A unique project in which college students foster relationships with employers to better prepare them for working in the tech industry has been recognised at the Scottish Qualifications Authority’s Star Awards.
Dundee and Angus College’s Digital Mile Programme links students with local and global employers while they are still at college, giving them a flavour of life after graduation and helping them make the successful transition into employment.
Judges were so impressed with the programme – in which traditional classrooms were turned into learning spaces that replicated real working environments and the links established with local employers allowed students to take on real world commercial projects and placements – that it was named winner of the Partnership for the Year award.
Narrowly missing out in the same category was another D&A College project, the Future Skills College, which involved collaborative working with schools, local authorities and employers to provide work placements and apprenticeship opportunities for local S5 and S6 pupils.
Chris Ditchburn, course leader at D&A College, was highly commended in the SQA Champion category for creating a new suite of animal care qualifications.