Cardiff and Vale College has been used as an example of good practice in a report into the future of Higher Education (FE) and colleges in Wales.
The report, The College of the Future for Wales, highlights CAVC’s work to embed Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) in everything it does, and its partnership work with the community. The Independent Commission on the College of the Future was set up to produce reports on its recommendations for FE in each of the UK’s four nations.
When discussing the role of TEL, the report discusses Cardiff and Vale College’s emphasis on helping learners and the community adapt to digital change. The first and only Microsoft Showcase College in Wales, TEL is embedded in the College’s curriculum and wider work.
The College also provides TEL-based community programmes for the Capital Region, creating digital development opportunities for the wider community. There is strong emphasis on the staff’s digital journeys in Continuing Professional Development.
The report also notes the strong work CAVC does in the community it serves – one of the most diverse and vibrant communities in Wales. It points to the Families Learning Together initiative that has reached out to more than 1,000 parents and children, and its work to promote cancer and health awareness among the BME community.
It also cites the College’s REACH+ hub for learners of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), and its flagship Junior Apprenticeship programme for 14 to 16-year-olds which has significantly reduces the numbers of young people Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.
Cardiff and Vale College Deputy Principal Sharon James said: ““We serve one of the most diverse communities in Wales and we are determined to do everything we can to create opportunities for those communities and the local and wider economy.
“Also, at a time when online learning has become more relevant than ever we are committed to using technology to enhance the learning process. We are honoured that the hard work and dedication of staff are being used as case studies in this important report.”