We have recently hosted a collective Student Question Time Event with collaboration from all of our nine Greater Manchester Colleges.
Our event was a resounding success with excellent contributions from our cross colleges’ panelists, recognised political figures and leaders in education and business. Our panellists answered a range of questions from our region’s students, on topics including green skills, sector funding, mental health, knife crime and the cost of living crisis.
Our esteemed panel comprised of the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, Gogglebox’s Baasit Siddiqui, Rachel Curry Principal of The Manchester College, Rebecca Parks Principal of Salford City College, James Scott Principal and CEO of The Trafford College Group, Bernie Savage NUS Vice President for Further Education, Geraldine Coggins Green Party Councillor for Altrincham, Navendu Mishra Labour MP for Stockport, Heather Murphy ESG Manager for the UK – Kellogg’s and Richard Hagan CEO of Chrystal Doors.
Our panel also included current GMColleges students including Ricardo Pedroza-Taylor from Hopwood Hall College, Bury College’s Zaki Musazai, Scarlett Ayre Mills from Oldham College, Caiden Bate from Wigan & Leigh College, Charlie Siddle from Salford City College, Matthew Taylor from Tameside College, The Trafford College Group’s Isabella Silva Torres, Chehab Talla from Bolton College and Abdol Shanboor from The Manchester College.
The inaugural event coincided with Parliament Week (6-12th November), an annual awareness week which aims to spread the word about what Parliament is, what it does and how you can get involved.
Before the event, we ensured all of our panellists had the opportunity to attend a workshop with the National Union of Students (NUS) to ensure they were able to answer and deliver their key points in a direct and effective way. The workshop provided the students with a sounding board for their responses and guidance on how to deliver their answers in front of a crowd.
Parliament Week Question Time started at Stockport College in 2016. After Trafford College and Stockport College merged in 2018 the event became an annual occurrence and has been held every year since, including during the pandemic where our panel of parliamentarians and business people attended virtually.
