Teach Too Project
Curriculum Innovation Hubs
The Teach Too project has been funded by the Association of Colleges (AoC) and Education and Training Foundation (ETF) as part of the national Teach Too programme.
The ambition was to establish Curriculum Innovation Hubs in two pilot curriculum areas, (Digital and Hospitality and Catering) which would be centred on the Teach Too principles of collaboration and curriculum co-design with local employers. This included activities such as:
- Curriculum review workshops – where employers, learners and staff worked together to evaluate curriculum content and skills gaps in industry
- Employer-led masterclasses and workshops – which equipped staff and learners with specialist industry skills and knowledge
- Guest speakers – to raise the profile of career routes and opportunities in each sector
- Staff industry placements and shadowing activities – from which staff are translating the challenges faced in industry, into rich learning experiences for students
Project Aims
Each Hub was formed to increase opportunities for employers, learners, awarding bodies, universities and voluntary agencies to co-create industry-standard and localised provision which:
- Raises learner and community aspirations
- Develops a broad set of employability skills relevant to industry
- Supports business growth (including training and development of staff/apprentices)
- Provides routes to higher level employment opportunities
“It’s great to see a Further Education provider connecting with the Sheffield City Region and recognising the need to be responsive to the region’s challenges around skills. I look forward to seeing the future learning programme as it develops.”
Wendy Dobson, Senior Programme Manager
for Skills, Employment and Education.
Sheffield City Region
Outcomes and Future Plans
Given the short time frame of the project, it is too early to measure impact on learner outcomes at this stage, however the following changes demonstrate positive progress as a direct result of the Teach Too project:
- Strategic senior leadership commitment to dual professionalism activities, which will be formally recorded on each employee’s individual record
- Shifts in the support model that will include greater reflection and planning time for students to develop the skills required by employers
- Implementation of the Curriculum Innovation Hub model across all curriculum areas on all sites of RNN Group colleges, beginning in September 2019
- A shift in organisational culture and development, with a focus on sustainable partnerships with employers and investment in staff and learner skills development
“It was good to hear what employers want from us in their organisations. It’s important to understand how hard it is to get a job and learn the type of skills employers are looking for.”
Sam Brooks
Computing student