How Barnsley College Academies are helping apprentices and the ‘Tech Town’

Recently recognised as the first UK ‘Tech Town’, the borough is building a reputation as a place where education and industry work hand-in-hand to create meaningful career pathways. At Barnsley College, this vision is being delivered through a joined-up approach that connects learners directly with the world of work.

Apprenticeships are central to that mission. They provide a powerful route for individuals to gain real-world experience while developing the technical knowledge and professional behaviours employers need. A key part of this approach is the College’s Academies model, which brings together curriculum and career pathways into clearly defined routes, in partnership with around 30 employers. Whether in digital, construction, health, engineering or the creative industries, each Academy reflects sector needs.

Recognised as a finalist in the national Association of Colleges Beacon Awards, the Academies model gives learners access to industry placements, live projects and direct employer engagement. Employers are embedded within the learning environment through branded classroom spaces, guest speaker sessions, and curriculum co-design and co-delivery. This ensures education is part of a wider ecosystem that prepares individuals for employment.

Exciting futures

The impact can be seen in the growing number of learners progressing into positive destinations, including higher education and employment. In 2020/21, of 984 total apprentices, 74.2% reported positive destinations – including 127 into employment. Three years later, with the Academies model more deeply embedded, 93.4% of 1371 apprentices reported positive destinations – including 316 into employment.

The College’s first Academy, developed with Masonite UK, was created to address an ageing engineering workforce. Three apprentices were recruited into the business within its first year. The partnership has since expanded, with Masonite – a company rooted in engineering – delivering business workshops that highlight the breadth of careers within a modern organisation.

Mr Day added: “As a business, our employees bought into that vision and want the Academy partnership with the College to be successful. As a large local employer in the Barnsley area, it is simply the right thing to do.”

The Academy of accountancy firm Harris+Co has created clear progression routes for students, with the company employing a team made up largely of current and former Barnsley College students. This demonstrates how the model supports both learner progression and employer workforce needs, creating a seamless transition into employment.

A notable example is Lewis Duffin, who began as a Barnsley College AAT Level 2 student and progressed to become a Chartered Accountant and Audit Assistant Manager with Harris+Co. He said: “Working in audit, you’ve got to be able to speak to clients and have the difficult conversations when required, you’ve got to be confident in yourself.

The approach of creating clear lines-of-sight into industry is backed by significant investment into the College’s facilities at the newly-renovated £18m University Centre to create a modern, technology-rich Institute of Technology, and South Yorkshire’s first Clean Energy Training Centre. These innovations are supporting Barnsley’s drive to create a place where ambition is turned into opportunity, where education and employment are connected in the goal of creating the workforce of the future in careers that are rewarding, sustainable and valuable.