Flybe and Exeter College – Achieving excellence in partnership
Exeter College, Devon’s largest education and training provider has been working in partnership with one of Europe’s largest and most successful regional airline since June 2007. Flybe selected Exeter College as its lead academic partner to develop the exciting new Training Academy based at Exeter International Airport. Together with the University of Exeter, the college has played a vital role in training and up-skilling Flybe’s 3,000 staff.
The new Training Academy, which is due to open in December 2010, will provide a
range of courses for staff across the airlines operation. It will also provide
training solutions for the local business community. To follow the Training
Academy build please click on this link -
http://www.flybetraining.com/academy-plans.
The partnership, however, isn’t waiting until the Training Academy opens and has already been at the forefront of demand-led training opportunities.
The partnership was allocated the highest resource funding nationally for the development of three tailor made foundations degrees. These distinctive university level qualifications were designed to up-skill the workforce and form a clear progression pathway to management in aviation. Having an employer at the centre of the development of the foundation degrees was fundamental to their success. We are now looking to engage with other airlines in the UK and Europe to promote these qualifications as an effective way for the sector to ‘grow their own’ managers.
In June 2007, Exeter College and Flybe scored a first for commitment to training their employees by signing the governments Skills Pledge. Flybe was the only airline out of 150 employers nationwide and Exeter College was the first college in Devon to sign up to the initiative. Taking this pledge was the energiser for change and early this year Flybe won the Skills Pledge Employer of the Year at the South West Skills Awards.
In 2008 the partnership launched the new Flybe Engineering Apprenticeship
targeted at providing a unique, first class opportunity to young aspiring
aerospace engineers. The course is a four year programme where Apprentices work
towards a framework of qualifications and ultimately become a licensed B1
aircraft engineer. There is a mixed approach to learning with lectures,
workshops and practical work at the college, Training Academy and in the hangars
at the airport.
Please click here for more information about the Apprenticeship and an
application form.
More recently Exeter College has delivered bespoke teacher and assessor courses to Flybe trainers which ensures their courses are delivered to an extremely high and regulated standard. The partnership firmly believes that improving skills; improves productivity and success. The training and development courses both organisations provide is no exception.
If you would like to know more about the Flybe Training Academy and the courses they offer, please contact the team:
Telephone: +44 (0)1392 268893
Email:
flybetraining@flybe.com
Website:
http://www.flybetraining.com