Love our Colleges week

As part of ‘Love Our Colleges Week’, a national campaign linking-up college staff, students and supporters to promote colleges, local MP, David Rutley, met with Rachel Kay, Chief Executive of Macclesfield College, to highlight the vital role the College plays in providing opportunities for local students to gain transformational new skills and qualifications.

David and Ms Kay reviewed the College’s ongoing plans to continue its provision of high-quality vocational, higher education and apprenticeship placements for local residents, including its recently launched Whites Chef Academy, which will give the opportunity for aspiring chefs to learn contemporary cooking and hospitality skills. David was particularly impressed to learn that the College has engaged the support of Michelin Star-winning TV celebrity Chef Aiden Byrne, who will act as figure-head and mentor to the students.

The Whites Chef Academy replaces the Silk Room training restaurant, which closed earlier this year, and is therefore based on the College’s Macclesfield Campus site. The course was initiated in part thanks to a £25,000 Grant from Cheshire & Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), which enabled the College to purchase the equipment and furniture that is needed to deliver this important course. The LEP was particularly impressed by the College’s business case in support of launching the programme, and the positive links it had already established with local businesses during the design stage of the project.

Speaking after his meeting, David said, “‘Love Our Colleges’ Week is a timely reminder of the vital role Macclesfield College plays in and around our communities to enable local students to learn new skills and build their confidence. With the launch of the new Whites Chef Academy project, the College is further demonstrating its continued commitment to this important work. I would encourage interested local residents to contact the College to learn more about the great opportunities and benefits that a further education course could have for them.”