Glasgow Kelvin College were invited by Springburn Community Council and its Regeneration Forum to take part in the ‘Our Springburn – Shaping the Future’ community workshop that took place in the recently opened Springburn Community hub, located in the Springburn shopping centre.

The workshop took place over two days (15^th and 16^th March) and was designed to help attendees, most of whom worked, studied and/ or lived in Springburn, learn more about the area, and explore approaches to improvement. A diverse range of issues were discussed, which helped the group to generate design ideas and solutions linked to community safety, housing, public spaces and parks, transport and local facilities.

The event was a great success, and the College were very proud to be part of the discussion, ideas generation and creativity.

The Jewellery department have been continuing with their series of schools engagement workshops internally and externally here's some images from Tuesday the 19th of March.

The department welcomed a group of 3rd years in, from West Calder High School, where they delivered workshops on sand casting and 3D modelling.

Engie are delighted to be working in partnership with Glasgow Kelvin College to provide Foundation Apprenticeship opportunities on our sites in Scotland. It is important that employers offer opportunities for young people to gain work experience and skills whilst at school to enable them to make informed career choices.

Alan Shields – Employer Engagement Lead  Glasgow Colleges Foundation Apprenticeship Programme - says

“Glasgow Kelvin College  is delighted to have the support of Engie in providing work placements and career support for the young people participating on the Glasgow Colleges Foundation Apprenticeship Programme.

Engie have offered fantastic work placements and career guidance that will helps young people on the programme gain valuable work experience and develop skills that employers are looking for."

The pictures shown are of Prakash Singh from Knightswood Academy and the Site Manager is Craig McLachlan.

Glasgow school children have been energised about careers in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) at the College’s Springburn campus in the city.

Charitable organisation SmartSTEMs and headline partner EDF Energy teamed up with Glasgow Kelvin College’s Springburn campus to deliver the session to 80 children.

The pupils from schools across the area, heard from Glasgow Kelvin College fashion student Jerome Kasusula and Chrissy Mackay, founder of textile company, Beyonder about their involvement in STEM. They also took part in a series of hands-on workshops including forensic science and 3D printing for jewellery making.

Events run by SmartSTEMs target children aged 10 to 14 and aim to encourage more people from diverse backgrounds to study science based subjects at school.

Read more HERE.

Glasgow Kelvin College has welcomed a delegation of partners from India and today announced plans to develop a new apprenticeship for people with additional support needs.

Supported by Jamie Hepburn MSP, Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills who launched the event at the MacDonald Crutherland Hotel in East Kilbride, guests from India and the College presented their plans to an audience of senior HR professionals in the hospitality sector and beyond.

The programme is funded by the UK India Education Research Initiative (UKIERI) through the College and Skill Council for Persons with Disabilities.   The business model already operates very successfully at The Lemon Tree Hotels Company, where much of the training is provided by Muskaan.

The Lemon Tree Hotels programme provides paid work-based training for people with Down’s Syndrome and autism.  Fully supported by and integrated with their colleagues, the apprentices are treated and paid the same while learning their trade in the hotel and hospitality industry.  This approach ensures that employers have hard-working, enthusiastic and committed employees who contribute to the development of the business and their communities.

Glasgow Kelvin College hopes to replicate this pioneering best practice through encouraging Scottish employers to support a similar programme in Scotland by providing work opportunities.

Read the full story HERE.

The East End Campus played host to a colourful and extravagant Russian traditional festival recently - Maslenitsa.

One of our talented HN Photography students, Yuliya Chystaya, was there to capture the vibrancy of the event and a few of her shots are below.

Photography: Yuliya Chystaya

Thanks to Gary & Brian of Carter Synergy Ltd and Tony Deith of KB Refrigeration (not in picture) for looking after GKC staff Stephen Connor & Barry Blair (both sitting) on day one of their two day CO2 Refrigeration training at Carter Synergy Ltd, Birmingham.

Both passed as did Kevin Muldoon & Liam Noble earlier in the week.

MADE barbering academy are super excited to announce that Rebel Rebel's Rafal #_rafal_k_ has made the final of 'American Crew UK All Star Challenge'.

His superb technical ability in advanced cutting and styling was an incredible journey that staff and trainees at the academy where lucky enough to witness.

Rafal's model struck the perfect pose for GKC photography lecturer Simon Murphy #smurph77 enabling the essence of the image to be captured with style and quality.

What a fun filled learning day that was and GKC, Rebel Rebel and MADE wish Rafal all the luck in the world for the final - both Simon and Rafal are winners in our eyes already!!

Be MADE at MADE!

Sandra delivered another cycling presentation to a Health and Wellbeing class on Monday 11th March at the GK Velocity Cycle Hub.

She highlighted the various initiatives that the College has been running to encourage students and staff to cycle to the College.

Thanks to an interactive presentation, the students were able to discuss and share ideas on how cycling can significantly improve physical and mental health.

As safety is a key element of cycling, Sandra also highlighted the importance of being seen on the road while cycling and mentioned what the adequate equipment is; the students experimented by trying helmets and jackets on.

A huge thank you to Colin Scott for taking the initiative to organise this session.

Going Full Circle - by Eileen O’Neil, BoM member

My journey through education was slow to take off and had a few false starts, I was an unwilling participant in the early years.   At my core there is a desire to be outdoors, to move, to walk, to run, to climb.  Being confined to a desk has always been torturous to my physical and psychological well- being.  Play was where my young self was happiest, there were no limits to the joy this type of activity produced within me.  By the end of my primary and secondary education, I had achieved more than I thought I would but nowhere near what was required to enter further education, so off to work I went.  I derived pleasure from the pursuit of employment and had no issues finding jobs.  However, by 1995 (aged 25) I understood that to earn a salary which reflected my capabilities, I required this thing called “A Degree” as without it there would be no progression.   I resisted for a while but in the end, there was no option.

Not having the courage or the finances to apply directly to university, I applied via a two-year part time “Access to Learning” in Science and Technology course at North Glasgow College (now known as Glasgow Kelvin Collage), a life changing decision.   The location of a Further Educational (FE) college in my local community allowed me to drop off and pick up my children. My son (aged 2 at the time) was offered a place at the FE nursery, which gave me the support I needed to focus on my studies.   The two years which followed nurtured me in so many ways, my confidence began to emerge as I evolved into education.  I began to understand the organic nature of a step by step process to learning.   I was encouraged along the way by students and teachers in equal measure.  The FE experience gave me the courage to believe in myself and allowed me to look outside of my own self-imposed limitations.  At the end of the two years I was presented with the Student of the Year Award in Science and Technology and progressed to university in the September 1999.

As one of 8 children from the East End of Glasgow I became the  first in my family to enter into a Further Educational environment (1998), first to attain a Degree (Risk Management - 2002), a Master’s (Research Methodology - 2016) and I am currently studying towards my Professional Doctorate at Glasgow Caledonian University.

In March 2018 (20 years on), I returned to Kelvin Collage, going full circle in my educational journey.  I was successfully co-opted onto the Board for Audit and Risk.  I aim to bring 20 years of Risk Management experience to the academic environment, underpinned by change in the diversity of education and the speed and reach of technologies.  More importunately I bring with me a profound sense of gratitude to the FE community for the opportunity and advancement in my own psychological and economic wellbeing.  My journey through education is testament to both students and staff in the FE environment and it is the first step to breaking though limitations in our own minds and to take the first step to psychological and economic wellbeing.