Cardiff and Vale College jumps to 2nd place in prestigious diversity index and is awarded FE Provider of the Year

Cardiff and Vale College has moved from 3rd to 2nd in the National Centre for Diversity’s prestigious Top 100 Inclusive Employers Index 2024, and has received the Centre’s Award for Further Education (FE) Provider of the Year.

The achievements reflect the work being done across the College to embed Fairness, Respect, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Engagement (FREDIE). The College is the only Welsh Further Education (FE) institution in the Top 10.

CAVC has been working with the Welsh Government, leading on a project to develop of anti-racist curriculum modules in the FE sector. The curriculum is in the form of a metaverse, providing an accessible and immersive learning experience developed and produced in collaboration with minority ethnic experts from schools, colleges, universities and third parties.

This work last year saw the College become one of just two UK colleges to be shortlisted for a ‘College Oscar’ – the Association of College’s Beacon Award for Effective Use of Digital Technology in FE.

Solat Chaudhry, Chief Executive at the National Centre for Diversity said: “I send my warmest congratulations to Cardiff and Vale College on successfully reaching number 2 in the Top 100 Most Inclusive UK Employers Index 2024.

“The inspiring organisations that make the Top 100 demonstrate excellent levels of employee retention and recruitment and clearly demonstrate how they value and respect the people that work for them.

“What better than to be recognised by peers and those travelling in the same direction towards the common goal of Fairness in the workplace. It is hugely motivational.”

Cardiff and Vale College Principal Sharon James-Evans said: “We are absolutely delighted to have moved to second place in the National Centre for Diversity’s prestigious Top 100 Most Inclusive Employers Index. And to be awarded FE Provider of the Year is something to be extremely proud of.

“As the College that serves one of the most diverse and vibrant communities in Wales, we are hugely proud of this result. It means a lot to us because we believe ourselves to be at the heart of the communities we serve and that all students and staff are part of the CAVC Family."

“This is a testament to the people right across the College who work so hard to ensure that CAVC takes an ell-encompassing approach to managing equality, diversion and inclusion across all we do and I’d like to thank them all for that.”