Looking forward to 2012

For media enquiries - call 020 7613 9090 or 07815 881 063

We’re doing so much in the lead up to 2012 that we’ve started a 2012 blog. To Find out how we’re preparing our students and communities for the Games click here.

Newsflash: Hackney Community College meets IoC training camp standards! Basketball, Badminton, Fencing and Table Tennis teams from across the world could be training here in the build up to the 2012 Games.

The Olympics and Paralympics are coming to London in 2012. Hackney is one of the five official Olympic east London boroughs and so Hackney Community College has some important work to do.

The College has set up its own 2012 Team to make sure it's in a strong position to respond to the skills and development needs of local people, and to be on hand to support the Games' organisers.

As opportunities arise, our 2012 Team can identify the most efficient and effective way for the College to respond - whether it’s to set up a new training course at College, to work with businesses to meet their 2012 ambitions, or to arrange an outreach team to work with a particular section of the community.

The College is pivotal in turning an international sporting spectacle into a lasting legacy for the people and communities of Hackney.

• Preparing the workforce of 2012
• The rapid response college
• Supporting businesses to maximise the opportunities
• Personal Best Programme (70,000 volunteers)
• Sporting excellence
• Hackney - the cultural borough
• Play your part

We are working with Podium, the further and higher education unit for the 2012 Games, to make sure that our students benefit from the opportunities that the Games will bring. Visit www.podium.ac.uk for more information

• See how Hackney is getting involved in the 2012 Games
  (London Borough of Hackney website)

The College helps around 11,000 people each year to achieve:

• Some 14-16 year-olds come to take advantage of the facilities while still at school
• School leavers appreciate the diverse further education opportunities on their doorstep
• Thousands of adults return to education to gain new skills or support their ambitions of promotion through training and professional qualifications

It's clear what an important role the College will play in preparing the workforce of 2102.

We will prepare and motivate young people to get involved and get as much out of 2012 as they can. We will also support young people, adults and businesses to achieve the specific skills needed to rise to the opportunities that the Games will bring.

Construction, housing, business and IT, customer service, languages, hospitality, leisure, tourism, management, food hygiene, security... you name it, we can deliver the training.

The College works very closely with bodies such as the Learning & Skills Council, the London Development Agency, and of course, Hackney Council and the Learning Trust. So, when skills needs are identified, we hear about them first, and can work immediately to respond. We work with other London colleges in this respect, so if a partnership approach would be the most appropriate, we already have the networks in place.

As well as our professional and committed staff, the College has superb facilities to support this work. One example is a new multi-skills workshop built within our already impressive construction trades department. Designed with the future in mind, the workshop is fitted out to be flexible, to house whatever technology and equipment is required to help people get the skills they need. Combine this with training in our state-of-the-art electrical diagnosis Smart Lab, and local people can fully equip themselves with the construction skills of the future: skills that will enable them to take full advantage of the great opportunities presented by the Olympics.

Hackney Community College has Centre of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) status in both Business & Enterprise Skills and Construction & New Building Techniques. This prestigious accreditation means that we have a proven track record of working with businesses to train current staff, and the future workforce. It means that our courses are directly relevant to the needs of business and industry, and that we are committed to keeping on top of changing demands.

Our Morley Hall business development facility in London Fields has been newly refurbished to specifically meet the needs of employers. With training suites and conference rooms, it is the perfect venue for staff training days, meetings and events. Alternatively, our professional trainers can come to your business and help staff to get qualified in their own work setting.

There are several government-funded schemes for staff training, including Train to Gain, as well as grants for training in certain sectors. We will work with you to make sure that you get the most effective high-quality training, with dedication to best value for money.

It is vitally important that local businesses have every opportunity to get involved in the Games' preparation and delivery. We can support your company to get into the best possible position to tender for this high-profile and crucial work through our small business support services.

Most areas of work can be related to the 2102 Games in some way, but if you don't get involved through your regular career, there will be plenty of chances to play your part as a volunteer. In total, it's anticipated that 70,000 volunteers will help London to really pull it off. We will make sure that whether the skills are customer care, languages, first aid or athlete support, Hackney Community College will help local people to get involved. What's more, we are already involved in a pre-volunteering scheme with Hackney council and other partners

Our sports and leisure curriculum is one of the most exciting in the area. With an impressive sports and leisure centre at our Shoreditch site and professional, experienced staff including two ex-Olympians, we wouldn't be surprised to see some home grown talent in the Olympic arena.

Sports Academies [links through to sports academies page], in basketball, cricket - and from September 2007 - athletics - give young people the opportunity to combine professional training with academic study. The academies consistently perform well in national competitions, and our very best sports men and women represent their country too.

Our fitness trainer, sports massage and sports nutrition courses are other examples of how we can prepare local people to really get involved in the sport of 2012.

Of the five official Olympic boroughs in east London, Hackney has been identified as the Cultural borough. Perfect - as the college has great arts facilities and tutors and some exciting success stories.

Our Shoreditch campus is in the heart of Hoxton, home to countless artists, crafts-people, designers and writers. Some are professional, some are just starting out and many are nurturing a talent, working towards that big break. The College's arts and media department encourages talent whether for professionals or just for fun.

The 2012 Games will be accompanied by a cultural festival lasting over a year. It will be key in the build-up to the Games, for the opening ceremony and to maximise the legacy of the Games in our communities. We will work with local artists and groups to make sure they are well-prepared and in touch with the organisers in order to showcase their work on the international stage.

This cultural element is further cemented with the fact that Hackney will be host to the international broadcast and press centres for the Games - a great opportunity for local media professionals and students.

Whatever your ambition, whatever your talent, Hackney Community College can support you to play your part in the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.

For course information, call 020 7613 9123

If you are an employer or manager and want to train your staff, call 020 7613 9430

To talk about 2012-related opportunities that the College could get involved with, call 020 7613 9090

• See how Hackney is getting involved in the 2012 Games
  (London Borough of Hackney website)