The college secured the win in the Onboarding and Integration Programme of the Year category at The Herald and s1jobs Top Employer Awards ceremony held on Wednesday, 28 October, in Glasgow. The judging panel commended NESCol for its comprehensive and forward-thinking approach to welcoming new staff.
NESCol's redesigned onboarding and induction programme aims to create a more connected, accessible, and effective experience for employees. This initiative has reportedly increased engagement and fostered greater knowledge and understanding among both teaching and professional services teams.
“"We’re very proud to have won this award and to see our name up in lights on the national stage is a brilliant reward for everyone involved in this project. It really has been a collective effort, driven by our Learning and Development team, and the endorsement of judges in the face of such strong competition is fantastic."
Kimra Donnelly, Assistant Principal People Services at NESCol, highlighted that staff research indicated a need to improve fragmented existing processes and induction materials. The college responded by developing a digital onboarding platform and a blended-learning induction programme. This new system allows employees to access resources and complete pre-employment tasks before their first day, streamlining content to approximately 12 hours of essential learning, with reported 100% completion rates.
The programme also incorporates workplace buddies, Employee Connection sessions, and visible senior leadership involvement, all designed to enhance belonging, boost employee engagement, and equip new staff for success.
This recognition follows another recent success for NESCol's professional services teams. On Thursday, 29 October, the Procurement team was shortlisted for the Public Procurement Project of the Year Award at the GO Awards for their work on establishing a new simulated care facility at City Campus, featuring advanced AI-powered training equipment. The Scottish Prison Service won this category.
North East Scotland College is a significant provider of vocational education and training in Scotland, serving over 20,000 students annually across its campuses in Aberdeen Altens, Aberdeen City, Fraserburgh, and the Scottish Maritime Academy in Peterhead. The Altens Campus also houses the Energy Transition Skills Hub, established in 2025.
