Cheshire College Principal Awarded OBE

Principal and CEO of Cheshire College - South & West, Dhesi, has been awarded the OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for services to education in recognition of his exceptional contribution to the sector.

Commenting on the announcement, Dhesi said: “I am both surprised and humbled to receive this honour.  I share this award with all those colleagues that I have had, and continue to have, the privilege to work alongside.  Colleagues that are talented and passionate about nurturing talent, empowering people to achieve their full potential and making a real impact with the businesses and local communities.  I am so fortunate to work in the Further Education sector, a sector that transforms lives and communities.”

In his almost three decades of service to education, across North Wales and Cheshire, Jasbir Dhesi (known as Dhesi) has been a champion of Education and skills, working with employers and partners to support economic growth and development within the region and its surrounding areas.

Joining Yale College, Wrexham in 1992, Dhesi rose to the position of Principal 19 years later.  Eventually leaving to become the new Principal/CEO of South Cheshire College, having led Yale College into a merger with Deeside College to create Coleg Cambria.  In 2017, he led on a second successful merger of South Cheshire College and West Cheshire College, forming what is now known as Cheshire College - South & West; the largest Further Education provider in the region offering exciting opportunities to 11,000 learners and 11,000 apprentices.

A member of the Employers’ Skills and Education Board of Cheshire & Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), Dhesi represents all Cheshire and Warrington colleges and training providers, whilst also being an active member on the Crewe Town Investment Board, Chair of North Wales Science Board, a Director of Cheshire Commonwealth Association and Trustee of Shavington Academy.

With a total investment of £165m to date, Cheshire College continues to invest in the latest technology and bespoke training facilities that provide learners with real work environments and aspirational goals in a range of curriculum areas including A Levels, Full-time courses, Apprenticeships, Part-time courses for adults and Higher Education.

In the same year as Cheshire College’s fifth anniversary, two brand new facilities will open on Campus this September, which will feature a new state-of-the-art Digital Centre at the Chester Campus and new Engineering facilities at the Ellesmere Port Campus.

Dhesi added: “In addition to acknowledging and thanking all the colleagues I have worked alongside; I must also thank those leaders, friends and family that inspired and mentored me in my career.  I have been given amazing opportunities and support, in essence a reflection of what Further Education is all about.”

“The best part of Further Education are the students; they are our real inspiration.   Nothing will ever beat the joy that I get from meeting former students and hearing how their lives and careers have developed.”

“Looking ahead at how much more myself and the team around me can achieve, we have so many exciting plans for the future. I want to look back and be able to say: “Wow we really achieved a lot for our students, communities, employers and the region.””

• Cheshire College is the largest provider of post-16 education in the region offering exciting opportunities to 11,000 learners and 1,000 Apprentices.  
• Their modern Campuses across Cheshire in Crewe, Ellesmere Port and Chester have world-class facilities which are the result of a £140m investment in the latest technology and real work environments. 
• The College provides learners with the skills, experience and qualifications that will prepare them for their future career or higher-level study and encourage them to become confident individuals who will make valuable contributions to businesses and the local economy.  
• With extremely important values which guide the way they work with each other, their partners and within communities, Cheshire College empower individuals and nurture talent, taking the time to listen, help and care, whilst always acting with honesty, integrity and trust.   
• Cheshire College offers a range of courses from Entry Level to Level 7 in: A Levels; Full-time courses; Apprenticeships; Part-time courses for adults; Access and Higher Education courses; bespoke training for employers; Maths, English, IT and ESOL courses for adults; programmes for International learners; Futures Programme for learners aspiring to progress to university.   
• They are also the only Further Education College in Cheshire to have been selected by the Government to offer a new two-year qualification, T Levels, from September 2021.   
• Cheshire College works with key stakeholders and leads on initiatives to provide high-quality education for all ages in Crewe, Ellesmere Port and Chester.  
• They also work with employers, industries and organisations to drive economic growth through the development of future e-focused skills.  
• Cheshire College is on a mission to develop digital across the community with their new five-year project, ‘The Digital Hub’, which is part of a £5m investment made by Cheshire and Warrington LEP. The Digital Hub aims to deliver skills and career pathways in additive manufacturing and Virtual and Augmented Reality, as well as improve Advanced Manufacturing Skills to expand digital infrastructures in existing workforces and facilitate access to technology within community organisations.  
• The College has strong links with local businesses of all sizes and work with many major employers such as Bentley, Brownlow Furniture, Ecolab, Vauxhall Motors, Scottish Power, Unilever, Brunning and Price and National Grid.  
• Cheshire College are an approved Apprenticeship provider and can support local employers who are using the Levy system to recruit and train Apprentices within their business.  

Pictured - Principal and CEO of Cheshire College - South & West, Dhesi.