NEWSKeep up to date with the ayrshire college Foundation. Follow us on twitter here
|
Archives
July 2022
|
NEWSKeep up to date with the ayrshire college Foundation. Follow us on twitter here
|
Archives
July 2022
|
Legendary Ayrshire-born singer-songwriter Colin Hay is the stand-out name on Sun Turtle Records’ new 21-track compilation album, ‘Lockdown Sessions Vol 1’, released today (4 June).
The Ayrshire College record label’s latest project showcases the Ayrshire music community’s incredible spirit and determination shown throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. With musicians and bands still unable to fully rehearse, record and perform live, Sun Turtle Records decided to embrace the DIY ethos adopted by many artists by putting together the album ‘Lockdown Sessions Vol 1’, which provides a platform for artists who have remained hard at work during the pandemic. Each of the 21 tracks have been recorded at home, with the Men at Work lead singer Colin Hay agreeing to record an exclusive version of his solo hit ‘Next Year People’ for the album. All proceeds raised through sales of 'Lockdown Sessions Vol 1' will be split equally between the Ayrshire Hospice and Scottish Association for Mental Health. Sun Turtle Records’ A&R team reached out to Colin Hay and after negotiating with his lawyer and Sony Publishing to secure a free license, Colin was “onboard for his hometown and the charities”. Colin even took the time to send the students a special video message about the process of his recording. Getting Colin involved in the project is a major success for the Ayrshire College students and the Sun Turtle Records record label. The album is set for an exclusive digital release via the Sun Turtle Records Bandcamp on June 4th 2021 and features contributions from previous Sun Turtle Records artists JOG, Mannequin Mannequin as well as this year’s The Voice UK semi-finalist, Jeremy Levif, and a host of Ayrshire based artists. The full tracklist is:
As well as last month's charity single release for Ayrshire College #PassingPositivity campaign, 'Don't Forget Who You Are' by Jai McDowall, Sun Turtle Records has released two other pieces of music recently, KINGFISHER’s A/A single ‘Bon Voyage’ and Calypso Jet’s EP ‘Nineties’. KINGFISHER is an alternative indie three-piece band featuring two former HNC/D Sound Production students of Ayrshire College. Their drummer, a former student and classmate, sadly died in 2018 and the band have released ‘Bon Voyage’ in his memory, using a poem that they found he had wrote as the lyrics for one of the songs. Calypso Jet, also known as Blair Innes, is an electronic/dance/house music artist who was also a Sound Production student at Ayrshire College. His track ‘Love Me Better’ was recently BBC Radio Scotland's Track of the Week, with the music video arranged and edited by two Ayrshire College Access to HNC Music students, Kerri Alison and Nicole Kilpatrick. The Ayrshire College Foundation has provided funding for the Music & Sound Production department at Ayrshire College to help them realise these ambitions.
0 Comments
Foundation apprentices at Ayrshire College have completed an “invaluable” team challenge set for them by McLaughlin & Harvey and North Ayrshire Council, as part of their Civil Engineering course.
The first- and second-year apprentices, who are S5 and S6 secondary school pupils studying at Ayrshire College two days a week, were asked to produce a report and a presentation on how they would look to provide sustainable flood protection to Upper Garnock Valley. Four teams delivered online presentations to a panel of judges from McLaughlin & Harvey, North Ayrshire Council and Ayrshire College on Tuesday 27 April, with the winning team named at a presentation ceremony held over Microsoft Teams two days later. The four members of the winning team – First Year Group A – were: Morgan Gillon (St. Joseph’s Academy), Cameron Murray (team leader – Garnock Academy), Josh Neil (Kyle Academy) and Ben Reed (Belmont Academy). The competition relates to the ongoing Upper Garnock Valley Flood Protection Scheme, which is expected to be completed in spring 2022. McLaughlin & Harvey was named as the main contractor for the project last year. Subject to what the Covid-19 restrictions will look like this summer, the winning team is set to enjoy a work experience placement with McLaughlin & Harvey as a reward for their hard work. A site visit for all first-year foundation apprentices is also expected to be organised, if possible. Stuart Millar, the Head of Apprenticeships and Work-Based Learning at Ayrshire College, was part of the three-person judging panel and he said: “Every team presented to a very high standard, showing they are confident in their subject knowledge. It was a very tight call, with the winning team impressing with their ability to offer thoughts and opinions on things they would have changed about the project, which showed good initiative. “I would just like to say a big thank you to North Ayrshire Council and McLaughlin & Harvey for organising this live brief competition for our foundation apprentices. It has obviously been a challenging year for all students and pupils across Scotland, with limitations on what can be offered in a work experience sense. This project has been invaluable in providing the students with a real life look at what a project like this involves.” Fellow judges Adrian Pollock, Contracts Manager at McLaughlin & Harvey, and Patricia Rowley Flooding Team Leader at North Ayrshire Council, said: “Both McLaughlin & Harvey and North Ayrshire Council are delighted to be working in partnership with Ayrshire College to provide Civil Engineering Foundation Apprentices with insightful and rewarding opportunities to link in with our Project Management Team at our Upper Garnock Flood Protection Scheme. We look forward to continuing to work with Ayrshire College throughout this project, providing students with real insight into the construction industry.” Ayrshire College hosted a special Small Business Week for students who are considering starting their own business, as well as anyone who has started their own company and would like to grow their business.
Various online events took place over the last week, which culminated in an Enterprising Students Showcase, featuring Ayrshire College’s business start-up students who have benefitted from support from the Ayrshire College Foundation. The Ayrshire College Foundation offers a programme of support and funding of grants up to £5000 for students of Ayrshire College who are interested in developing ideas to start up their own business. Tracey Stark, Chair of Ayrshire College Foundation introduced key speaker, Sir Tom Hunter from the Hunter Foundation, as he explained why Scotland is the ideal place to be an entrepreneur. He said "there has never been a better time, or more support for people who want to start and grow their own business. Small, agile, entrepreneurial teams are the ones who are creating the jobs. Entrepreneurship is not just about building a business and making money, it’s about making a difference, and that’s an amazing thing to do.” Bridge 2 Business Enterprise Executive, Kirsty Hepburn explained about the Enterprising Students programme offered at Ayrshire College in partnership with Bridge 2 Business, with former enterprising students giving an insight into the ways that the programme has helped them: Sheila Munro, Aroundtuit Complementary Therapies - “the Enterprising Student programme gave me access to mentoring, digital training and advice and has made starting my business a lot less stressful”. Jamie Agnew, Jamie Agnew Photography - “I’ve learned so much practical experience at college and my advice would be to take every opportunity and never stop learning. If you always update your skillset you’re always going to be on top of your game. It’s never too late to become self employed.” Magdalena Zielinska, Soft Olive - “the support we received has opened up a lot of opportunities for us. We never gave up, and although it’s not always been easy, I would say turn your idea into something amazing. If you have the opportunity, just go for it!” Ayrshire College alumni and business expert Frank Gormanley, President of the Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce, introduced their new Business Mentor Programme ‘Connect Me’. Frank said “it’s so important to always champion a new business and entrepreneurs. Scotland has one of the best ecosystems for business. There’s an abundance of support out there, so when the time is right, go for it!” Ayrshire College is offering £5,000 to students who are thinking about starting their own business or are looking to grow their existing business.
The Enterprising Student Fund is offered by the Ayrshire College Foundation to students and recent graduates of Ayrshire College. To be eligible to receive the funding, students must submit a comprehensive business plan to a panel which will then be considered for funding. As well as receiving a grant of up to £5,000 to be put towards developing a business, applicants can access a wealth of support that includes one-to-one sessions with Bryce Dunlop, Enterprise Executive at Bridge 2 Business, to create their business plan. The students are also able to enjoy nine free digital skills training courses offered by Accenture. The Ayrshire College Foundation’s Enterprising Student Fund was set up in 2019, and so far, 17 students have received grants of up to £5,000. Three of the students will be speaking at Ayrshire College’s Small Business Week ‘Enterprising Students Showcase’ on Friday 30 April. Magdalena Zielinska (Soft Olive), Sheila Munro (AroundTUit Complementary Therapies) and Jamie Agnew (Jamie Agnew Photography) will be explaining their businesses and how they have made use of the £5,000 grant. Sir Tom Hunter from The Hunter Foundation is the guest speaker for the event and will be speaking about the importance of small businesses to the economy, and why students should consider starting their own business as a realistic destination after their college course. Ayrshire College is hosting a special Small Business Week for students who are thinking about starting their own business, as well as anyone who has started their own company and would like to grow their business.
Various online events will take place from 29 April to 4 May, culminating in a showcase focusing on Ayrshire College’s enterprising students. Small business owners can join in various events throughout the week and all are invited to attend the Enterprising Student Showcase. The week brings together employers, students, staff and business experts to explore why students should consider starting their own business as a realistic destination after their college course. Attendees will hear from Key Speaker, Sir Tom Hunter from the Hunter Foundation, as he explains why now is the perfect time to start a business. Business expert Frank Gormanley, President of the Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce, will introduce their new Business Mentor Programme, and Ayrshire College’s business start-up students who have benefitted from support from the Ayrshire College Foundation, will share their experiences in a special Enterprising Student Showcase. The Ayrshire College Foundation offers a programme of support and funding of grants up to £5000 for students of Ayrshire College who are interested in developing ideas to start up their own business. Enterprising students who will give an insight into their new businesses and their plans for the future include: Greig Allan, Soft Olive Sheila Munro, Aroundtuit Complementary Therapies Jamie Agnew, Jamie Agnew Photography Bridge 2 Business Enterprise Executive, Bryce Dunlop, said “The idea of creating a business plan can be daunting, however Bridge 2 Business workshops break down the idea-generation process into smaller, more manageable chunks. If you have the passion and the drive to get started, then anything is possible!” Photo taken in 2019 at the launch of the Enterprising Students Fund.
The Ayrshire College Foundation has provided funding grants of £5,000 to six Ayrshire College students to boost their own businesses. Current students and recent graduates of Ayrshire College who are interested in starting their own business can apply for a grant of up to £5,000 through the Enterprising Student Fund. The fund is set up in partnership between the Ayrshire College Foundation and the Young Enterprise Scotland Bridge 2 Business Programme. The students also receive one-to-one support to develop a robust business plan. This support comes from a full-time Bridge 2 Business executive at Ayrshire College, who also delivers enterprise workshops at the College. The six students who successfully applied for funding recently are: Jamie Agnew, Natalie Blakely, Sheila Munro, Mary-Beth Pearson, Anya Rae and Lucy Thomson. Jamie, a former Photography student, has started a business specialising in Equine and Pet Photography. Jamie plans to buy new equipment enabling him to offer a more extensive service. Natalie, a former Hairdressing and Barbering student, will use the money to buy a hairdressing pod for her garden so she can offer her hairdressing services from home. Sheila, a former Complementary Therapies student, plans to use the grant to rent premises to expand her 'AroundTUit Complementary Therapies Ltd' business in Ayr. Mary-Beth, a fashion student who has returned to College this year to study the Design, Make, Market course, is looking to set up her own business 'Meli Beseu', designing and making loungewear. She plans to buy an industrial sewing machine with her grant. Anya, who studies Complementary Therapies, has bought premises in Maybole to start her business 'A Breath of Fresh Ayr'. The funding will contribute to the setting up of her business, which provides multi-discipline healing by offering classes, treatments and workshops. Lucy, a former Sports Coaching student, who returned to College to do a distance learning course called Preparing to Start a Business has set up a personal training business called Coach Lucy, and will use the funding to expand her business into new premises. Ayrshire College has been named Enterprising FE College of the Year at the Bridge 2 Business Educator Awards, while two of its students earned special recognition at the ceremony.
Sport & Fitness graduate Lucy Thomson, known in the Ayrshire community as Coach Lucy, won the Local Hero of the Year Award. Complementary Therapies student Fi Thorburn was Highly Commended in the Enterprising Student of the Year Award category, where fellow Ayrshire College student Kirsty Campbell was also shortlisted. Two other Ayrshire College representatives were nominated at the awards - student Anya Rae in the Bridge 2 Business Innovation Award category and fashion lecturer Elaine Watson for the FE College Enterprise Educator of the Year Award. The awards ceremony took place online on Tuesday 2 June during Young Enterprise Scotland’s virtual Festival Of Youth Enterprise. Bridge 2 Business is a Young Enterprise Scotland programme designed to inspire, connect and support college students into business. The Bridge 2 Business awards celebrates the hard-working and enterprising efforts of students, lecturers, and colleges in Scotland. Ayrshire College won the Enterprising FE College of the Year for demonstrating it is leading the way in enterprise within further education in Scotland, particularly through its innovative partnership between the Ayrshire College Foundation and Bridge 2 Business. Ayrshire College offers all of its students the opportunity to learn enterprise and business skills no matter what course they are on. Students have the opportunity to apply for up to £5,000 worth of grants for a business start-up or development of an existing business through the Enterprising Students Fund. Stuart Millar, Head of Apprenticeships and Work-Based Learning at Ayrshire College, said: "We are delighted that Ayrshire College has been awarded the Enterprising FE College of the Year award. We're particularly proud to see a number of our students recognised by Bridge 2 Business for their enterprising efforts and we hope that those students who have set up a new business with support from the Enterprising Students Fund have continued success in the future." Lucy Thomson, who won the Local Hero of the Year award for her wellbeing business Coach Lucy's success, said: "It’s a privilege to be receiving an award like this and to be recognised for the work we do within our community. Our ethos is about showing how important fitness is for more than just your body and aesthetics, but for your mental health too. I am extremely grateful to have been considered for this award never mind to be receiving it." Ayrshire College is represented in five categories at the upcoming Bridge 2 Business Educator Awards 2020, earning six nominations.
The awards ceremony will take place online at 7pm on Tuesday 2 June 2020, as part of the Virtual Festival of Youth Enterprise 2020. Bridge 2 Business is a Young Enterprise Scotland programme designed to inspire, connect and support college students into business. Every year Bridge 2 Business celebrates the hard-working and enterprising efforts of students, lecturers, and colleges in Scotland. Ayrshire College has been shortlisted in the Enterprising FE College of the Year Award category, while four students and one lecturer have been recognised with individual nominations. These are: Bridge 2 Business Innovation Award - Anya Rae Local Hero of the Year Award - Lucy Thomson Enterprising Student of the Year Award - Fi Thorburn Enterprising Student of the Year Award - Kirsty Campbell FE College Enterprise Educator of the Year Award - Elaine Watson The Ayrshire College Foundation provides grants of up to £5,000 to Ayrshire College students to help them set up their business and work alongside Bridge 2 Business. Ged Freel, Head of Business and Computing at Ayrshire College, said: “Congratulations to everyone nominated. Our students have engaged well with the Bridge 2 Business programme, particularly the Enterprising Students initiative, and so it’s no surprise to see our talented students’ entrepreneurial efforts recognised at the awards.” Lisa Wardlaw, Senior Programme Executive for Bridge 2 Business, said of the College's success: “The Bridge 2 Business awards are a fantastic way to recognise the amazing enterprising efforts from students, lecturers and colleges. I know that Lynn Kelly, who delivers Bridge 2 Business in the College and has supported many of the exciting enterprising initiatives, is delighted to see so many finalists from Ayrshire College!” A network for people studying towards or working in the creative industries has been set up by Ayrshire College, with support from the Ayrshire College Foundation.
Hello Creatives was launched on World Hello Day – Thursday 21 November – at the college’s Ayr Campus, where the majority of Ayrshire College’s creative courses are delivered. Ayrshire College students past and present will be able to benefit from becoming a member of the Hello Creatives network. Hello Creatives will introduce students to the creative industry, local employers and mentors, through a regular series of informal events designed to engage, motivate and inspire. The events also aim to highlight the scale of the creative industries, and the wealth of opportunities available across a range of disciplines. This will encourage students to seek the right creative path for them, while giving them the confidence to pursue it, knowing it can be a viable career goal. The launch event involved guest speakers from the performing arts, graphic art, media, and photography industries. These were:
Julie Thorne, Head of Learning & Skills for Arts & Fashion at Ayrshire College, said “Last month the Scottish Government published their policy statement for the Creative Industries where they stated that their vision was one where the sector is considered to provide a rewarding career. “We want our students to be able to access a rewarding career, we want them to know what opportunities are available to them and we want them to know what it takes to be successful. “This means connecting with employers and practitioners in the sector, which is what we are hoping to achieve with our Hello Creatives Network.” Ayrshire College in partnership with Bridge to Business, hosted its second Enterprising Students event at the Kilmarnock Campus, celebrating the success of students who have started up their own business in the last year.
Employers and support organisations across Ayrshire including: Business Gateway and The Prince's Trust attended the event aimed at inspiring students to develop their enterprise skills and ideas. Over 500 students attended throughout the afternoon workshops, where they learnt how the Enterprising Students campaign continues to offer mentoring support to students looking to start up a business, as well as highlighting the opportunity to apply for a grant of up to £5000 from the Ayrshire College Foundation. No less than nine guest speakers attended the event to host workshops on the day which were designed to cover all areas of enterprise and business planning. Speakers included Jack Allan, 95 Social and Lucy Thomson who is a former Ayrshire College student who started a fitness business called Coach Lucy. All attendees got the opportunity to meet partner organisations, inspirational role models and enterprising start-ups. The students heard from a panel of former students who have started up their own business after receiving the Enterprise fund grant in the last year. The panel comprised of:
“If I hadn’t come to college, I wouldn’t be doing this now. It really has turned my life around, and got me to a better place.” Lynn Kelly, Bridge 2 Business Programme Executive, said: “This event helped to raise awareness of the funding available to students and also provided students with the opportunity to network and make connections for the future. “Students have the potential to be entrepreneurs of the future, so it’s important that we help give them the best start on their business journey as we possibly can. We’re very proud that we’re able to support the college in the funding scheme." |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
July 2022
Categories |