Sponsored content
Highlands College assistant principal Tony Tyrer tells Emily Moore why collaboration between tutors and industry is critical to equip people with the skills needed not just for the jobs of today but also for emerging roles
ASK many business leaders – as I have done in countless interviews – what they see as the greatest challenge facing both their organisation and their industry in general, and you can almost guarantee that they will say recruitment.
Finding good staff, with the right skills and qualifications, is notoriously difficult in Jersey and this is why, as Tony Tyrer explains, Highlands College is committed to working with industry to develop a higher and technical education offer which equips people with the skills needed not just for the jobs of today but also for those which are emerging.
That, as the college’s assistant principal, planning and skills, acknowledges, can be a challenge, which is why collaboration between tutors and industry is critical to the success of each programme.
“It is really difficult to identify the future skills needs,” admitted Tony. “I’ve worked in education for nearly 30 years and the changes over that time, particularly in technology, have been incredible. That is why we rely heavily on our industry partners and colleagues at Skills Jersey to identify both current and future needs.”
And while Highlands acts as a “gatekeeper” for each qualification and employs tutors to deliver significant elements of each course, Tony adds that students on the apprenticeship and lifelong professional development programmes also benefit from the knowledge and expertise of industry professionals.
“As technology emerges, demanding new skillsets, we invite the experts in each field to come and teach those aspects of the programme,” he said. “That industry experience is invaluable, enabling us to deliver a wider range of courses and giving students the best possible foundation on which to build their careers.”
Having started his own career as an apprentice plumber in the UK, Tony is passionate about this form of blending learning and employment – and is determined to give Highlands College students a positive experience.
“I know from my personal experience what good and bad apprenticeships look like and understand the importance of good tuition and mentorship,” he explained. “That has really helped me to embed those values into our scheme as we continue to run both traditional apprenticeships, such as plumbing and carpentry, with newer programmes, such as groundworks and tourism and hospitality, which have been introduced in direct response to employer needs.”
College Picture: ROB CURRIE (41143259)
In both these cases, Tony adds, the apprenticeships have been launched as the relevant industries have identified skills gaps which needed to be addressed.
“Showing the collaborative nature of our approach, we have liaised with the sector involved to identify the gaps, monitor the labour market and come up with an apprenticeship model which responds directly to those needs,” he said.
And it is not just in hospitality and construction where the college is responding to evolving needs.
In line with the government’s Carbon Neutral Roadmap and a growing need for “green skills”, Highlands is developing courses which focus specifically on areas such as low-carbon heating and electric vehicles.
“Emerging technologies in these areas have highlighted the need for upskilling in a range of industries, and we are therefore investigating the potential for an apprenticeship for low-carbon heating technicians,” Tony said. “As it can take three or four years to train someone to take on that kind of role, it is important that we are proactive and launch these different pathways now, so that when the Island needs people with those skills, they are already here.
“Similarly, we have worked with the automotive industry to ensure that our team is skilled in electric-vehicle maintenance, so that we are ready to train mechanics in that area. We are also working with Jersey Electricity and partners in the construction industry to understand how emerging technology will help to make buildings more energy efficient and what skills people working in those areas will require.
“It is so important that we support not just what the industry needs now, but what it will need in the future.”
With around 400 apprentices studying at Highlands, it is only natural that much of Tony’s time is focused on this area, but he also oversees the college’s provision for 14-16-year-olds as well as its community education department and Highlands Professional.
“It is a broad role; that’s what keeps me going,” he smiled. “Alongside the apprenticeships, we offer professional learning that is relevant to, and requested by, industry. This includes courses for teaching assistants and those in the early-years sector, for example.
“Highlands Professional also provides upskilling opportunities across the wider workforce by delivering industry-recognised courses in areas such as HR and people development (CIPD), professional management and leadership (CMI) and accountancy (AAT).
“I’m also responsible for curriculum departments, such as culinary arts and hair and beauty, areas which have a substantial number of full-time and part-time students.”
And showing the same commitment to giving students on those courses the best possible experiences, Tony and the teams in each department have developed relationships with industry partners in the Island and further-education providers in other jurisdictions.
“Our culinary arts students benefit from our links with a residential college in Dinard which has a restaurant and hotel on campus,” he said. “We have an exchange programme with the college, enabling our students to spend time living in the dormitories there, working in the restaurant and hotel, and learning about the cultural differences. The French students then come to Jersey, working in our Academy Restaurant, developing their front-of-house and kitchen skills.”
There is a similar relationship, Tony adds, with a hair and beauty establishment in France, whose students come to the Island to shadow Highlands’ learners, with their visit often coinciding with the college’s showcase catwalk event.
“Not only do the students get a lot out of these shared experiences but it is great for the college to have these relationships with colleges in France, Guernsey and the Isle of Man,” he said.
“As we are the only education provider of our type in Jersey, running competitions in everything from cooking and hairdressing to welding and fabricating, and enabling both students and teachers to see what is happening elsewhere is hugely beneficial.”
While the breadth of the college’s apprenticeship and lifelong learning programme is tremendous, there are, says Tony, common threads running across Highlands.
“All of our staff are professionals who have moved into education, completed degree-level study in teaching and learning. We, together with our industry partners, are passionate about developing young people and supporting them through their careers,” he said. “As a result of this caring and collaborative approach, we have a pass rate of around 98% across all our courses.
“This is invaluable, not just for giving our students a set of skills that enables them to embark on their career path but also for the Island, as we are addressing the skills gaps and equipping people with the knowledge and experience which Jersey needs for a thriving economy.”
- Highlands College is proud to be Jersey’s hub for education, skills and community, delivering 90% of skills training. With the support of government and employers, we hope to develop a newer and smaller campus with flexible spaces and integrated technology to enable all Islanders access to upskilling in fit-for-purpose learning environments.
- Visit our new website at highlands.ac.uk to learn how we are transforming lives and shaping the community.
