Hadlow College in Kent provides specialist education and training in land-based and rural studies. The college was invited to participate in the Training Quality Standard Pilot and achieved the standard in May 2008.

Hadlow College principally aims to serve the needs of learners and employers from the land based sector within the Kent and Medway and South East region with further campus’s at Mottingham in south East London and Canterbury. The college has a history of provider excellence and is an accredited Train to Gain provider. Courses range from entry level to Degree level, short legislative courses and Work based learning. They currently work with approximately 300 employers per year and have worked with the Groundsmen at Crystal Palace FC, Charlton Athletic FC and Kent county cricket ground.

“As an organisation we found completing our Training Quality Standard application a very useful experience. We really got a lot from the process which has helped us evaluate and enhance our provision”.

Completing the standard forced the college to look at its employer engagement activities, resulting in a review of the overall strategy. The application process also helped the college to identify areas for improvement across its organisation such as the CRM system.

The process was beneficial in highlighting good practice within certain areas which could then be replicated across the organisation -enabling the college to improve the way it speaks to industry, both internally and externally.