JISC

JISC infoNet provided training and support to Shrewsbury College of Arts and Technology to enable them to improve their business performance.

Helping to manage the change

Shrewsbury College of Arts and Technology has been engaged in a major process of management development and performance improvement. JISC infoNet provided in-house training and resources for managers which helped the college to make significant changes to the way it conducts its business, both internally and in its external relationships with employers and the community.

About JISC infoNet

JISC infoNet is an advisory service for managers in the post-compulsory education sector. It advises colleges on the effective strategic planning, implementation and management of information and learning technology. Online infoKit branded resources and management guides, together with a range of practical tools are available free to UK further and higher education institutions. These examine and promote good practice and innovation in the use of ICT and in the wider management disciplines that support it, including project, change and risk management. JISC infoNet delivers training for managers both in-house and at scheduled events in partnership with JISC Regional Support Centres. 

Challenge

Shrewsbury College of Arts and Technology (SCAT) is a medium sized general FE college serving the town and surrounding county. It enrols around 9,000 students each year onto courses at two main campuses and a number of smaller sites, delivering a wide range of provision, with particular strength in vocational programmes.

Principal Greg Molan has led the college on what he describes as an extensive programme of self renewal. An important building block was a development programme to improve the skills and shared understanding of the business management team. The college wanted to develop individuals alongside their jobs, rather than send them off on external courses that deliver a separate experience. The initial challenge was to put together an effective and affordable programme that could call upon first class resources and be both credible and relevant. It had to be tailored to meet the needs of the college and be delivered in-house. Responsibility for this fell to HR manager Donna Lucas.

A further hurdle to be overcome was a legacy of scepticism amongst staff about the value of training which, in the past, has not always managed to find its way out of the training room and into business practice. The second challenge therefore, was to make sure that the programme was seen to deliver results and to help managers to change the way the college works and improve its business performance.

Solution

Donna discovered JISC infoNet when new HR Director  Richard Banks proposed a more widespread use of project management approaches within the college. She attended one of JISC infoNet’s project management courses to refresh her skills and was impressed by what she found.  This prompted her to explore the website, where she was ‘astounded at all the different resources available.’

When she was tasked with putting together a management development programme the JISC infoNet site was the obvious place to start.  The catalogue of infoKits, guides and publications helped her to structure and plan the programme.

Donna also found that she could call upon their training services. JISC infoNet is able to offer training free if six or more colleges send delegates, so she rang around and managed to pull together a group of local colleges who were interested in taking part.

The training is designed to embed:

• Real project management discipline
• Clarity of direction
• Getting everybody on board
• Identifying where people fit in
• Being aware of constraints and outside factors

Training was delivered on site, the core programme of four one-day workshops was delivered over the course of a year, covering: 

• Project management
• Process management
• Risk management
• Change management

Evaluation and feedback from delegates was uniformly excellent, which helped to sustain the momentum of the process. Greg Molan attended the sessions himself, sending out an important message to managers and staff that the training had real purpose.  The immediate benefit to managers was that they now shared a common understanding of how to deal with tasks effectively and a common vocabulary to discuss challenges and solutions.

Impact on the learning provider

The impact upon Shrewsbury College of its work with JISC infoNet and of the relationship that has built up between them is twofold

• The skill levels and shared understanding of business managers have improved significantly
• This has been put to effective use to improve the performance of the college

Key messages

1. JISC infoNet will work with groups of colleges to provide free in-house training targeted around individual needs
2. JISC infoNet understands FE colleges and how they operate and helps them to find practical, affordable solutions that actually work
3. This is particularly effective as part of a management-led programme of change
4. Free online infoKits, guides and tools are a well-researched, regularly updated and authoritative source of inspiration and practical advice for colleges

Further information

JISC infoNet 

Shrewsbury College of Arts and Technology