Our Vision and Values

We began with the idea that we could do things differently. We didn’t want to deliver training that ticked a box. We wanted to deliver the training that students need, and we wanted to equip them to continue learning beyond a qualification.

We’ve grown and expanded over the last decade to help thousands of students achieve their dreams. But as we reflected on why we started the College for Adult Learning in the first place, it was clear that our vision hadn’t changed.

We’ve always believed that everyone has the power to transform themselves and create change in the world. And we have the unique opportunity to be a part of this. We’re looking beyond the classroom to a world filled with opportunity. We’re looking beyond qualifications to the chance to ignite a passion for lifelong learning.

Our vision is global, but it starts with one.

1.

We put students first. Always.

This is the most obvious value for us. One of the reasons CAL was started was because of the need to recognise and understand that every student is different. Each has a different level of experience, a different learning style, different needs and different goals.

Our move to create a dedicated Student Success Team has changed the game for thousands of students. This is a unique initiative with real people proactively reaching out to students to help them overcome obstacles and achieve their goals.

Our Student Success Advisors are always pioneering new ways to connect with students and improve the student experience.

Putting students first means to me always being a line of support for our students, that includes working late evenings four days a week to ensure we can support our students after hours. I believe putting students first involves not always having a black or white response and ensuring we can cater to each individual student and how they learn/wish to study. This enables me to form a great rapport with our students and to also instil a sense of confidence within them to help them get started.

Daisy Smoel / Student Engagement Coach

2.

We embrace individuality.

One of our proudest points of difference was that we always strive to reach out and get to know and understand each of our students. We choose to tailor a student’s learning journey because we embrace the differences – not punish them.

Because this has been at the heart of our business, it just made sense that we also cherish each team member and their backgrounds, ideas, interests, personalities and quirks. We choose to celebrate them, and encourage our people to be themselves, unapologetically.

There are no square pegs at CAL, because there are no round holes. We wouldn’t be where we are today without the brilliant, unique minds in our team.

Being an individual means that there is a role for each of us within CAL, while we are tied to a function in the organisation we all have something to teach each other and something to learn from each other. Our experiences and backgrounds, our passions and our aversions build us into who we are and as an organisation, we want to celebrate how we can all add to the culture of CAL and give our students the skills to enjoy a life of leaning.

Matt Sabell / Business Development Manager

3.

We work together and always support each other.

We didn’t start with one, we started with a team – a family. As we grew our family-run College, the terms ‘team’ and ‘family’ stayed synonymous and we continued to nurture a culture of support.

While the business grew and changed in different ways, we realised that we simply can’t move forward if we don’t share ideas and encourage each other. We believe that teamwork needs to be beyond walls and departments, and real support goes beyond the day’s to-do list. It’s all about helping people achieve their goals.

At CAL, we not only work with each other, we work with our students, because we are one team. And together, we can make a difference.

At CAL we always work together and support each other. This extends to all our students as we work together to encourage and empower them to achieve their goals. We don’t believe in walls between departments and we are always striving to reduce barriers for all our stakeholders.We encourage both positive and constructive feedback in achieving the required objectives.

Stephen Golding / Operations Manager

4.

We believe it all starts with a desire to learn.

Learning is at the heart of personal and professional growth. We believe that the willingness to try new things and step outside our comfort zone is one of the most powerful indicators of success.

If you can develop the mindset that there’s always something to learn from everyone, then every interaction becomes an opportunity. If you can set a goal to learn something new each day, then no day is wasted. If you can spark your passion for learning, then you can inspire thousands.

We nurture curiosity and encourage the habit of continuous learning and improvement. Through creating lifelong learners, we can drive innovation and create a better future.

I’ve always started my day with the aim to learn at least one new thing. This makes me curious and open to the potential of each new day. When we’re kids we ask a million questions constantly, barely pausing for breath; we’re curious, engaged and excited to be inspired!

At CAL we encourage curiosity and nurture discovery. We’re inspired to encourage a desire to learn in every interaction, every day. If you start each day with a desire to learn you’ll always be inspired and optimistic for what the future brings!

Helen Sabell / CEO and Principal

5.

We are future-focused.

We have always looked beyond the present. By simply understanding that not every student can be treated the same and deciding to make a change, we created a foundation that looked towards tomorrow.

We challenge the status quo and think about what can be done better. We take on stale paradigms and design the new standard. We analyse the past and build a better future.

By focusing on what the workforce needs tomorrow, we can deliver cutting-edge skills today. We can transform industries and future-proof careers. By focusing on the future, we’re setting our students up for success.

Within the next five years, the way students consume education will be radically different. Unless we are prepared to invest in new innovative strategies to meet these changes we run the risk of being irrelevant. Look at Kodak; for anyone aged over 45, photos and cameras were synonymous with Kodak. Unfortunately, Kodak ignored the smartphone phenomenon where people had a camera in their pocket and an iconic brand disappeared within a few years. That’s where we’re at now, education is experiencing its Kodak moment and we’re going to stay in front of it.

Rob Golding / Director

6.

We are transparent.

At the heart of every student-trainer relationship is trust. This is built on honesty and openness. It’s fostered through respect. It’s strengthened through vulnerability. And it’s maintained through accountability.

We’re always looking for better ways to communicate and facilitate conversations. From introducing new ways for students to give feedback, to reaching out to ask for it – we believe transparency works best when it’s a two-way discussion, not a token suggestion box.

Every day, we make the decision to be open and accountable. We’re listening to feedback, and we’re putting it into action.

I love that every team member here values giving and getting feedback. It means we can talk about it openly and take steps to make improvements. The more we learn from our students and from each other, the more we can innovate and work towards something better.

Chloe Bickerton / Marketing Manager