Hugh Baird College and LJMU Form Partnership to Boost Skills and Widen Participation
Hugh Baird College has formalised a new partnership with Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) to address critical skills gaps across the Liverpool City Region and drive social mobility for young people in some of its most deprived communities.
The two organisations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding committing them to work together on a range of initiatives designed to create clear pathways from school into further education, higher education and employment.
The agreement spans three key areas where both institutions have strong track records and where regional need is greatest.
In construction and built environment, Hugh Baird College and LJMU will develop training initiatives tailored to industry requirements and aligned with wider regional priorities, including the recently announced collaboration between the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and the Construction Industry Training Board.
In education and childcare, the partnership will explore a model enabling industry specialists to transition into teaching, addressing workforce pressures in childcare and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision.
The agreement also commits both institutions to further widening participation, building on their shared history of supporting learners from disadvantaged backgrounds to access higher levels of education and training.
Rachael Hennigan OBE, Principal and Chief Executive of Hugh Baird College, said:
We believe that building on our already strong collaboration with LJMU, we can have an even greater impact on our communities. This partnership will enable us collectively to further support in achieving the Liverpool City Region's building ambitions by addressing critical skills gaps.
We will utilise the expertise within education and childcare sectors by providing a clear transition into the teaching professions and giving more people within our communities greater access to higher-level training.
LJMU Vice-Chancellor Professor Mark Power said:
I'm delighted to formalise our partnership with our friends and colleagues at Hugh Baird College.
We already work closely together and have strategic links aimed at providing extended outreach to students. Our two organisations have shared values around widening access to further and higher education and preparing our young people with the skills they need to have successful careers.
I look forward to exploring new initiatives together that will help us to make a real positive difference to communities in Sefton and across the Liverpool City Region and beyond.
Cllr Marion Atkinson, Leader of Sefton Council and Liverpool City Region Cabinet Member for Employment, Education and Skills, said:
It’s great to see Liverpool John Moores University and Hugh Baird College – two of the city region’s key educational institutions – coming together to share their expertise to create opportunities for young people.
Skills development, job creation and widening participation in further and higher education play a key role in our ambition of growing the city region economy. Developing a skilled, diverse workforce enables us to deliver some of the most ambitious infrastructure projects in the country and enable our young people to reach their full potential here.
Photo © LJMU.
