and third year school girls and gave them exposure to female industry experts, hands-on
activities in building aircraft and a tour of the facilities at the aeronautical centre. We will also
run a series of engineering taster sessions for girls.
40. If young people do not study maths or science at secondary school, they effectively rule
themselves out of engineering courses at college or university. To counter that, the College is
adapting courses to open up opportunities for young people who haven't studied science at
school. In our Performing Engineering Operations, as well as focusing on the critical hand skills
in engineering, we have included maths and physics
41. The ICT and digital technologies industry struggles to attract young people and the College is
working with schools to raise awareness of the careers options available in the industry and to
challenge negative stereotypes. The Skills Investment Plan for the sector highlighted the
absence of women in computing at all levels in education and from the industry, and
recommended action to address this. CoderDojo Scotland is a global collaboration which
provides free coding clubs for young people, enabling them to learn how to become a
programmer in a safe, fun and sociable environment. Young people learn new programming
languages, how to create apps, build websites and make games. In partnership with
CoderDojo Scotland, the College ran a number of clubs in 2014-15 which attracted young
people from the age of eight to seventeen. This will continue in 2015-16 with CoderDojo clubs,
including a number aimed exclusively at girls, held at college campuses across Ayrshire.
42. In 2014-15, the College piloted a number of Men into Care taster sessions which resulted in
attracting increased numbers of men on health and social care courses. Care is a growth
sector in Ayrshire and these taster sessions will be replicated in 2015-16.
Increase participation of learners from protected characteristic groups
43. The college is fully committed to enhancing support for all students including those in vulnerable
groups, fully endorses the Getting it Right for Every Child strategy and works with partners to
support this objective. In our Equality Outcomes 2013-2017 document, we make a commitment
that “students who are looked after and accommodated or identified as a care leaver will achieve
positive outcomes to the same degree as students who are not looked after and accommodated
or a care leaver”.
44. The Student Services directorate provides impartial advice on course of study to all students and
specific advice on financial support. Other support services are offered on an individual basis,
as appropriate to the individual’s personal circumstances. This support can be accessed directly
from Student Services by students. The College supports vulnerable groups and has a key remit
to support looked after and accommodated young people and care leaver students. We work in
partnership with local schools, SDS, and local authorities to achieve this.
45. To support engagement with younger and vulnerable learners the Team Leader will actively
engage with all stakeholders to support the opportunities and transitions for vulnerable learners
this includes:
Marketing all available support to young people, guardians, partners, SDS, Education
Centres, Social Work and Community Agencies
2015-16 Addendum to Ayrshire College Outcome Agreement
11