Department for Education Minister visits Nescot

Staff and students were delighted to host Baroness Jacqui Smith, the Department for Education’s Minister of State for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education on her visit to Nescot (North East Surrey College of Technology) on Tuesday, 3 September.

Nescot Principal and CEO, Julie Kapsalis and Chris Muller, Chair of Governors, welcomed the Minster and were proud to showcase the college’s state-of-the-art facilities, courses, study programmes and skills provision. The Minister had a tour of the Skills Park that included meeting students, apprentices, staff and the college’s employer partners.

Upon arrival, the Minister met Creative Media student, Charlie who won gold at WorldSkills UK 2023, the college’s new alpacas, Dolly and Florence (from the on-site farm) and Rhubarb, the assistance dog.

The Minister was introduced to students studying on Nescot’s new courses in Construction Skills for Highway Maintenance delivered in partnership with leading highway maintenance contractor, Ringway. She observed demonstrations from students who were learning to lay concrete slabs and drive virtual diggers.

Supporting the Government’s ambition to grow apprenticeships, the Minister met apprentices from the construction industry, from Ridgeback, Premier Heating and Watkins Cole. She heard how Nescot has supported many of the students through progression pathways and finding employers. She was particularly interested to hear how Nescot is working to recruit more women into the construction trades through role models and working with employers including Wates.

The Minister was shown the college’s new state-of-the-art immersive learning spaces with virtual reality driving simulators and a variety of artificial intelligence tools offering students an innovative learning experience. The Minister also met Pepper, the humanoid and programmable robot from The Sussex and Surrey Institute of Technology (IoT) at Nescot. The IoT offers specialist courses and apprenticeships available in digital technologies to equip learners with the relevant skills in an increasingly tech reliant world.

Skills Minister Jacqui Smith said, “It was a pleasure to visit the College and witness the exceptional work being done to prepare students for their future careers. The enthusiasm of the young people, along with the college's state-of-the-art learning spaces were truly inspiring.

“I was impressed by the practical, hands-on training students receive, as it’s not often I get to see young people operating virtual diggers or laying concrete slabs in the classroom. The college is clearly committed to forging strong partnerships with local businesses, which will help these bright young people secure jobs in the sector and go on to build bright futures.”

Julie Kapsalis, Principal and CEO along with Nescot’s senior leaders had the opportunity to speak to the Minister about some of the college’s challenges and successes. She said, “We are thrilled and honoured that the Minister chose to visit Nescot at the start of the academic year. The FE sector plays a critical role in not just the training and education of young people and adults, but it is at the forefront of enabling social mobility and meeting the local skills and employment needs."

Essential to Nescot’s success are the college’s relationships with businesses and the community. Ringway, the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Epsom & Ewell Borough Council, Surrey Chambers and Wates had the opportunity to meet with the Minister to talk about their skills needs and work with the college.

Lewis Bridgman, Service Director, Ringway said, "The collaboration between Ringway and Nescot is a shining example of how local partnerships can foster economic growth and community development in Surrey. By investing in the next generation of engineers, the community is setting a strong foundation for long-term prosperity within the delivery of the Surrey Highways service. This approach not only benefits current residents but also ensures that the future workforce is well-equipped to maintain and enhance the region's infrastructure, contributing to a robust and sustainable economy."

Julie added, “On behalf of all our staff and students, I thank the Minister for taking the time out of her busy schedule to visit us. We hope our wonderful staff and students (and animals) have left a lasting impression. I would also like to thank our employer partners for their ongoing support and collaboration.”

The visit concluded with plastering student CJ presenting the Minister with a sculpture of a dog made by her department.

Watch a video of the Skills Minister's visit to Nescot on our YouTube channel.