Deeside College
Encyclopedia
Deeside College is a further education
college situated in Connah's Quay
, Flintshire
, North Wales
. In January 2007, the college gained the highest possible grade 1 inspection ratings for its Work Based Learning provision (which includes apprenticeships). Then, the latest inspection in October 2007 repeated this achievement for all aspects of Further Education provision.
Following Welsh Assembly Government approval, Deeside College and Coleg Llysfasi merged on 1 August 2010. The new institution which is one of the largest in Wales and the UK, provides courses for almost 22,000 students each year, employs over 1000 staff, and has an annual income approaching £40million.
They also have an learning facility with internet access and café at the Futures@Holywell centre, and over 20 learning
centres across the local communities of Flintshire, Denbighshire and Wrexham.
Entry level to level 3, vocational and academic, including Key Skills and the Welsh Baccalaureate qualification.
Part-time courses
Level 1 to level 6 including Basic Skills, taster sessions, day release courses, continuing professional development, and customised training for employers.
Work-based programmes
Foundation Modern Apprenticeships, Modern Apprenticeships, Modern Skills Diploma, Skill Build.
Flintshire Technical College opens its doors to students
From 1952 to 1956, the college buildings gradually covered almost 20 acres (80,937.2 m²). In 1959, the college could cater for some 1,000 full-time students and 7,000 part-time students. However, the first official Department of Education and Science
return, made by the first Principal, Dr Lyons, at the time (following Acting Principal Fred Roberts), was made on a postcard to the DES and it was noted there were 357 girls and 459 boys in attendance and 27 staff.
The actual capacity envisioned a future of comprehensive training within a building large enough to cater for the baby boom once that demographic group was over the age of 16. In 1956, Sir Miles Thomas
opened the college and in his official capacity as Chairman of BOAC, cemented the links that the college would have with the Aviation/Aerospace industry for the next 50 years. Now in 2006 Deeside College supports the Airbus UK apprenticeship scheme, which is one of the largest in the whole of Western Europe.
1966 - 1974
Flintshire College of Technology
In the middle of the sixties the institution, now called Flintshire College of Technology, wanted to become a college of advanced technology and also had aspirations for North East Wales to have a university.
At this time the Robbins report on the expansion of Higher Education in the middle sixties was released. This included the 'University of the Air' proposal and the vision of the then Prime Minister Harold Wilson
, to begin the development of one of the largest universities of the air, now called the Open University. Flintshire College of Technology played its part in this expansion, offering HNDs and GRAD RICs in chemistry, and more advanced qualifications for the manufacturing industries of North East Wales.
The college was placed as a crucial education and training provider in the development of the North Wales economy and for a further 7 years became the well regarded college of “Advanced Technology”. Student numbers grew and came in from as far as Birkenhead
, Preston, Anglesey
, Aberystwyth
and Hereford
. Facilities expanded, residential blocks were built and people were trained on an increasing scale with both public and private finance.
1974 - 1993
Kelsterton College - North East Wales Institute (NEWI)
Textiles, steel making, steel coating, aeroplane construction and companies like Hawker Siddeley, John Summers, Courtaulds International were household names for Flintshire. Thousands upon thousands of iron and steel operatives crossed the Dee to be trained at the college; metallurgy research grew to satisfy the steel expansion and local government was ready for change.
A new county was formed on local government reorganisation in 1974. The new county of Clwyd replaced Wrexham
, Denbighshire
and Flintshire
and was a further manifestation of a new sub-region being created. Part of the changes resulted in a rename from Flintshire College to Kelsterton College of Technology. Very soon the name changed once again to the North East Wales Institute of Higher Education, embracing Wrexham Technical College, Cartrefle Teacher Training College, Wrexham College of Art and the Flintshire College.
1956, 1966 and 1974 are both the chronological landmarks and moreover, the definitive stages of the development of education and training in the region. Paralleled with this, was the mass expansion of Higher Education, Further Education and comprehensive schools. This was a vision cherished by Dr Haydn Williams. Here was in Flintshire, and in Wrexham, the achievement and manifestation of his dreams.
From 1974, the North East Wales Institute expanded under the vision of another prominent educator, Professor Glyn O Phillips, who took the institution forward and made it into a significant research based and practice based technological organisation which had a financial turnover equalling a great many universities close by, like Liverpool
, Manchester
and Bangor.
1993 - 1996
Deeside College
Twenty years later came the next major upheaval and change to local government organisation. The 7 counties of Wales, including Clwyd, were disbanded to create 22 unitary authorities and Flintshire was reborn, but not as an exact twin of the old ‘Flintshire’.
This change was a little different, for the new Flintshire was not a reincarnation of the pre 1974 reorganisation, as this time it did not embrace Rhyl
or the Northern part of Denbighshire, which it did in the middle sixties and early seventies.
A consequence of this local government reorganisation was the determination to concentrate all Higher Education in Wrexham. This resulted in the disaggregation and consequent formation of Deeside College in 1993 which was enshrined in the legislation of 1992 – the Further and Higher Education Act. The College became a separate independent institution with its own board of governors and having corporation status. A new Principal was appointed, Dr Tony Walker, who served for 3 years until early 1997. The name Deeside College was chosen not just because it was geographically in an identifiable and supported industrial zone called Deeside, but also it was a deliberate departure from the names of the past and presented a greater vision for the sub-region of North East Wales.
During the time 1974 to 1993, Flintshire experienced the almost total collapse of steel making, as a consequence in part of a growing worldwide steel making market on the Pacific Rim and in Eastern Europe. Flintshire also experienced the collapse of its textile industries and the transformation of its aerospace manufacturing; Courtaulds Textiles had gone, Hawker Siddeley came and went and British Aerospace
was born and matured into what is now Airbus UK. This raised questions as to the purpose of Deeside College from 1993; what was its mission and how would it handle its new found status of independence.
1996 - 2003
Deeside College
Wil Edmunds
joined Deeside College as Principal/Chief Executive in 1997 during a time of great upheaval following major changes to the funding systems implemented by the Further Education Funding Council for Wales, and an introduction of more change for further education. Deeside College was required to make significant and sometimes drastic efficiency improvements and maximise income through increased numbers of students. Considerable investments were made to the students’ learning facilities, new stringent financial systems were put into place and a personnel and a finance department was set up. New outreach centres were opened across the county of Flintshire and Deeside College developed partnerships with local primary and secondary schools, libraries and community centres, in order to offer courses at local community venues. Student numbers rapidly increased by over 50%.
The college reinvested that income on a large scale into the transformation of its buildings and in the building of new enterprises for the community.
The first new enterprise was the building of The Deeside College Sports Stadium which was officially opened on 6 October 1998 by the Rt. Hon. Ron Davies MP, Secretary of State for Wales
at that time, and the architect of the National Assembly for Wales. With a full size football pitch and an international running track, the stadium soon became home to the Connah’s Quay Nomads Football team and the Deeside Athletics Association, who continue to use the facilities.
In 1999, the recently established Mold Learning Centre was moved from St David’s Building, St David’s Square in Mold to Terrig House, Chester Street in Mold
, which was originally the old police station building. Next to the bus station, this proved to be a popular location and the centre has quickly developed into a thriving community learning venue.
From 2000 to 2002, new learning centres were created in local companies like Airbus UK, Corus Colors, Castle Cement and Merloni Electrodomestici; (formerly Hotpoint/GDA), as part of a series of partnership arrangements which helped employees at all levels access learning, including those working on shift patterns. Deeside College was instrumental in improving the skills of the local workforce through these initiatives and through what is now the largest and most comprehensive work-based training programme in the whole of Wales.
In August 2001, the college’s Netcafe opened its doors in Shotton and offered drop-in computer facilities with a café, learndirect centre and classroom areas for short courses.
On 4 June 2003, the Deeside College Centre of Engineering Excellence was officially opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. This £8 million pound centre was fully fitted out with the latest high technology equipment for the motor vehicle, aero-engineering, electrical/electronic, fabrication and welding and gas installation fields. Specialist electronic, optronic and avionic equipment was also installed within these new workshops.
2003 - 2009
Deeside College
With extensive partnership links across Wales, the UK and internationally, Deeside College has become a world-class provider of education, training and development and consultancy.
Deeside College draws considerable strength from its ability to provide modern and flexible learning environments. The college is working in partnership with local and national employers, with private training providers, secondary schools and the voluntary sector, to ensure that learning provision meets the needs of the local community and businesses across Wales and Britain.
In 2003, Deeside College had 30,000 enrolments based around its main campus in Connah’s Quay, its Mold Learning Centre, the Netcafe in Shotton and over 20 learning centres across the local communities of Flintshire.
International consultancy and development work continues and Deeside College has strong links with other educational institutions and business networks including South Africa
, USA, Germany
and Finland
.
2009 - 2010
Deeside College
Following Welsh Assembly Government approval, on 1 August 2009 Deeside College and the nearby Welsh College of Horticulture merged. The new institution, which is one of the largest in Wales and the UK, provides courses for almost 20,000 students each year, employs over 800 staff, and has an annual income approaching £30million.
2010–present
Deeside College
Following Welsh Assembly Government approval Deeside College and Coleg Llysfasi in Ruthin merged on 1 August 2010. The new institution which is one of the largest in Wales and the UK, provides courses for almost 22,000 students each year, employs over 1000 staff, and has an annual income approaching £40million.
The Deeside College Group now encompasses three colleges: Deeside College, Northop College and Coleg Llysfasi, together with the Wrexham Training site at Felin Puleston near Rhostyllen, Wrexham, which was part of Coleg Llysfasi prior to the latter's merger with Deeside College.
The aircraft was flown from RAF Lossiemouth into Hawarden Airport in 1971 and was then towed to the college using an agricultural tractor! Even with the wings folded they had some difficulty getting it under the bridge at Shotton. Nevertheless it reached Connah's Quay safely and was fully utilised by the Aeronautical Engineering Department for training purposes until 1995, when it was put out to grass to stand on guard at the entrance to the College.
In the summer of 2003, the Fairey Gannet was dismantled by 750 Thorne Squadron, Air Training Corps and taken off to South Yorkshire Air Museum.The college donated the aircraft to the Air Museum for tender loving care and restoration by young air cadets.
Further education
Further education is a term mainly used in connection with education in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is post-compulsory education , that is distinct from the education offered in universities...
college situated in Connah's Quay
Connah's Quay
Connah's Quay is the largest town in Flintshire, North Wales, lying on the River Dee, near the border with England. It can be accessed by road from the A550, by rail from the nearby Shotton station and also lies on the National Cycle Network Route 5. It is situated near the region's industrial...
, Flintshire
Flintshire
Flintshire is a county in north-east Wales. It borders Denbighshire, Wrexham and the English county of Cheshire. It is named after the historic county of Flintshire, which had notably different borders...
, North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
. In January 2007, the college gained the highest possible grade 1 inspection ratings for its Work Based Learning provision (which includes apprenticeships). Then, the latest inspection in October 2007 repeated this achievement for all aspects of Further Education provision.
Following Welsh Assembly Government approval, Deeside College and Coleg Llysfasi merged on 1 August 2010. The new institution which is one of the largest in Wales and the UK, provides courses for almost 22,000 students each year, employs over 1000 staff, and has an annual income approaching £40million.
The Deeside College Group of Colleges
The Deeside College Group of Colleges encompasses four colleges across North Wales; Deeside College, Coleg Llysfasi, Northop College and Wrexham Training.They also have an learning facility with internet access and café at the Futures@Holywell centre, and over 20 learning
centres across the local communities of Flintshire, Denbighshire and Wrexham.
Courses on offer
Full-time coursesEntry level to level 3, vocational and academic, including Key Skills and the Welsh Baccalaureate qualification.
Part-time courses
Level 1 to level 6 including Basic Skills, taster sessions, day release courses, continuing professional development, and customised training for employers.
Work-based programmes
Foundation Modern Apprenticeships, Modern Apprenticeships, Modern Skills Diploma, Skill Build.
Awards
Deeside College has won a number of awards over the past few years, including the following:- National Training Awards Modern Apprenticeship of the Year
- Fforwm Award for Innovation in the Delivery of the Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification
- Welsh VQ Hero
- NIACE 'Workplace Learner of the Year' Award
- RHS Tatton Gold Award
- EEF Apprentice of the Year
- Silver Gilt Royal Welsh
- Most Promising Welsh Apprentice Awards
- 1st Place - UK Skills, Floristry
- Level 5 Green Dragon
- Envirowise Public Sector Waste Minimisation Campaign - Green Star
- Community Learning Tutor of the Year
- Welsh Baccalaureate Student of the Year
- The Welsh Livery Guild 'Best College of Further Education 2007-08'
- Award Leading Wales Award – Principal David Jones
- EEF apprenticeship awards for Airbus and RD Precision apprentices
- City and Guilds Medals of Excellence for one tutor
- RoSPA Commended Award for Education & Training Sector
- National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) ‘Tutors and Mentors Inspire’ Awards
- UK Further Education Colleges’ Marketing Network Award for Public Relations 2007
- Association of Colleges’ UK Beacon Award – the Welsh Assembly Government Award for College Engagement with Employers in Wales 2007
- Fforwm Award for ‘Plugging Skills Gaps in the Workforce by Offering ‘Real World’ Training Opportunities 2007
- Fforwm Award for Basic Skills 2006
- RoSPA Occupational Health & Safety Gold Award 2006
- The Wales Management Award for Sustainable Development in the Public Sector 2006
- Tourism Training Forum for Wales Exemplar Award 2006
- Wales Quality Centre Learning Prize 2005
- Beacon Award in Occupational Health & Safety and Environment Management training 2005
- Investors In People (IiP) including Recruitment and Selection model 2005
- City and Guilds Medals of Excellence for college staff Joy Parry and Marshall Clayton 2005
- NIACE ‘Tutor of the Year Awards 2005’ for Keith Stanley and Sue Horder
- The National Training Award for Wales and the UK in 2004 for its partnership with Airbus UK (innovative apprenticeship training)
- The Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education 2002
- Fforwm award for “Innovative Developments in the Use of On-line Learning” 2004
- NWOCN Award for Quality in Access to Higher Education courses 2003
- NWOCN Award for Innovation 2003 for its voluntary sector development training programme
- Deeside College’s Learning Centre Manager for Airbus UK, Sue Horder, was awarded the Learning Resource Centre Manager of the Year award at the World Open Learning Conference 2003
- EFQM Wales Quality Award – Gold and Service Sector prize 2002
- Investors in People since 1996
- ISO9001:1994 for the Commercial Services department
- ELWa status as Centre of Excellence for Aerospace Engineering
- Basic Skills Quality Award for post 16 education
- Deeside College is firmly committed to the needs of its communities and has gained recognition through the following initiatives:
- Deeside College is the first college in Wales to receive Fairtrade University status
- Green Dragon Environmental Award level 5 introducing an environmental policy across the college
- Positive about Disabled People showing a commitment to the recruitment and support of new and existing staff with disabilities
- Welsh Language Scheme confirming the college’s commitment to supporting and facilitating bilingualism, wherever possible
- The Basic Skills Agency’s Employer Pledge – Deeside College signed up in June 2003 and provides ongoing support and training for the basic skills needs of its staff across the organisation.
Fundraising
- Staff and students raised over £32,000 for the Alzheimer's Society, the college's nominated charity for 2007–2008
- Staff and students raised over £32,000 for Marie Curie Cancer Care, the college's nominated charity for 2006–2007
- Staff and students raised over £32,000 for the NSPCC, the college's nominated charity for 2009–2010
- Deeside College's chosen charity for 2010-2011 is the RNLI
Environment & sustainability
- Deeside College was the first college in Wales to receive Fairtrade University status
- The college has the Welsh Assembly Government's top Green Dragon level 5 status for sustainable development
- Students study sustainable development during Welsh Baccalaureate and personal tutorial programmes
- The college uses recycled paper for all printed and inhouse publicity materials
- Automatic lighting and solar power have been introduced to reduce energy consumption
Principals
- In 1952, Fred Roberts was appointed as 'Acting Principal'.
- In 1954, Dr Charles G Lyons, aged 47 took up his post as the first Principal of Flintshire Technical College, with the grand salary of £1,250. He retired in 1970.
- Dr Stan McLintock took over as Principal in 1970, having been in the college since 1954 as Head of Chemistry and Metallurgy.
- In 1975, Professor Dr G O Phillips became the new Executive Principal of the North East Wales Institute.
- Professor Dr G O Phillips stayed as Executive Principal of North East Wales Institute until 1992 and his successor Professor John Williams came in to oversee the development of higher education based in Wrexham.
- Dr Tony Walker was the first Principal of Deeside College in 1993 and he retired late 1996.
- In 1997, Wil EdmundsWil EdmundsWilliam Glyndwr "Wil" Edmunds OBE is a retired Welsh educationalist. He was Principal of Coleg Ceredigion and then Principal/Chief Executive of Deeside College 1997-2004, during which time the college was the first Further Education college to be awarded the Queen's Anniversary Prize...
became Principal and in 2002 and was awarded the OBE by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. - David B Jones, Deeside College's Principal and Chief Executive, took up his position on 1 September 2004.
History
1952Flintshire Technical College opens its doors to students
From 1952 to 1956, the college buildings gradually covered almost 20 acres (80,937.2 m²). In 1959, the college could cater for some 1,000 full-time students and 7,000 part-time students. However, the first official Department of Education and Science
Department of Education and Science
The phrase Department of Education and Science refers to government departments in the UK or Ireland* For the former Irish government department, see Department of Education and Skills...
return, made by the first Principal, Dr Lyons, at the time (following Acting Principal Fred Roberts), was made on a postcard to the DES and it was noted there were 357 girls and 459 boys in attendance and 27 staff.
The actual capacity envisioned a future of comprehensive training within a building large enough to cater for the baby boom once that demographic group was over the age of 16. In 1956, Sir Miles Thomas
Miles Thomas
Miles Webster Thomas, Baron Thomas, Lord Thomas of Remenham, known as Sir Miles Thomas, or Lord Thomas, DFC was Managing Director of the Morris Motor Company, 1940–1947, Chairman of the British Overseas Airways Corporation , 1949–1956, Chairman of the merger...
opened the college and in his official capacity as Chairman of BOAC, cemented the links that the college would have with the Aviation/Aerospace industry for the next 50 years. Now in 2006 Deeside College supports the Airbus UK apprenticeship scheme, which is one of the largest in the whole of Western Europe.
1966 - 1974
Flintshire College of Technology
In the middle of the sixties the institution, now called Flintshire College of Technology, wanted to become a college of advanced technology and also had aspirations for North East Wales to have a university.
At this time the Robbins report on the expansion of Higher Education in the middle sixties was released. This included the 'University of the Air' proposal and the vision of the then Prime Minister Harold Wilson
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, FSS, PC was a British Labour Member of Parliament, Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections, including a minority government after the...
, to begin the development of one of the largest universities of the air, now called the Open University. Flintshire College of Technology played its part in this expansion, offering HNDs and GRAD RICs in chemistry, and more advanced qualifications for the manufacturing industries of North East Wales.
The college was placed as a crucial education and training provider in the development of the North Wales economy and for a further 7 years became the well regarded college of “Advanced Technology”. Student numbers grew and came in from as far as Birkenhead
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
, Preston, Anglesey
Anglesey
Anglesey , also known by its Welsh name Ynys Môn , is an island and, as Isle of Anglesey, a county off the north west coast of Wales...
, Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
and Hereford
Hereford
Hereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...
. Facilities expanded, residential blocks were built and people were trained on an increasing scale with both public and private finance.
1974 - 1993
Kelsterton College - North East Wales Institute (NEWI)
Textiles, steel making, steel coating, aeroplane construction and companies like Hawker Siddeley, John Summers, Courtaulds International were household names for Flintshire. Thousands upon thousands of iron and steel operatives crossed the Dee to be trained at the college; metallurgy research grew to satisfy the steel expansion and local government was ready for change.
A new county was formed on local government reorganisation in 1974. The new county of Clwyd replaced Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
, Denbighshire
Denbighshire
Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
and Flintshire
Flintshire
Flintshire is a county in north-east Wales. It borders Denbighshire, Wrexham and the English county of Cheshire. It is named after the historic county of Flintshire, which had notably different borders...
and was a further manifestation of a new sub-region being created. Part of the changes resulted in a rename from Flintshire College to Kelsterton College of Technology. Very soon the name changed once again to the North East Wales Institute of Higher Education, embracing Wrexham Technical College, Cartrefle Teacher Training College, Wrexham College of Art and the Flintshire College.
1956, 1966 and 1974 are both the chronological landmarks and moreover, the definitive stages of the development of education and training in the region. Paralleled with this, was the mass expansion of Higher Education, Further Education and comprehensive schools. This was a vision cherished by Dr Haydn Williams. Here was in Flintshire, and in Wrexham, the achievement and manifestation of his dreams.
From 1974, the North East Wales Institute expanded under the vision of another prominent educator, Professor Glyn O Phillips, who took the institution forward and made it into a significant research based and practice based technological organisation which had a financial turnover equalling a great many universities close by, like Liverpool
University of Liverpool
The University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...
, Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
and Bangor.
1993 - 1996
Deeside College
Twenty years later came the next major upheaval and change to local government organisation. The 7 counties of Wales, including Clwyd, were disbanded to create 22 unitary authorities and Flintshire was reborn, but not as an exact twin of the old ‘Flintshire’.
This change was a little different, for the new Flintshire was not a reincarnation of the pre 1974 reorganisation, as this time it did not embrace Rhyl
Rhyl
Rhyl is a seaside resort town and community situated on the north east coast of Wales, in the county of Denbighshire , at the mouth of the River Clwyd . To the west is the suburb of Kinmel Bay, with the resort of Towyn further west, Prestatyn to the east and Rhuddlan to the south...
or the Northern part of Denbighshire, which it did in the middle sixties and early seventies.
A consequence of this local government reorganisation was the determination to concentrate all Higher Education in Wrexham. This resulted in the disaggregation and consequent formation of Deeside College in 1993 which was enshrined in the legislation of 1992 – the Further and Higher Education Act. The College became a separate independent institution with its own board of governors and having corporation status. A new Principal was appointed, Dr Tony Walker, who served for 3 years until early 1997. The name Deeside College was chosen not just because it was geographically in an identifiable and supported industrial zone called Deeside, but also it was a deliberate departure from the names of the past and presented a greater vision for the sub-region of North East Wales.
During the time 1974 to 1993, Flintshire experienced the almost total collapse of steel making, as a consequence in part of a growing worldwide steel making market on the Pacific Rim and in Eastern Europe. Flintshire also experienced the collapse of its textile industries and the transformation of its aerospace manufacturing; Courtaulds Textiles had gone, Hawker Siddeley came and went and British Aerospace
British Aerospace
British Aerospace plc was a UK aircraft, munitions and defence-systems manufacturer. Its head office was in the Warwick House in the Farnborough Aerospace Centre in Farnborough, Hampshire...
was born and matured into what is now Airbus UK. This raised questions as to the purpose of Deeside College from 1993; what was its mission and how would it handle its new found status of independence.
1996 - 2003
Deeside College
Wil Edmunds
Wil Edmunds
William Glyndwr "Wil" Edmunds OBE is a retired Welsh educationalist. He was Principal of Coleg Ceredigion and then Principal/Chief Executive of Deeside College 1997-2004, during which time the college was the first Further Education college to be awarded the Queen's Anniversary Prize...
joined Deeside College as Principal/Chief Executive in 1997 during a time of great upheaval following major changes to the funding systems implemented by the Further Education Funding Council for Wales, and an introduction of more change for further education. Deeside College was required to make significant and sometimes drastic efficiency improvements and maximise income through increased numbers of students. Considerable investments were made to the students’ learning facilities, new stringent financial systems were put into place and a personnel and a finance department was set up. New outreach centres were opened across the county of Flintshire and Deeside College developed partnerships with local primary and secondary schools, libraries and community centres, in order to offer courses at local community venues. Student numbers rapidly increased by over 50%.
The college reinvested that income on a large scale into the transformation of its buildings and in the building of new enterprises for the community.
The first new enterprise was the building of The Deeside College Sports Stadium which was officially opened on 6 October 1998 by the Rt. Hon. Ron Davies MP, Secretary of State for Wales
Secretary of State for Wales
The Secretary of State for Wales is the head of the Wales Office within the British cabinet. He or she is responsible for ensuring Welsh interests are taken into account by the government, representing the government within Wales and overseeing the passing of legislation which is only for Wales...
at that time, and the architect of the National Assembly for Wales. With a full size football pitch and an international running track, the stadium soon became home to the Connah’s Quay Nomads Football team and the Deeside Athletics Association, who continue to use the facilities.
In 1999, the recently established Mold Learning Centre was moved from St David’s Building, St David’s Square in Mold to Terrig House, Chester Street in Mold
Mold
Molds are fungi that grow in the form of multicellular filaments called hyphae. Molds are not considered to be microbes but microscopic fungi that grow as single cells called yeasts...
, which was originally the old police station building. Next to the bus station, this proved to be a popular location and the centre has quickly developed into a thriving community learning venue.
From 2000 to 2002, new learning centres were created in local companies like Airbus UK, Corus Colors, Castle Cement and Merloni Electrodomestici; (formerly Hotpoint/GDA), as part of a series of partnership arrangements which helped employees at all levels access learning, including those working on shift patterns. Deeside College was instrumental in improving the skills of the local workforce through these initiatives and through what is now the largest and most comprehensive work-based training programme in the whole of Wales.
In August 2001, the college’s Netcafe opened its doors in Shotton and offered drop-in computer facilities with a café, learndirect centre and classroom areas for short courses.
On 4 June 2003, the Deeside College Centre of Engineering Excellence was officially opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. This £8 million pound centre was fully fitted out with the latest high technology equipment for the motor vehicle, aero-engineering, electrical/electronic, fabrication and welding and gas installation fields. Specialist electronic, optronic and avionic equipment was also installed within these new workshops.
2003 - 2009
Deeside College
With extensive partnership links across Wales, the UK and internationally, Deeside College has become a world-class provider of education, training and development and consultancy.
Deeside College draws considerable strength from its ability to provide modern and flexible learning environments. The college is working in partnership with local and national employers, with private training providers, secondary schools and the voluntary sector, to ensure that learning provision meets the needs of the local community and businesses across Wales and Britain.
In 2003, Deeside College had 30,000 enrolments based around its main campus in Connah’s Quay, its Mold Learning Centre, the Netcafe in Shotton and over 20 learning centres across the local communities of Flintshire.
International consultancy and development work continues and Deeside College has strong links with other educational institutions and business networks including South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, USA, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
.
2009 - 2010
Deeside College
Following Welsh Assembly Government approval, on 1 August 2009 Deeside College and the nearby Welsh College of Horticulture merged. The new institution, which is one of the largest in Wales and the UK, provides courses for almost 20,000 students each year, employs over 800 staff, and has an annual income approaching £30million.
2010–present
Deeside College
Following Welsh Assembly Government approval Deeside College and Coleg Llysfasi in Ruthin merged on 1 August 2010. The new institution which is one of the largest in Wales and the UK, provides courses for almost 22,000 students each year, employs over 1000 staff, and has an annual income approaching £40million.
The Deeside College Group now encompasses three colleges: Deeside College, Northop College and Coleg Llysfasi, together with the Wrexham Training site at Felin Puleston near Rhostyllen, Wrexham, which was part of Coleg Llysfasi prior to the latter's merger with Deeside College.
The Fairey Gannet
The aeroplane, which up until 2003 was sited outside the front of the College, was a Mark 6 Fairey Gannet. During trials in June 1950 on HMS Illustrious, this had become the first turbo-prop aeroplane to land on an aircraft carrier. The Fairey Gannet went into production in 1953 and into operation in 1955 (Lee-on-Solent, HMS Eagle and HMS Ark Royal). In 1970, Flintshire College of Technology already had four aircraft and bought the surplus Gannet from the Ministry of Defence for £750, to add to its collection.The aircraft was flown from RAF Lossiemouth into Hawarden Airport in 1971 and was then towed to the college using an agricultural tractor! Even with the wings folded they had some difficulty getting it under the bridge at Shotton. Nevertheless it reached Connah's Quay safely and was fully utilised by the Aeronautical Engineering Department for training purposes until 1995, when it was put out to grass to stand on guard at the entrance to the College.
In the summer of 2003, the Fairey Gannet was dismantled by 750 Thorne Squadron, Air Training Corps and taken off to South Yorkshire Air Museum.The college donated the aircraft to the Air Museum for tender loving care and restoration by young air cadets.