UK colleges celebrate prizes at AoC Beacon Awards

Colleges across the UK have been honoured at the Association of Colleges’ (AoC) Beacon Awards for excellence in providing high-quality technical and professional education and training. Now in its 24th year, the AoC Beacon Awards showcase best practice and innovation in colleges. It is designed to promote the interdependence of colleges, businesses and professional and voluntary organisations. The awards also highlight excellence and helps share best practice across the sector. For the first time, The AoC Beacon Awards and the Tes FE Awards were presented alongside each other at the annual TES FE Awards ceremony in London on Friday 22 March 2019. The AoC Beacon Award winners include: Birkenhead Sixth Form College – Skills and Education Group Award for Social Mobility National Star College – British Council International Award North West Regional College – The Careers and Enterprise Company Careers Education and Guidance Award City of Glasgow College- City & Guilds Engagement with Employer Award Wiltshire College – Edge Award for excellence in the practical delivery of technical and professional learning Bolton College – Effective use of technology in Further Education Award (Jisc) Activate Learning – RCU Support for Student Award Weston College – AoC Mental Health and Wellbeing Award David Hughes, Chief Executive of the Association of Colleges, said: “Each year the standard of entries is extremely high and this year is no exception. This makes choosing the winner so difficult, especially with so many worthy entrants. “Colleges are inspirational places to learn because education and training is delivered by expert teaching staff in industry-standard facilities.” Marian Jebb, Head of Post 16 Quality and Data Management at the Welsh Government, said: “Welsh Government are proud to sponsor the AoC Beacon Awards as an opportunity to highlight, showcase and celebrate best practice within the Further Education sector.”