Northern College student shortlisted for regional award

A Northern College student has been shortlisted for a regional award.

Martha Arratoonian is a finalist in the Learning for Work category of the West Yorkshire Adult Learning Awards.

The category is aimed at learners who have used adult skills courses to support them to enter or progress within employment. 

This may be someone who has made a career change, taken their first steps into employment or who has upskilled.

Martha is one of 14 Northern College students who have completed a Sector-Based Work Academy Programme (SWAP) at Calderdale College in Halifax, West Yorkshire, this year.

The initiative involved a partnership between Northern College, Calderdale College and Job Centre Plus. 

The aim was to recruit students into a range of learning support assistant job roles based at Calderdale College in West Yorkshire.

Martha is one of 11 learners who gained permanent employment at Calderdale College after completing the SWAP programme with one participant securing a role in the Civil Service.

Martha completed a City & Guilds Level 1 Certificate in Employability Skills and the NCFE CACHE Level 1 Award in Safeguarding in a Learning Environment and is now employed as Personal Skills Assistant. 

Martha, who has previous experience of working in health and social care, said: “It is a fantastic feeling to be a finalist in the West Yorkshire Adult Learning Awards. 

“Completing the SWAP programme at Northern College has made a real difference to my career prospects. I am delighted to have secured a role working at Calderdale College.” 

On the programme, students completed an intensive two-week course which covered many aspects of education including safeguarding, equality, diversity and inclusion, and lifelong developmental conditions such as autism spectrum disorder.

The winners of the West Yorkshire Adult Learning Awards will be announced at a ceremony on Monday 24th June 2024 at Leeds Civic Hall.

The SWAP programme helps job seekers in receipt of unemployment benefit to prepare for and find jobs in different industries. 

To find out more, please email referrals@northern.ac.uk.