Bishop Burton College celebrates 70 years of delivering outstanding specialist education
Bishop Burton College is this year marking 70 years of training Yorkshire farmers and other skilled workers.
Land-based Bishop Burton College near Beverley in East Yorkshire is one of the leading institutions in the UK for delivering specialist, technical and vocational education.
It has a particular focus on agriculture, equine, animal management, engineering and sport, and delivers a wide range of programmes, from apprenticeships and further education, to degrees and adult courses.
Bishop Burton students develop practical skills in real work environments – including its 300-hectare mixed-use farm, extensive Animal Management Unit and fully-fitted engineering workshops – to prepare them for industry.
It is focused on careers, not just courses, providing students with cutting-edge learning experiences. Bishop Burton also has excellent employer partners and industry links, further improving the opportunities for its learners.
Moving with the times
As the college reflects on seven decades of success, it is moving with the times by embracing new technologies and ways of teaching and learning, whilst remaining true to its land-based roots.
This includes the use of robotics for precision farming and AI, to ensure students are work-ready and prepared to meet industry needs.
Principal and CEO Danny Metters said: “The anniversary is hugely significant milestone for us. We’re all delighted to celebrate the landmark as it’s a chance to take stock of our achievements and to look ahead to a bright future.
“The college has evolved in a variety of ways over the years but it has always been a values-driven organisation, putting students and staff at the heart of everything we do.
“We’re here to serve the community, and that’s what we’ve successfully done for 70 years. Now, we’re starting an exciting new chapter.
We need to ensure we’re meeting the needs of future workforces, as well as current ones. Technology is going to be key to how we progress, and Artificial Intelligence (AI), for example, will provide new ways of learning. However, as a land-based college we pride ourselves on providing real working environments to produce a skilled workforce, and we’ll never lose sight of that.
Open day and celebration
Bishop Burton will be opening its stunning campus up to the community for a special celebratory event in the spring to mark its platinum anniversary.
“It will be an opportunity to showcase who we are as a college, including our great staff, students and facilities, but also how we’re steeped in the locality as an anchor institute,” said Danny. “There will be plenty of fun!
For more information about the college, which is holding its next student Open Day from 10am-1pm on Saturday 8th February 8, visit: www.bishopburton.ac.uk/