Teachers go back to work

TEACHING staff at Oldham College did some learning of their own to understand the demands of the modern workplace.

Teachers on digital and creative courses at Oldham College updated their skills by going back into the workplace to learn from employers and understand the key skills required in the real world today.

This initiative saw nine of the college’s teaching staff parachuted into local digital and creative businesses to develop a good understanding of the environment they are preparing their students for.

Students joining the new Digital and Creative Career College (DCCC) this autumn can rest assured that they are being taught by staff who keep up-to-date with industry developments.

Coral Grainger, Oldham College’s consultant on industry direction for digital skills, said: “We’re thrilled that so many excellent companies have come on board to work with us in developing the Digital and Creative Career College.

“What’s even more important than the brilliant new facility we’re building, is the quality of the teaching in the DCCC, and employers have an important role to play in keeping our staff up-to-date with industry best practice.

“Not only do Career College teachers need to know their subjects, but they also need to appreciate how modern offices and studios function, get to grips with current technologies and appreciate the everyday commercial, and client, requirements of running a business.

“The teachers can then pass this knowledge on to the students through the context of their classes and the way they set assignments.”

One member of the teaching staff was Bob Dugdill, who visited RedStar Creative, a Manchester Digital Marketing Agency, and engaged with a number of different staff there.

Mr Dugdill was asking them about the essential programming languages, skills and techniques that they use in order to help inform what students should be focusing on.
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