The European Development plan supports the subsequent College’s needs, in the objectives for the development of high-quality education and internationalization (e.g., new learning and teaching methods and professional development) as well as the impact we believe Erasmus+ will have on both staff and students as well as learning and lectures at the College. Bridgwater and Taunton College aim to combine the experiences and competencies obtained by our staff into circular and organizational practice. The College aims to do this by making sure that the planned activities are realistic, strategic, measurable, and relevant for the organization as well as the participant as it will have a more beneficial impact on the standard of learning and teaching if they are unified in the organization mission, values, and vision. Vision To be a world-class College of further and higher education. Mission Statement We will transform the lives of our students and inspire our customers and communities to achieve success by: • Delivering outstanding and aspirational teaching, learning, and skills development • Creating exciting partnerships with our students, staff, community, and employers • Providing a welcoming, safe, inclusive, and supportive environment Values Together, we are: • Passionate and excited about learning • Inclusive and supportive • Responsive to student, employer, and community needs • Always aspiring to the highest standards • Professional and enterprising • Innovative and creative • Friendly and welcoming Strategic Priorities To deliver our mission and our world-class vision, our strategic priorities over the next three years are: Strategic Aim 1: To inspire, support, and drive all our students to achieve success Strategic Aim 2: To deliver a highly responsive, innovative, and dynamic curriculum Strategic Aim 3: To attract, retain and invest in inspirational staff Strategic Aim 4: To be highly efficient, financially resilient, and well resourced A crucial requirement for students is being provided with opportunities for them to enhance their employability, gain cultural awareness and improve their skills. Bridgwater and Taunton College aspire to reach out to their students by encouraging intercultural diversity, and common values. Making sure that as many students as possible have the opportunity to go on a mobility would help them to gain these goals and help us as a College attend to the needs that students must become well-rounded young people ready for the work environment. Here as Bridgwater and Taunton College, we are part of the Learning Enterprise Partnership (LEP) southwest, being part of the LEP proves the commitment we have to invest in development and skills to improve job opportunities and help our students into a job market internationally and locally. The LEP has three clear priorities: - Moving students into employment - focusing on youth, the long-term unemployed, and the economically inactive - Careers advice and progression - Improving workforce skills Giving both staff and students the opportunity to participate in Erasmus mobilities will allow the College to contribute to the LEP where we will be able to work collaboratively with members to influence, lead and grow our students. Additionally, Bridgwater and Taunton College still provide the T-Level qualification- Erasmus values encourage people to be open to the idea that not all learning has to be done within the classroom. This also backs up our reasoning for doing an Erasmus 2-week work placement mobility as this links with the future way of learning and shows how students benefit greatly from what they have experienced on placement. Giving young people the opportunity to have specific industry placement shows them a larger understanding of the content that is needed to achieve the needs of the work environment as well as prepare them for the industry.
Bridgwater & Taunton College has been participating in European projects for 15 years. We wanted to continue to give our students the opportunity to improve their skills, enhance their employability and gain cultural awareness. Here at Bridgwater and Taunton College, we strive to reach out to our students by promoting intercultural and common values and diversity. Having Young people take part in mobilities facilitates students in achieving these goals as well as helps us address the needs the students must become well-rounded young people ready for employment. Bridgwater and Taunton College are involved with the Learning Enterprise Partnership (LEP) southwest, being a part of this illustrates the College’s dedication, Colleges must keep Investing in development and skills to make more Job opportunities and to help our students to get into the job markets both internationally and locally. The LEP has three clear priorities: - Improving workforce skills - Careers advice and progression - Moving students into employment - focusing on youth, long-term unemployed, and economically inactive Objectives: • To apply the expertise the college has built up over the past 15 years through the Erasmus+ scheme in a different context and in a more expansive way. • To maximise BTC advantage and give learners best opportunities possible. • To widen participation in international activities and level up students from disadvantaged backgrounds • To expand on existing international relationships and forge new ones with new partners • Expand on existing relationships with organisations we haven’t been able to work with in a large capacity before • To widen the number of subject areas and learning opportunities • To expose students to more cultures We believe that giving both staff and students the opportunity to take part in Erasmus mobilities will help us provide to the LEP and engage collaboratively with members to grow and influence the students at Bridgwater and Taunton College. Furthermore, the introduction of T Levels and the College being part of this for September 2020- Erasmus+ values lead them to advocate the need for students to not have to be in the classroom to be learning. This reinforces our reasons for having 2-week work placement mobilities as these fits in with the future way of learning and how students benefit greatly from that and the situations they will have to experience. Students having specific industry placements gives them a greater understanding of the content that is required to meet the needs of the industry and prepares them for work.