Home > News > June 2006 > 16-Jun-2006

College wins award for work with Sainsbury's

North Warwickshire and Hinckley College has won the Achievement in Innovation award for its work with Sainsbury's Learning Centre.

The award is part of the Colleges Innovating with Business (CIB) Awards 2006. The Achievement in Innovation category rewards a West Midlands college that could demonstrate the greatest potential for a product, project or process developed in associations with a West Midlands business.

North Warwickshire and Hinckley College is one of the Centres of Vocational Excellence for Logistics supported by Skills for Logistics (SfL), the Sector Skills Council for the freight logistics industry.

The project, which focused on improving essential skills, was a joint venture between Sainsbury's West Midlands Distribution Centre, the West Midlands branch of the Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) and North Warwickshire and Hinckley College.

The college developed a learning model for the project and SfL reports that everyone who has taken part in the project has achieved a national numeracy or literacy test.

Commenting on the award Simon Gudger from Sainsbury's said: "The commitment to develop the programme has been overwhelming and the college has adapted to suit our business demands. This has meant visiting the site at midnight to deliver training - but the benefits have been tangible for all parties involved and we are delighted with the outcome and look forward to continuing with it in future."

The college has now signed an agreement with the Transport and General Workers Union to work in partnership to promote and deliver workplace learning opportunities in the region.

An essential skills awareness raising course has been developed for Union Learning Reps designed to support their development and the recruitment of their colleagues onto courses.

Lorraine Broadaway from North Warwickshire and Hinckley College said: "This has been a great project for us to be involved in and as a result the college now has a model that works in the business environment and has been successfully transferred to other companies.

"The partnership approach between Sainsbury's, the TGWU and ourselves has been an incredible success and we are glad to have our work recognised by this award."

James Billingham, regional manager - West Midlands, Skills for Logistics, said: "Skills for Logistics is working hard to raise the standard of training in the industry and it is great to see that North Warwickshire and Hinckley College is being recognised for its achievements in this area.

"The development of the Essential Skills learning model that the college has created, in conjunction with Sainsbury's is an excellent example of how the education sector and employers can work together to create a high standard of skills development throughout the industry."

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