The Oldham College
As a member of The National Skills Academy for Financial Services The Oldham College is actively promoting the sector to:
- Inform and enthuse local people to work in the industry
- Deliver new entry routes for young people and adults
- Provide people with appropriate skills, qualifications and experience
- Match those skills with the needs of employers
The Oldham College is found within a half hour drive of Manchester and under an hour from Leeds. Its geographic position puts the college in an ideal place to meet the needs of employers and students across the North West region.
As members of the Financial Services Curriculum Development Group we assist in the production of a suitable syllabus to match the skills demanded by our employers with the needs of our students.
For more than a century The Oldham College has been providing a service to the community and in providing courses to meet the demands of industry.
The college is known for the quality of its work and now has Centre of Vocational Excellence status in Financial Management, Media, Construction and Health Care.
Our financial CoVE has the resources to meet the growing needs of the growing commercial markets in accountancy and financial management.
The professional courses on offer include AAT, CIMA, ACCA, ILM Certificate/Diploma in First Line Management and the Certificate in Management Studies. In addition there are many short courses available to satisfy the demands of the business community.
A new campus and purpose designed buildings is expected to be in operation by 2009. The new college is being created to provide an exceptional learning environment for students and to build closer links between the town's Sixth Form College, University Centre Oldham and the University of Huddersfield.
Partnerships
Existing partnerships created around The Oldham College are being enhanced to form the foundations of the Skills Academy across the borough and throughout Greater Manchester.
These links are being forged to develop recruitment and employment at all levels within financial services organisations to reflect Oldham's diverse community.
Our Financial Services Advisory Group along with representatives from companies such as The Co-operative Bank, The Bank of New York, Norwich Union and Nat West Bank meet quarterly to discuss key issues facing employers.
Provision
We are active in promoting financial services within the college and offer a wide range of courses:
- IFS Certificate in Mortgage Advice and Practice
- IFS Certificate for Financial Advisors
- IFS Foundation and Intermediate Certificate in Personal Finance
- We are also piloting the IFS Award, Certificate and Diploma in Personal Financial Planning for our adult learners in the community
The Skills Academy in Oldham actively engages with employers to develop courses. Once in place the effectiveness of this training is continually measured and modified.
We are a provider of excellence in financial services education built on the quality and experience of our teaching staff. Tutors who have a wealth of practical know-how and an ability to illustrate theoretical concepts with real life examples.