Introduction to North Hertfordshire College
North Hertfordshire College is a further and higher education college in Stevenage.
It is located in the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) region.
The Challenge
One of the main challenges faced by North Hertfordshire College was effectively tracking the destinations of their graduates. Understanding where students go after leaving the institution is crucial for evaluating the effectiveness of the college’s curriculum and ensuring that students are adequately prepared for their future endeavours.
However, the traditional methods of connecting with graduates, such as email and phone calls, proved to be inefficient and time-consuming. Graduates were challenging to reach, and the college struggled to gather comprehensive and timely data on their post-college pathways.
Why North Hertfordshire College chose to partner with Purlos
Recognising the need for a more streamlined and automated approach to student outcome tracking, North Hertfordshire College decided to partner with Purlos.
Purlos Destinations offered a unique and innovative solution, using WhatsApp as a channel for data collection. By automating the process through WhatsApp, North Hertfordshire College could efficiently gather information on graduate destinations using a platform their students were already familiar with.
How Purlos Responded
Purlos worked closely with North Hertfordshire College to tailor the Destinations approach to their specific needs. The Purlos team collaborated with college representatives to develop a customised question set that would capture relevant data to assess student outcomes effectively.
Once the strategy was finalised, Purlos set up the agreed campaign. Within a short period, the college was ready to start collecting data through WhatsApp.
Purlos automated the data collection process, reaching out to graduates via WhatsApp to inquire about their post-college status. This method allowed for a more engaging and user-friendly interaction, resulting in higher response rates compared to traditional email and phone outreach.
The Results
| College | Positive Destinations | Progressed External Destinations* |
| North Hertfordshire College | 80% | 73.56% |
*destinations captured by Purlos. Does not include destinations progressed internally by the College.
By leveraging Purlos Destinations, North Hertfordshire College achieved remarkable results in tracking graduate destinations. Here are some key outcomes:
- Increased Response Rates: With WhatsApp as the data collection channel, the college experienced higher response rates from graduates, capturing 73.56% of previously unknown destinations, ensuring a more comprehensive and accurate picture of student outcomes.
- Enhanced Curriculum Planning: The data collected through Purlos Destinations provided valuable insights into the success of the college’s educational programs. By understanding where graduates were heading, the college adapted its curriculum to better meet the needs of students and align with real-world demands.
- Reduced Administrative Burden: The automated approach significantly reduced the time and effort spent on manual data collection via phone calls and emails. This newfound efficiency allowed staff to focus on other critical tasks, contributing to overall productivity.
- Cost Savings: With fewer resources dedicated to data collection, North Hertfordshire College saved valuable financial resources, which could be allocated to further enhance the learning experience for students.
Conclusion
By embracing Purlos Destinations and adopting an innovative approach to student outcome tracking, North Hertfordshire College successfully overcame the challenges associated with traditional data collection methods. The collaboration with Purlos empowered the college to gain valuable insights into graduate destinations, facilitate curriculum improvements, and efficiently use resources.
North Hertfordshire College’s experience with Purlos exemplifies how embracing technology and automation can lead to significant improvements in educational institutions, benefiting both the college and its students.
To explore how Purlos Destinations can help your institution streamline student outcome tracking, schedule a consultation with our experts HERE.