Selby College is delighted to announce it has been shortlisted for two accolades at the upcoming Goole & Howdenshire Business Excellence Awards.

The College has been named a finalist for the Covid-19 Award, which recognises and celebrates the ways in which organisations and businesses have risen to the many challenges imposed by the pandemic, through radical rethinking and creative ideas.

In addition to this, the College has also made the shortlist for the Training and Development Award which is awarded to businesses that champion their employees, giving them every opportunity to develop their knowledge and skills.

For the Covid-19 Award, the College has been nominated for its efforts to support students, staff and the local community throughout the pandemic. The College ensured its 1500+ students were able to continue their learning safely, effectively and remotely, enabling them to move on to the next stages of their lives.

The willingness of the College’s staff to go the extra mile for others was also evident throughout the pandemic, with Engineering Lecturer Mick Wilson using the College’s 3D printers to create visors for local care homes. Art & Design Tutor, Kiku McNaughton, sewed three sets of scrubs to be donated as part of the ‘Yorkshire Scrubs – For the Love of Scrubs’ initiative.

“I’m delighted we have been named finalists for two awards, recognising the dedication and resilience of our staff here at Selby College. When faced with unchartered waters caused by the pandemic, our staff rose to the challenge to act in the best interest of our students, employees and the wider community. Whether that was ensuring a seamless transition from face-to-face learning to online learning throughout lockdowns, helping our students to catch up where needed, creating a Covid-secure campus for all our stakeholders, or making and donating PPE for our local emergency services and care homes."

Personal Protective Equipment from the College’s Science, Hair & Beauty, Engineering, Construction and Childcare facilities was also donated to local emergency services to help support frontline staff in the fight against Covid-19.

Once education institutions reopened, the College set up a Covid-19 response team who worked tirelessly to create a safe environment for all staff, students and visitors. A Covid-19 testing centre was also set up on campus, providing staff and students with free Lateral Flow Tests to prevent the spread of the virus and ensure the safe operation of the campus.

“Throughout the pandemic, we have had to quickly adapt and respond to evolving Covid-19 guidelines, safety risks and staff and student feedback, to ensure the safety of all our stakeholders. In November 2020, an independent audit examining the College’s response to Covid-19 was carried out, commending us for our proactive approach to create a safe environment for all staff, students and visitors. It is fantastic that our efforts are now also being recognised locally by the judging panel of the Goole & Howdenshire Business Excellence Awards.”

Now in its 11th year, the Awards have become one of the region’s most prestigious events, continuing to recognise local success stories and presenting a perfect opportunity to further raise the profile of Goole & Howdenshire.

Find out more about the Goole and Howdenshire Business Excellence Awards, here.