley, Senior Development Officer in the Department of Continuing Education at Lancaster University, commented, "This year we received almost twice as many nominations from the institutions which provide Foundation Degrees in Lancashire, following a very successful awards ceremony last year. We also introduced a new category of Tutor of the Year, in response to suggestions from the providers. Some of the nominations were really inspiring, and I know that the judges had a very difficult time deciding on the four winners. The nominations included students who had managed to combine work, study and personal commitments, often while also having to deal with other difficult circumstances such as illness or family bereavements. Some of the students were also the first in their family to study at higher education level. We were very impressed by the commitment which they have shown, and by the support which they have received from their institutions".

The guest speaker at the awards evening was Clive Memmott, Chief Executive of Business Link Lancashire, and Penny Blackie, Regional Director of Foundation Degree Forward, presented a certificate to each nominee and a glass engraved plaque to each of the four winners. Universities and colleges across the county were represented at the event, as well as a number of organisations involved in the delivery of education and training.

Foundation Degrees in Lancashire Awards Evening 2007

2007-02-01T04:18:00.000-08:00

The second Foundation Degrees in Lancashire Awards Evening will be held at Lancaster University on Tuesday 13 March 2007. 23 nominations have been received from 9 of the FD providers in Lancashire, for the four categories of Young Student (under 24), Mature Student (over 25), Tutor and Employer of the Year. A judging panel of representatives from Foundation Degree Forward, Business Link and Aimhigher Lancashire is currently deliberating on all the nominations received, and the four winners will be announced at the event on 13 March. All nominees and the institutions involved are invited to attend. The results and photographs of the presentations will be available on this website shortly afterwards.

2006-03-14T03:43:00.000-08:00

Department of Continuing Education

PRESS RELEASE

Issued for immediate release on 9 November 2005

Winners of prestigious Foundation Degrees in Lancashire awards announced

Lancaster University hosted the inaugural Foundation Degrees in Lancashire awards at its award-winning Infolab building on Tuesday 8 November. Students and employers from across Lancashire were nominated for these prestigious awards by the 15 colleges and universities in Lancashire that offer Foundation Degrees.

Winners were announced in three categories: Young Student of the Year (under 25 years), Mature Student of the Year (25 and over) and Employer of the Year.

The winner in the category Young Student of the Year was Emma Parsons, who was nominated by Edge Hill and who had taken a Foundation Degree in Teaching and Learning Support – Primary. Emma was employed as a Teaching Assistant when she embarked on the Foundation Degree, and received support for her studies from the school. She was the highest achieving young student on the Primary Foundation Degree at Edge Hill, and received a commendation when graduating in July this year.

Emma was nominated by programme leader Maureen Judge because she overcame a number of difficulties during her studies, including taking care of her cousin’s children while she recovered from a serious accident. Emma felt that the Foundation Degree gave her the confidence to progress further in her career, and has successfully passed the bridging course to Level 3 of a BA (Hons) in Child Development and Learning with QTS.

Maureen says, “Emma has shown a high level of commitment and balanced her work, family and studies exceptionally well even in the face of adversity. It has been a great privilege and pleasure to watch Emma grow in confidence, experience and knowledge over the past three years, becoming an excellent role model to other students.”

The winner in the category Mature Student of the Year was Jane Mwita, who was nominated by Lancaster University and took a Foundation Degree in Working with Young People and Young People’s Services. Jane moved to the UK in 2002, when her husband began a PhD at Lancaster University Management School. They moved here from their home in Kenya, with their three children aged 14, 12 and 7, leaving behind extended family and lifelong friends.

As well as her Foundation Degree studies and family responsibilities, Jane has taken a Psychology Certificate with the Department of Continuing Education at the University, and has been involved in the local community through her work as a Teaching Assistant and after-school helper in two local schools. Jane has occasionally had to keep the household running when her husband returned to Kenya for three-month trips as part of his PhD.

Jane is in the second year of her part-time Foundation Degree, and intends to use her skills to work in the longer term as an educational welfare officer, careers advisor or student support worker. Jane was nominated by Andrew Bernard, Business Development Manager in the Centre for Training and Development at Lancaster University, who said: “By any measure, these challenges and difficulties are individually significant. That Jane has done these things together, in the same year, we feel deserves special recognition ... It is impossible to overestimate the skills Jane has applied in balancing her work, higher education learning, family and social responsibilities in the past year.”

The winner in the category Employer of the Year was Warton-based company Arvin Meritor, which was nominated by Blackpool and The Fylde College. The Foundation Degree the company is involved with is Autosport. Arvin Meritor is a vehicle exhaust system development business. They have been associated with the College for 6 years, and supply learning resources, work placements and technical development information. The employer supports the Autosport Foundation Degree students by allowing time off for study, and enabling them to use the facility for research.

Arvin Meritor has also been involved in the development of the Foundation Degree in Autosport, by advising the College on module content, based on the skills they seek in an employee. They have advised the College on how to develop its own extensive engine test development centre, as well as providing industry contacts. The employer also provides work placements for Foundation Degree students.
Arvin Meritor was nominated by Adrian Bamber, Curriculum Manager in the School of Engineering and Computing, who said, “A student who is currently studying a Foundation Degree here went to them to do his work placement. They were impressed by him, and saw the benefits of having an employee with both good academic knowledge and practical experience, so they employed him permanently, giving him time off for his studies.”

The award was collected by Robert Lindsay, Test Team Leader at Arvin Meritor.

Lucy Lloyd, Assistant Director in the Department of Continuing Education at Lancaster University, commented, “We received some truly inspiring nominations – people who have managed to fulfil their potential while balancing work, study and personal commitments, often while also dealing with other situations and circumstances that would have caused most people to give up on their studies. I am very impressed by the commitment they have shown, and by the support they have received from their employers and the colleges and universities. The winner in the Employer of the Year category, Arvin Meritor, is particularly note-worthy as, not only do they support Foundation Degree students, but also they have worked with the college in developing the Foundation Degree.”

The guest speakers at the awards ceremony were Professor Derek Longhurst, Director of Foundation Degree Forward, and Mike Heaton, Youth Strategy Manager, Learning and Skills Council Lancashire. Universities and colleges across the region were represented at the event, as well as a number of organisations that are involved in the delivery of education and training.

The event also saw the launch of the Foundation Degrees in Lancashire website www.foundationdegreesinlancashire.org.uk

The awards event is part of Foundation Degrees in Lancashire week, during which all the Foundation Degree providers in Lancashire are collaborating to raise the profile of these relatively new courses. Foundation Degrees were introduced in the UK in 2000 and are rapidly growing in popularity. This higher education level qualification is developed by employers in partnership with universities and colleges. The courses combine academic study with work-based learning and experience. They offer a cost-effective and flexible means for employees to gain a higher level qualification while remaining in employment.

There are now 128 Foundation Degrees available in Lancashire in subjects as diverse as sport coaching and casino operations, health care and criminology. The awards evening was an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of Foundation Degree students and to acknowledge the support and input into the programmes that employers in the region have made.

The awards ceremony is part of a unique Aimhigher Lancashire funded project led by the Department of Continuing Education at Lancaster University. The project has successfully brought about the collaboration of all the institutions that provide Foundation Degrees in Lancashire, and aims to raise awareness of the qualification among employers and potential students.

For a Foundation Degrees in Lancashire brochure please contact Rosemary Hindley on 01524 593686.

2005-10-12T02:57:00.000-07:00

Staff Development Event - 7th November
Venue: UCLAN Harris Knowledge Park, Preston

PROGRAMME

9.00 Arrival, registration and refreshments

9.30 Welcome and Introduction
Keith Percy, Director of School of Lifelong Learning and Widening Participation, Lancaster University

9.45 The Role of Foundation Degree Forward in the Promotion of FDs
Penny Blackie, Regional Development Manager for the North West, fdf

10.25 The Development and Marketing of CETAD’s Working with Young People and Young People’s Services Foundation Degree
Andrew Bernard, Business Development Manager, CETAD, Lancaster University

10.45 Coffee Break

11.00 Foundation Degrees in Lancashire Website Demonstration
Mike Picciotto, Department of Continuing Education, Lancaster University

11.30 The Pros and Cons of Dealing with Employers
Andy Iredale, Director of Marketing, Blackpool and The Fylde College

12.00 Final Presentation (title to be confirmed)
Julie Youngs, Learning Development Unit Manager, Myerscough College

12.30 Discussion - Identification of Issues for Further Action by the FDPT

1.00 Lunch

Foundation degrees in Lancashire Awards Evening - 8th November

Venue:
Lancaster University

Time:
6.30-8.30pm.

Speakers:
Professor Derek Longhurst, Director, Foundation Degree Forward

Mike Heaton, Youth Strategy Manager, Learning and Skills Council Lancashire

The awards will be presented by Alan Whitaker, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Lancaster University