The focused approach was on better education and development of skills for staff and students. NWRC recognises the importance of learning from our colleagues in Europe and how they are encouraging students to take more responsibility for their own learning & expect learners to have more fully developed analytical, critical thinking & evaluation skills. We wanted our students to enjoy their learning experience & motivate them and to encourage them to progress further. We wanted our staff to have up-to-date relevant skills & knowledge which they can impart on their students, encouraging better retention, progression and employability. We hoped that the project would provide learning opportunities to both staff & students to gain wider experience in skills & employability mechanisms used in other countries using non-formal learning environments. For staff they will have the opportunity to see examples of best practice, innovative teaching and learning strategies & develop assessment methodologies. We hoped that the traineeships offered would provide learners with quality and demanding experiences that could not be accessed at the same level of training within our local region.
One of the overarching themes of NWRC's College Development Plan is to create a college which is outward and forward looking, internationally connected. Since 2016, the college's International department has worked hard to expand the college's international networks and increase the number of mobility opportunities. Our projects have been recognised as being incredibly successful by the college's leadership & management team, external stakeholders, hosting partners and most importantly, our participants. The college operates in an area of high deprivation, so with the funding made available through Erasmus+, we are able to provide a more meaningful learning engagement that will show how transferable skills are and how accessible Europe is, therefore instilling confidence in students that gaining skills will increase their options for further training or employment, empowering them to take charge of widening paths available to them. Despite Brexit, NWRC is committed to European collaboration, through the funding we can continue to work with a wide range of European partners, leading to the development of long lasting relationships & a proven record of accomplishment in the delivery of education and training.