Criticism of course provision and fears that Petroc in Tiverton may be in-line for closure have been addressed.
At a recent Tiverton Town Council meeting, Sean Mackney, the principal at Petroc in North Devon and Tiverton, addressed questions and criticisms about the future of Petroc College.
Amidst concerns about the potential closure of the site, Mr Mackney painted a picture of a vibrant, community-focused institution that is adapting to the changing needs of its students and the local economy.
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Mr Mackney began by outlining the diverse range of programs and services offered at the Tiverton campus.
“The college in Tiverton currently has 250 learners, and 91 of those are in education, health, and care plans,” he said. “We have a large special educational needs provision with employment groups and education and training in construction and in health and social care. We have a workshop in construction and a full simulation ward for nursing.”
He emphasised the college’s commitment to supporting both young people and adults who wish to enter the health and social care sector, an area he identified as having a “real big need in our community.”
He also highlighted the college’s efforts to support local businesses through the opening of the Centre of Technology and Innovation Excellence, in partnership with Mid Devon District Council.
Mr Mackney spoke passionately about the college’s engagement with the local community and its efforts to foster entrepreneurship among its students.
“Our staff and our students are out in the community,” he said. “This is an important feature of the approach we take as a college. They’re out in the community, for instance, selling things at Tiverton Pannier Market on Saturday mornings, to generate funds for charity.”
He also mentioned the college’s Dragon’s Den session for construction learners, many of whom are intent on creating their own businesses. “That innovation and technology is a focus for the learners as well so they can see local entrepreneurs as role models for the roles and futures that they may take,” he added.
He took questions on the college’s future with Councillor Rebecca Clarke asking why there seemed to be an emphasis on Petroc’s Barnstaple college rather than in Tiverton.
In response to concerns about the college’s future, Mr Mackney was clear: “We spent about a £1 million recently to expand our special education needs provision. We need to use all of the space that we have efficiently. If we see further growth here in Tiverton, we have the option to be able to take those facilities back at the end of a lease period.”
Councillor Steve Bush said: “I visit the campus regularly and there is an ever increasing number of empty buildings far as I can see. It feels to the community that there is an ever shrinking offering from Petroc. Even speaking to your own members of staff. I think there's a lot of feeling that the campus will not exist in Tiverton in the future.
“We've lost the automotive engineering for example, when companies are crying out for those skills.
“There doesn't seem to be any focus on what is really needed within this community in terms of employers and in terms of future for our young people.”
Councillor Sofia Beard added: “Would you be open to creating a better relationship with the town itself? It feels very much like there is a drain of talent in this town. It feels like if you are achieving and if you are not special educational needs, then you have to leave this town. We would love very much to be able to work with you to be able to address that myth.”
“We have looked to understand where the demand is from; learners and from businesses, and focus on the things that we can provide well and respond to the market. The labour market data and the employers say they need construction, and health and social care.”
He said that the college had previously provided ‘a very wide curriculum’ with a ‘poor quality of experience because the groups were so very small.’
“We have concentrated the use of the buildings and created a number of hubs so that those areas feel busier. They get the college experience and currently the learner happiness is higher in Tiverton than it is in our Barnstaple campus.
“When talking to businesses we find there’s a difference in the things that they say, and the things that they buy. We have had offers in relation to apprenticeships and bespoke programs but there hasn't been demand for us to be able to provide them.We have had to concentrate our resources on things that we can do well or we know that there's a need and that those learners are going to thrive.
“ Yes, it's not the full range of offer that you might see from a full service college that you might see from Exeter or Bridgwater & Taunton. What's happened over a long period of time is that Exeter is the hot pit of the Devon economy and sucks a lot of people in both for work but also into the studying experience. We saw it particularly after coronavirus > Covid where young people were locked in their bedrooms for far too long and they missed a bit of their childhood. They wanted to get out and feel that they're experiencing something different.
“When we see how that affects cohorts of learners, we see others follow them, and so that’s why we’re focussed on particular learners that we can do a great job for, see them succeed rather than the things that people say that they would like to see.”
He also addressed the issue of attracting students to Petroc in Tiverton, acknowledging the challenges posed by better transport links into Exeter and the allure of a different studying experience. However, he was adamant that Petroc offers something unique.
“We are not a small Exeter, we are something different here in Tiverton and that’s what we’re trying to create and be proud about being,” he said.
The principal also responded to questions about the college’s response to local employment opportunities, such as the announcement that TATA was creating 4,000 jobs at a Jaguar Land Rover site in Bridgwater. He emphasised the college’s readiness to provide training so that young people can be prepared for well-paid jobs.
The presentation elicited a mixed response from attendees from Tiverton High School.
The head boy and girl responded to the presentation. Noah Panton said: “He gave a few different answers and I think I wanted a straight answer to why courses have really shrunk down so much. When he says that he’s got such a small campus of 250 people, I’m not surprised at all. The courses that Tiverton offers are very little when in Barnstaple it’s quite the opposite.”
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