The Manchester College shortlisted at the TES FE School Awards 2019

The Manchester College has been shortlisted for Specialist Provider of the Year in the 2019 Tes FE Awards, which recognise the most outstanding organisations and individuals in the Further Education (FE) sector. 

The College’s Supported Learning team were entered into the awards by Assistant Principal Rebecca Bromley-Woods for their leading, innovative and ambitious work on Supported Internships.

The team comprises specialist SEN Teachers and Supporting Job Coaches who deliver the programmes on five employer sites. These internships provide specialist work-based provision for young people with learning disabilities, providing supported employment training through systematic instruction for up to 60 interns in work environments. The internship model allows young people to contribute as a part the workforce with very prestigious and busy public facing employers.

Rebecca Bromley-Woods, Assistant Principal, said: “The team are amongst the first in the country to pilot this Supported Internship model and have set the bar high from the outset, so I’m very proud of them.

“The provision has grown rapidly and the team support 88 per cent of the interns into employment outcomes each year. To be shortlisted for the Tes FE Specialist Provider of the Year is an amazing accomplishment and very well deserved.”

The team’s work is highly regarded by both employers and peers, and they regularly welcome visitors from other education providers seeking best practice.

Tes FE editor Stephen Exley said: “Excellent practice exists right across the further education sector, and those shortlisted for the Tes FE Awards are the cream of the crop. Our judges were extremely impressed with the calibre of entries.

“We had more entries for this year’s categories than ever before, and the standard was higher than ever. To be shortlisted is an extraordinary achievement.”

The winners will be revealed at a gala awards evening at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London on Friday 22 March 2019.