Pilot Programme Hailed Success

The first group of students at Derby College Group have graduated from a special programme designed to help them cope with the pressures of working life.

The eight-week Positive Behaviours for the Workplace programme was piloted with a group of 18 Hospitality students based at the Roundhouse technical and professional skills college in Pride Park. Plans are now underway to replicate this with other student groups across DCG.

Head of Behaviour for Learning Aaron Denton explained: “We have provided individual mentoring for students in the past but this is the first time that we have supported a group of students together and we are delighted with the feedback.

“An important part of the student experience is to build their resilience, self-confidence, decision-making and communication skills so they are better able to learn and then progress into the workplace.

“The focus has therefore been on encouraging students to think about how their actions impact on other people and the importance of positive behaviour at college, home and particularly when they start work.”

Among those involved was Humnah Bahtool (16) who has her sights on being a chef in the future.

She said: “I used to get quite cross and frustrated when things went wrong. This programme has showed me how important it is to stay calm and communicate well with others – particularly in the pressurised environment of a busy kitchen.”

Haydn Flatt (19) added: “I now feel much more self confident and able to talk to other people and feel much happier in myself so I am very glad that I did this programme.”