Microsoft IT Academy and Training Centre Accreditation

Birkenhead Sixth Form College has achieved a unique double accreditation as both a Microsoft IT Academy and Microsoft Training Centre.

The Microsoft IT Academy Program is a college- and career-ready education program available to all accredited academic institutions, designed to provide students with the 21st century technology skills necessary to acquire certification and be competitive in today’s rapidly evolving workplace. The IT Academy Program also provides educators and staff with professional development opportunities. Microsoft Training Centre status also means the College can offer computer training and support packages to the wider community, and local businesses.

Birkenhead Sixth Form College is one of a handful of education providers in the North West to achieve the Microsoft accreditations, which College Learning Manager Mal Blackburne said is a huge achievement.

“Microsoft is very keen to create more of these academies to develop the computer literacy of young people. This accreditation gives us access to a host of training material and programmes for both students and staff. Being a Microsoft IT Academy is an endorsement that we are a trusted and well-managed education provider when it comes to IT.

“We will now offer MS Office Specialist certification, which is well recognised by employers and will help students to differentiate themselves in today's competitive job market by displaying advanced skills in packages such as Excel, Word and PowerPoint.

“By working towards accreditation as an MS Office Specialist – all materials being online – students can go at their own pace and can also work remotely from home or business. BSFC has invested heavily in IT hardware and software to remove the barriers to learning for students. Our infrastructure is lightning fast and all the processing is done by our servers at the College, which means that students just need a basic home PC or laptop to be able to work remotely.”

Microsoft Training Centre accreditation is also a major step forward for the College.

Mal said: “We understand that the College has a responsibility to the wider Wirral area. As a Microsoft Training Centre we can up-skill businesses or individuals who need help in computer training. People can log-on from home or at work and we provide guidance and support throughout beginner, intermediate and advanced levels.

“This is a big new venture for us and we are proud to be able to offer these courses to students and businesses across Wirral.”

Birkenhead Sixth Form College is the borough’s only specialist sixth form college, providing an aspirational and adult approach to student learning. The College recently received strong praise from Ofsted for its performance in helping students to achieve academic excellence and advance into higher education and employment.

Birkenhead Sixth Form College Principal Kathryn Podmore said: “Our partnership with Microsoft is a further example of our commitment to providing the best learning facilities possible for students and our ethos of ‘equality through technology’.

“The College has a strong track record of delivering successful IT and computer training and we encourage students to use the available software for both curricular and extra-curricular activities.

“For the past three years, through our remote access system, students have been able to access all software at home as they would in college. Students do not need to have Microsoft Office at home as it is provided via the internet.

“We have also developed bespoke online systems for both students and parents – SAPIEN and the Parents Portal – allowing them keep track of learning, coursework, attendance and any notes from teachers and support staff.”