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For a few weeks every Friday, students on our Level 2 Carpentry course are attending kitchen fitting sessions at Howdens Joinery in Newbury. As part of their work experience and under supervision, Howdens has allowed them to revise several kitchen displays at its depot.

Ian Dodd, Depot Manager at Howdens said: We are keen to help Newbury College students qualify as carpenters and by offering work experience, we help them to put their carpentry skills into practise. Working in partnership this way allows the industry to develop new talent.

The students really appreciate the opportunity to apply their skills in a real life situation, adds course leader Mark McDonald. It gives them an insight and an appreciation of the quality of a Howdens' kitchen and it also gives them the knowledge and confidence to fit a kitchen in the future. We are very grateful to Howdens for their support.

Newbury College is always on the lookout for local businesses/organisations to help place our students on work experience. If you'd be happy to work with us, please call 01635 845000 and ask to speak to a member of the Learner Services Team.

Click here for more information on our carpentry courses.

To find out more about Howdens Joinery, visit https://www.howdens.com/

Our Health and Social Care students visited Bucks New University recently to find out what it's like working as an Operating Department Practitioner in a hospital operating theatre and recovery room.

The role of Operation Department Practitioner was registered with the Health and Care Professions Council in 2004 when doctors and anaesthetists recognised the benefits of having a practitioner who would participate in the assessment of patients prior to surgery, and provide individualised care throughout the operation and recovery process.

In a training simulation suite designed for students studying at degree level, the students dressed up in scrubs and carried out CPR. They also listened to a presentation covering the history of the profession.

The experience enabled the students to consider an alternative progression route to traditional routes such as nursing or midwifery roles, explained course leader Karen Dodd. Links like the one with Bucks New University help us add value to the Health and Social Care courses we run here at Newbury College and we are grateful to the university for letting us visit for the day.

Newbury College is recruiting students for its Level 2 and 3 Health and Social Care courses in September 2017. Click here for details. For more photos, see the album on Facebook.

Click here for information about the Operating Department Practitioner course at Bucks New University.

Care Recruitment Fair 2017
Discover the opportunities in the adult health and social care

The reputation of the adult health and social care sector has suffered plenty since the failures at Mid Staffordshire Hospital and the Winterbourne View scandal. The negative connotations have not helped the sector in terms of attracting staff; it currently suffers from a severe crisis in recruitment. According to an article in The Guardian newspaper, there are as many as 90,000 vacancies* for social care jobs on any one day in England.

Along with the sector council, Skills for Care, Newbury College is promoting the positive side of working in adult health and social care in the Newbury area by holding a recruitment event at its campus on Monks Lane. The event takes place on Thursday 11 May between 2-5pm.

Visitors, who are perhaps thinking about a change in career or joining the sector for the first time, can speak with local employers and discuss the opportunities for progression with qualified Newbury College staff, explains course leader Karen Dodd. We will be joined by organisations such as Audley Care, Bluebird Care, Brighter Kind, Choice Care Group, Elysium Healthcare (Thornford Park), Newbury Weekly News, Skills for Care, Sugarman Care and Support Partners Ltd, all of whom will be showcasing their workplace and demonstrating what they can offer in terms of a rewarding and fulfilling career. The event will also help our own students by presenting work placement opportunities. We look forward to seeing everyone there.

The event is free to attend and visitors can pre-register for the event here or call 01635 845000 for more information.

*UK social care sector in crisis due to staff shortages, The Guardian Newspaper, Wednesday 08 March.

Newbury College is hosting a family Open Event at its Monks Lane Campus on Saturday 13 May, between 10am and 1pm. The event showcases the wide variety of courses the College has to offer and includes the launch of its new part-time guide for courses starting in September. Visitors can speak to subject specialists, take part in interactive activities and tour the facilities.

Alongside the event, as part of their Skills Project, the Animal Care students are running a charity dog show between 11am ' 12:30pm. Dogs and their owners are invited to enter the competition, all proceeds raised will go to the National Animal Welfare Trust. Categories include: dog most like its owner, best puppy, best senior, best groomed, best crossbreed, best talent and best in show. The cost to enter each category is £1.50. The top three dogs in each category win a prize.

Other activities on the day include fete stalls, an inflatable bungee run and surf machine. Visitors can also see demonstrations in crafts such as drawing, dressmaking and upholstery. Principal Dr Anne Murdoch, OBE said, We're delighted to welcome the local community to the College, providing them with an ideal opportunity to find out what programmes we have on offer in September.

Those looking for a new skill or hobby will find a wide range of exciting community learning courses on offer. Our professional and higher education courses provide adults with the opportunity to either update their qualifications or progress their career. Our information, advice and guidance team will also be on hand to help year 11 students who'd like to discuss their options when they finish school this summer. There's something for all ages to enjoy on the day.

Register for the Open Event here.

Register for the Dog Show here.