Alfa-college is a Regionaal Opleidingen Centrum (ROC) for vocational training and adult education. An ROC provides a coherent range of courses enabling young people and adults to gain qualifications for the job market or for further education. Alfa-college has over 12,000 students in the age range 16-60 and 1,000 members of staff at locations in the northeast of the Netherlands.

Mission statement
Alfa-college caters for a wide range of intermediate vocational training and tailor-made adult education from which (young) people can choose. The courses fit in with their ambition and talent so that they can obtain a strong position on the labour market because in addition to social behaviour attention is paid to functioning in an organisation. Alfa-college wants to be a community college in which students and staff can let their talents grow with the distinguishing characteristics:
– a wide variety of high-grade courses;
– an open attitude towards society;
– a meeting place for students and staff and all those interested;
– a network organisation.

Denominational Education
Alfa-college is based on Christian principles and wants to be a valued meeting place in which staff and students have personal attention and respect for each other. Students are enrolled regardless of culture or religion and as a result of this the college has a very heterogeneous population.

Programmes
Alfa-college offers programmes in business studies, customer services, health and social care, sports and technology. The IT Academy offers courses to those students who are looking for a job in information and communication services. The students can choose between either a theoretical programme consisting of day school attendance and placements, or a course of work-based learning, i.e. the apprenticeship programme. General secondary education such as one-year orientation and bridging courses at foundation level as well as fast track pre-university courses are offered within adult education. Furthermore, Alfa-college provides tailor-made courses for business and industry.

Student friendly
The students’ interests and prospects are central and therefore they are supervised and coached by student counsellors throughout their studies. Alfa-college is in the process of developing a system in which the individual student chooses the educational route adapted to his or her needs. Open learning centres have been set up to promote this flexible learning system and information and communication technology have taken up a key-role within the college. Alfa-college recognises and meets the growing demand for educational provisions for students from non-Dutch backgrounds. Courses therefore include social and cultural integration and pastoral guidance.