Hugh Baird College wins Education Innovator Award
Hugh Baird College has won the Education Innovator award, sponsored by Barclays, at the Liverpool Innovation & Impact Awards, held at Hill Dickinson Stadium on 22 October.
The College was recognised for ‘Work Ready with eduScrum’, a college-wide model that integrates live employer projects into everyday teaching, so learners develop the skills and confidence that the region’s employers are looking for.
The Liverpool Innovation & Impact Awards, held by Liverpool Chamber, celebrate the people and organisations driving economic and social progress across the Liverpool City Region.
The ‘Work Ready with eduScrum’ model began three years ago, when employers told the College that too many young people were reaching the workplace without the communication skills, confidence and adaptability they needed. Staff responded by working with employers to design Employer Led Projects and the programme continues to grow. Learners work in teams using eduScrum, an agile approach that mirrors modern workplaces, to tackle real challenges set by industry. The model is also shaped by Local Skills Improvement Plan priorities and talent pipeline needs across the region.
More than 1,000 learners have taken part across all subject areas, working with over 40 employers including Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Cadent Gas and Denholm Logistics. Travel and Tourism learners have redesigned airport tours and presented their ideas, while construction and plumbing learners have worked with Cadent Gas on hydrogen energy solutions.
Learners at the College’s high needs provision designed and delivered public tours on the Danny Boat, building confidence and communication skills and featuring on ITV Granada Reports. English for Speakers of Other Languages learners worked with the Congolese Association to deliver digital support sessions and published a book which they presented to a local charity.
The projects are leading to jobs. Health and Social Care students have secured roles with local care providers and childcare learners have moved into nursery roles linked to their projects. Catering learners gained employment at The Halyard Hotel after designing menus and running a restaurant takeover with the Head Chef.
Hugh Baird College continues to build on its outstanding reputation, recently being named national winner of the RCU Award for Support for Students at the Association of Colleges (AoC) Beacon Awards 2025/26, one of the highest honours in further education, in recognition of its pioneering Education for All programme.
The approach sits alongside strong results at an Ofsted Outstanding college, where inspectors recognised the College’s contribution to meeting skills needs. Both 16 to 18 achievement and Tech Level 3 progress place Hugh Baird College in the top 5% nationally and it is the top further education college for student achievement in the Liverpool City Region.
Rachael Hennigan OBE, Principal and Chief Executive of Hugh Baird College, said:
This award reflects the strength of our curriculum and the part employers play in shaping our learners’ futures. They gain real-world experience and the confidence to use it, which strengthens their progression into employment or higher education and gives them a genuine head start in the jobs market. Strong partnerships with employers and organisations across the Liverpool City Region are how we help our communities to succeed and these projects show that in action.
I want to thank every member of staff who has helped design and deliver these projects, and our employer partners for giving their time and expertise so generously. We are incredibly proud to see it recognised.
Ruth Mead, Director of Learning and Development at Hugh Baird College, said:
We're absolutely delighted to receive this award. 'Work Ready with eduScrum' has grown through the passion and commitment of staff across the College, working alongside employers to create authentic learning experiences that prepare learners for their future careers.
What makes this recognition particularly special is that it celebrates a truly collective effort. It reflects the contribution of colleagues, employers and learners who have embraced new ways of working and shown what's possible when education and industry come together. We're proud of the impact this work continues to have on our learners and the opportunities it creates for them.
