Over the last four years, The Arcade Group in Dewsbury has been one of Kirklees College’s most valued employer partners, helping to provide our students with career-enhancing placements and opportunities.
Since 2022, the group has worked with students and staff from a variety of subject areas to create some amazing opportunities.
When speaking about the group’s relationship with Kirklees College, Mike Mawson, Community Engagement Officer at The Arcade Dewsbury, said: “It has been a great project for The Arcade Group to get involved with. It was only meant to be a couple of projects, but that was so successful, we continued to work with the college and have been doing so for the last four academic years.
“This relationship has also increased from just working with the Art and Design students to those from Business, Law, Construction and other subject areas. Long may it continue!”
The college also recently recorded this interview with Mike, where he explains in more detail about the partnership started and how it has developed in recent times.
Examples of the recent work and collaboration between The Arcade Group and Kirklees College
Representatives of the group have attended Student Welcome Fairs at Pioneer Higher Skills Centre and Springfield Sixth Form Centre. The Arcade Group used these fairs as an opportunity to ask students about what kinds of products, shops, hospitality spaces, and other attractions and events would attract them to visit The Arcade.
In 2023, Art and Design and Media students hosted an exhibition at the arcade, promoting work that had been completed within a number of live client briefs.
In 2025, the Arcade Group sold charity calendars containing work produced by Level 3 Art & Design students. This fundraising initiative helped to Dewsbury Community Outreach, a local charity that supports disadvantaged people.
In March of this year, the group visited Springfield Sixth Form Centre to speak with Level 2 students on the combined Business Studies and Law programme, as well as those studying Level 2 Work Skills.
In April, Jenny Holdenstokes, Group Manager for The Arcade Group, visited the college and organised a project involving Level 1 Business and Retail and Level 1 Digital students.
What Can You Do to Make a Difference?
This is a campaign launched in 2024 as part of the wider work Kirklees College is doing with the Dewsbury Town Board. What Can You Do to Make a Difference aims to promote the regeneration of Dewsbury and the college’s role within it.