Edinburgh College lecturers are scheduled for further industrial action this week, Tuesday 20th and Wednesday 21st April in defence of the Further Education sector and the professional status of qualified lecturers. This follows previous strongly supported strike action taken prior to the Easter holidays.
Colleges Scotland’s refusal to ratify their own agreed definition of the lecturer’s role, a definition the union accepts, has so far prevented a settlement. Their refusal threatens to undermine the delivery of quality education to Edinburgh College students, many of whom have over the years seen unqualified staff on poorer pay, terms and conditions deliver qualifications up to HN level.
EIS FELA members will this week also be balloted on Action Short of Strike Action. This constitutes an escalation of the dispute incorporating a withdrawal of good will.
Edinburgh College Branch Secretary Penny Gower described what is at stake: ‘Our members are losing money by striking, but this action is not for personal gain. It is to make sure our students get the quality of education they deserve.
“All we ask is that the employers ratify their own proposals which we have already accepted. If they care about students they should do that immediately.”
EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said, “Our members are continuing to stand firm against the practice of replacing lecturers with less qualified, lower paid staff. Colleges claim that there is no plan to do this, yet they continue to refuse to ratify an agreement that would halt this practice.
“If colleges are not seeking to replace lecturers with lower qualified staff, why are they so reluctant to ratify the agreement – incorporating their own proposals – that would stop it from happening?”
A spokesperson for the Colleges Scotland Employers’ Association, said: “Colleges will do everything they can to ensure that students are supported during this difficult time, and that any disruption is minimised.
“The EIS-FELA has refused repeated requests to suspend the strikes while meaningful discussions carry on – national industrial action is wholly unnecessary.”
An Edinburgh College student was named runner-up in a national photography competition for a selection of images he created as part of his degree programme.
BA Professional Photography student Stephen Rodger took second spot in the student category at the Scottish Nature Photography Awards 2020 for his portfolio titled Swan Lake on Fire, which depicts a number of swans swimming on a lake in the early morning sun.
The Scottish Nature Photography Awards was launched in 2010 to provide a platform to celebrate Scotland as a key destination for nature photographers and to acknowledge the excellence of the photographic work that is undertaken here.
The annual competition invites entries of images taken in Scotland by professional or amateur photographers from around the world.
Stephen said: “It was tremendously exciting to be told I’d been awarded second place in the Student category this year. I’m now in the final year of my BA Professional Photography course at Edinburgh College.
“As I write this, none of my class have yet stepped onto campus and so being awarded this prize is especially valuable for one’s spirits in times such as these.
“All three pictures were shot in April last year. As the seasons change, you can on occasion get these incredible mornings where the mist rises from the loch and is spectacularly backlit by the very first rays of the sun.
“This mute swan was out for the first leisurely paddle of the day. The light was incredible, but fleeting, lasting not much more than half an hour.”
Edinburgh College curriculum manager for Performing Arts and Photography Ethelinda-Lashley Scott said: “I would like to offer my congratulations to Stephen on gaining this recognition from the Scottish Nature Photography Awards for his Swan Lake on Fire portfolio.
“We are very proud of all the hard work and dedication that Stephen has demonstrated throughout his studies. Our photography department has a strong record of award success which is a testament to the breadth of talent studying here, as well as the hard work and dedication of our lecturing staff.”
Edinburgh College Professional Cookery student Amy French is among eight competitors vying to be named Scottish Chefs Young Chef of the Year – with a cook-off taking place later this month.
Amy, who currently studies SVQ Level 6 Professional Cookery, was named as a finalist after impressing judges with a menu she created which incorporates skills and dishes learned during her College studies.
Amy, who is 19-years-old, will compete in a two-and-half hour event where she will deliver four servings of her three-course menu, in competition with seven other junior chefs from across Scotland.
The competition is scheduled to take place at West Lothian College on Tuesday 27 April – with government health and safety guidelines in place.
The winner will receive £250, a set of knives, work experience at a prestigious UK Michelin restaurant, two days butchery training and the Young Scottish Chef of the Year trophy, certificate and medal. Runners up will also receive cash prizes and a signed book from Michelin-starred chef, Tom Kitchin.
Amy’s menu comprises a salmon ceviche starter; a main course of a rack of lamb French trimmed by Amy and served with a pea custard, pea puree, pommes anna and a red wine jus; and a compressed choux pastry dessert with chocolate orange ganache.
Amy said: “I’m really excited to have been chosen to compete for Young Chef of the Year. I didn’t expect to be selected but now I am, I’m looking forward to the event.
“I’ve seen fellow students excel at competitions in the past and that spurred me on to take part myself to put my skills to the test but also to help me grow as a chef.
“There are some elements of my menu which I hadn’t done before, but I had been inspired by MasterChef and wanted to try new things and add them to my menu – the ceviche in particular was something I wanted to incorporate.
“I’m a little bit nervous but I have been practicing at home and working on things all the time – to make it the best it can be ahead of the big day.”
Edinburgh College Professional Cookery lecturer Keri Dewar said: “We’re delighted Amy has been selected as a finalist in this year’s Young Chef of the Year competition – we know Amy will do Edinburgh College proud.
“Amy is a very talented young chef who works hard and is eager to learn and develop all the time – that will stand her in good stead for the competition and also her career in Cookery and Hospitality. We all wish Amy the best of luck in the competition and can’t wait to see her in action.”
Edinburgh College is providing industry specific training to help hospitality and tourism businesses hit the ground running when the sector is allowed to reopen.
The training which allows SMEs up to £5,000 free training provided through the Flexible Workforce Development Fund (FWDF), is available straight away to help people upskill, reskill and give confidence to those who have been unable to work due to the pandemic.
Hospitality businesses are encouraged to attend a virtual information event hosted on Zoom on Wednesday 24 March, to find out more about Edinburgh College, the FWDF, and how the College’s Training and Development team can liaise with them to design and deliver bespoke training packages with courses to suit all employer and employee needs.
Courses range from REHIS Food Hygiene and Allergy Awareness through to Customer Service and Communication Skills, and Mental Health.
Businesses which pay the Scottish Government apprenticeship levy can apply for up to £15,000 worth of training, while SMEs can apply for up £5,000 of training without any contribution.
Edinburgh College Commercial Development Manager Liam Conway said: “We are excited to be hosting this information event for Hospitality businesses across Edinburgh and the Lothians.
“It is our hope that Hospitality businesses will be able to welcome visitors and guests back into their premises soon. In the build up to that becoming the case, Edinburgh College is ready to deliver training to Hospitality employees in time for their reopening – allowing firms to ensure employees’ continuing professional development and retraining is in place ahead of customers’ return.”
The virtual information event is taking place on Wednesday 24 March from 12 – 12.30pm.
Edinburgh College’s Class of 2020 celebrated the enormous achievement of graduating from their courses with a virtual ceremony held last week, Friday 5 March.
Over 600 graduates from across the College’s Creative Industries, Engineering and Built Environment, Health Wellbeing and Social Science and Tourism, Hospitality and Business faculties joined virtual ceremonies hosted on YouTube.
The Class of 2020 were due to cross the stage at the city’s McEwan Hall last September, however the event had to be moved online due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Nonetheless, graduates celebrated in style and watched their ceremonies from their homes – taking in speeches from Edinburgh College Principal Audrey Cumberford, Deputy First Minister John Swinney MSP, and Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh Frank Ross, as well as seeing and hearing lots of excited and emotional well wishes from their lecturers.
Graduates and staff shared photos of their individual celebrations across social media, showing off their gowns, mortarboards and certificates while enjoying their moment with their loved ones.
Edinburgh College Principal Audrey Cumberford said: “Firstly, a huge congratulations to our Class of 2020. This day may have felt like a long time coming but each graduate has made it and, for that, they should be extremely proud of themselves.
“To graduate from any course in any year is no mean feat, but in the times in which we have been living, the achievements of our Class of 2020 are nothing short of extraordinary – my hat goes off to them.
“I would like to thank every graduate for their commitment to their studies and their determination to keep going, and for working hard with our dedicated lecturing and support teams to successfully achieve their awards.
“We’re very proud of all our graduates and wish them every success in their future – whether they go on to further study or straight into the world of work, we look forward to hearing about their achievements yet to come.”
Edinburgh College is hosting Virtual Open Days this week, allowing people thinking of studying in 2021/22 to find out everything there is to know about starting college.
The virtual events – taking place from 10am until 12pm on Friday 19 February and from 10am until 2pm on Saturday 20 February – will give those in attendance the chance to speak to teaching staff about the courses on offer and discover the best study options available to them.
During both Virtual Open Days, prospective students will have the opportunity to: watch videos on application information including funding and student support; speak to college staff via a dedicated Virtual Open Day contact line (0131 297 8300); attend live question and answer sessions with course teams; and watch video presentations showcasing all Edinburgh College subject areas.
Course areas include: Art and Design, Computing and Digital Skills, Performing Arts, Engineering and Built Environment, Childcare, Health Professions, Business and Legal, and much more.
To attend the live question and answer sessions, attendees must register using an online form on the Edinburgh College website: www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk/virtual-open-days. These sessions will be hosted on Microsoft Teams; however an account is not required to join.
Edinburgh College Principal Audrey Cumberford (above) said: “We’re looking forward to hosting our first ever Virtual Open Days and meeting lots of prospective new students online ahead of the 2021/22 session.
“The past year has been a challenging time for us all, but Edinburgh College stands ready to continue educating and training the workforce of the future.
“Our College is in prime position to support people who may now require to boost their existing skillset in a digital environment, for instance, or to retrain in a new area. Similarly, we’re here to support those embarking on the first steps in their career journey.
“We have more than 700 courses delivered through a mixture of online and on-campus learning, with expert lecturers and support staff across the piece to guide our students on their way achieving their career goals.”
Edinburgh College’s International team has been named as a finalist at the China-Scotland Business Awards for the second year running.
The team has been shortlisted in the Educational Partnership of the Year category for its work in developing a new five-year English for Business programme with Hainan University’s College of Foreign Studies.
The English for Business course is designed to provide Hainan University students with greater fluency and confidence in English for business settings and will include preparation for Cambridge English qualifications in Business English. The course will be embedded into Hainan University’s four-year undergraduate programme, giving enhanced career opportunities for students upon graduation.
The first part of the programme was due to be delivered in Hainan, however Covid-19 prevented this from happening. Instead, the College utilised an interactive online delivery model and will continue to combine this teaching method with face-to-face teaching throughout the duration of the five-year programme.
This partnership is designed to be sustainable, with the course running over five years. It is anticipated that new cohorts of students will begin the programme each year, which will benefit a greater number of students and provide them with an international education experience without leaving home.
The China-Scotland Business Awards, now in their fourth year, recognise and celebrate achievements in trade and investment between Scotland and China.
International Business Manager Sarah Gore said: “We are very proud to be nominated for this award. Our Edinburgh College staff and Hainan University colleagues have put a lot of work into developing and delivering this programme and partnership, and it is heartening to see this recognised within the China Scotland Business community.
“We look forward to working with our dedicated Hainan students and colleagues for many years to come, and continuing to build on our strong and supportive partnership.”
The awards will be held virtually on Thursday (4 February).
The highly sought-after London Fashion Retail Academy course is coming to Scotland for the first time through an exclusive partnership with St James Quarter and Edinburgh College.
Working closely with over 140 fashion brands, the partnership is set to bring a unique Retail Fashion, Marketing and Branding course to Edinburgh College starting on 25th January – the first time the London based retail education specialist has ventured outside of London in its 15 years of existence.
The Fashion Retail Academy, awarded Ofsted Outstanding, is the quickest route to a career in fashion retail. Founded by retail giants, the Academy offers a range of exclusive fashion courses with unparalleled industry involvement to ensure students gain the skills and contacts needed to successfully progress to employment.
Funding from St James Quarter has allowed Edinburgh College to work exclusively with Fashion Retail Academy to develop this brand-new programme – starting on 25th January – to jump start Scottish students with a passion for fashion into the world of retail.
For the first time ever, the London based retail education specialist will provide expert resources that have been developed over the past 15 years to Edinburgh College students as part of a long term plan to enhance Edinburgh’s talent pipeline for retail roles – both for within St James Quarter and beyond.
The course will incorporate a range of topics including fashion retailing; branding and marketing; satisfying customer needs and digital retailing and will have a specific focus on the best ways to meet the needs of retailers, drawing on the most up-to-date research on the retail workforce and accounting for the acceleration of current trends brought about by the pandemic.
Once completed, all students will achieve a SCQF Level 5 qualification in Retail Fashion, Branding and Marketing and will be supported by St James Quarter in helping to find work within the retail industry.
Rochelle Burgess, Marketing Director at St James Quarter, said:“This partnership has been years in the making and we’re delighted to finally bring this course to life and to Edinburgh for the first time.
“With all the leading brands coming to St James Quarter, there’s lots of amazing employment opportunities coming too – this is an incredible way to support our local graduates, nurture local talent and bring a globally recognised curriculum to our city.
“After a very challenging year, one of our key focuses is to boost the Scottish retail industry and help the next generation receive the opportunities and support they need to work within it.
“Partnering with Edinburgh College and Fashion Retail Academy is a very exciting project for us and we’re looking forward to seeing how the students develop throughout the duration of the course.”
Amanda Colvin, Director of Marketing & Sales, Fashion Retail Academy, said:“This exciting opportunity to partner with Edinburgh College has given FRA the ability to extend its reach and support more young people who want to start a career in fashion retail, at the same time as providing the industry and St James Quarter with entry level talent who can hit the ground running on graduation.
“We hope this is the start of a long & successful collaboration, bringing a range of specialist fashion courses to Edinburgh.”
Audrey Cumberford, Edinburgh College Principal, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with the Fashion Retail Academy, and the St James Quarter, to offer people in the region an opportunity to develop their careers in fashion and retail through world-class training.
“Working with the Fashion Retail Academy to deliver the Certificate in Retail Fashion, Branding and Marketing course enables us to combine the knowledge and expertise of our lecturers with the FRA’s retail education specialists – providing students with the skills they need to succeed, and retailers with a highly-skilled, talented workforce.
“We are excited to be the first Scottish College to collaborate with the FRA in this way and we are looking forward to developing the partnership further to create a talent pipeline which will provide world-class customer service to the people of Edinburgh.”
For any retail and fashion enthusiasts looking for more details or interested in signing up for the course visit: https://cutt.ly/ZjRok6v
St James Quarter is set to open the first phase of its retail, dining and leisure elements this Spring.
The College closed for the festive break on Friday 18 December and staff will return to working from home on Wednesday 6 January. During the festive break, all campuses will be closed and staff will be taking a well-deserved break.
To best protect the Edinburgh College community, online classes are planned to resume during the week commencing Monday 11 January. It is important that nobody comes onto any of our campuses unless they are told to do so.
Students are encouraged to use Wednesday 6 – Friday 8 January to re-engage with our online learning platforms, access student support services, and prepare for the new term.
We will provide more information for staff and students on plans for the start of term in the new year. Please continue to check our channels for updates.
Staying safe during the festive period
It’s important that we all take extra care to mitigate the risk of transmission of COVID-19 over the festive period.
Looking after our wellbeing during the festive period
We know that this time of year can be difficult for some, please remember that you can access support during the festive break.
The SilverCloud mental health and wellbeing platform is available to all staff and students and offers a wide-range of self-help programmes for people who may need support during this time. You can access it here.
Please continue to check our College Communications channels including College emails, the MyEC app, Edinburgh College website and social media for the latest updates from the College – in case the situation changes. We may also contact you via your personal email or text message for any urgent updates.
