What do you most enjoy about studying at »¨¼¾ÊÓƵ?
I enjoy the relaxed atmosphere at the college and I really like my lecturers.

Have you got involved in any enrichment activities?
I am part of STEM, the Climbing Academy and The Vision. I really enjoy these because of the activities we do and the people you meet.

What do you plan to do when you leave »¨¼¾ÊÓƵ?
I plan to go to the University of Cardiff to study Psychology and eventually go into clinical work.

Any advice for someone thinking of choosing the same course as you?
The lecturers will push you to achieve your highest standard but it’s good.

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What do you most enjoy about studying at »¨¼¾ÊÓƵ?
I most enjoy the community feel and the amount of enrichment activities/opportunities as well as the fact that speakers that know the subject come in often.

Have you got involved in any enrichment activities?
I am part of the STEM academy – we do lots of interesting activities including using VR headsets and having talks about space. As well as egg drops and animation.

What do you plan to do when you leave »¨¼¾ÊÓƵ?
Go to university most likely to study Biomedical Science.

Any advice for someone thinking of choosing the same course as you?
Make sure you look at the way your course is marked, so if there is coursework or not. Also, look at the specification to make sure you’ll like all of the course.

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What do you most enjoy about studying at »¨¼¾ÊÓƵ?
The whole »¨¼¾ÊÓƵ life is very enjoyable. The lecturers are very kind and chill.

Have you got involved in any enrichment activities?
I am part of STEM and the Climbing Academy. Climbing is good fun, it allows me to have fun with friends.

Did you undertake any work experience throughout your studies?
I haven’t yet but I’m looking into doing a teaching work experience placement.

What do you plan to do when you leave »¨¼¾ÊÓƵ?
I plan to either go to university or an do an advanced work apprenticeship.

Any advice for someone thinking of choosing the same course as you?
Preparation is key, college life is fun but it can difficult at times.

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What do you most enjoy about studying at »¨¼¾ÊÓƵ?
I enjoy the relaxed hours and the later starts which I never had at school.

Have you got involved in any enrichment activities?
I am part of the STEM and Climbing Academy. I enjoy the Climbing Academy as I have always wanted to climb but had never found the time. I really like the variety of difficulties there are. As part of the STEM Academy I enjoy using the VR headsets and the different experiences they do.

What do you plan to do when you leave »¨¼¾ÊÓƵ?
I plan to have a gap year with the possibility of studying civil engineering when I leave, but I am yet to decide.

Any advice for someone thinking of choosing the same course as you?
Don’t worry too much, it’s never as bad as you may imagine!

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What do you most enjoy about studying at »¨¼¾ÊÓƵ e.g. trips, visits, projects?
The access to a range of experiences and opportunities is incredible. I enjoyed the opportunity to visit different countries like Iceland with Geography. Also the lecturers are really lovely.

Have you got involved in any enrichment activities?
I am part of the Climbing Academy, which is amazing! It’s really interesting as I have to use my brain to find new routes and ways up the wall.

What do you plan to do when you leave »¨¼¾ÊÓƵ?
I plan to go to university, hopefully studying a physics related degree.

Any advice for someone thinking of choosing the same course as you?
Be brave and have confidence in yourself, it can be difficult at times but knowing it’ll be worth it helps with motivation.

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What do you most enjoy about studying at »¨¼¾ÊÓƵ?
On nearly completing my first year at »¨¼¾ÊÓƵ I have really enjoyed completing the assignments which at times has been difficult due to me never writing academically. But this course has given me the opportunity to go into depth with my research into a variety of topics which I am passionate about and therefore has increased my knowledge and skills which I am implementing within my practice. Furthermore I enjoy working with like-minded persons on this course which has made this degree more manageable.

Did you undertake any work experience throughout your studies?
At present I work in a substantive post within the CAMHS crisis team when I am not at »¨¼¾ÊÓƵ.

What do you plan to do when you leave »¨¼¾ÊÓƵ?
I have already spoken to my manager and the area manager regarding my next move which will be to complete my two year top up to become a mental health nurse. When considering I will be having my 60th birthday this year, I think for me personally it is a great achievement when I reflect back at my last time at school was 1980. Hopefully I will be starting as soon as I finish this degree, so therefore will need to speak with the education department so that I can be enrolled on a course and then be deferred until I have completed this degree.

Any advice for someone thinking of choosing the same course as you?
I would say to anyone wanting to start this degree is that they should embrace each step of the course. Always ask questions and never be afraid to speak out for help and support if needed as there is always someone at hand to help you further. You will probably find academic writing at foundation degree level daunting at first but always persevere as it does become easier as you go along, but remember to put in the hours of research to be able to improve your grades as you go along , otherwise you may find that you are struggling unnecessarily.

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What did you most enjoy about studying at »¨¼¾ÊÓƵ?
The hands-on projects and practical experiences were highlights for me, as we did a really great engineering group project (Prosthetic arm), whether it was a lecturer field linked to the relevant engineering industry, or guest lectures from professionals.
»¨¼¾ÊÓƵ provides ample opportunities for real-world learning, especially for engineering sections and renewable energy, including lots of equipment and devices that help us to develop our knowledge.

Have you got involved in any enrichment activities, if so, which ones, and what did you enjoy most about them?
Yes, participating in enrichment activities like academic societies or events, the most important activity was renewable energy events, and that enhanced my learning experience.

Did you undertake any work experience throughout your studies?
After graduation, I started my own business in the renewable energy sector in North Devon, which includes designing and installing Solar Photovoltaic Systems and battery storage and electrical charging points for domestic and industrial use.
Of course, the work experience opportunities provided invaluable insights into the practical application of classroom learning and what we did in the laboratory of experience and testing.
I chose this section as a completion of what I started learning through »¨¼¾ÊÓƵ college from level 2 of electrical installation up to level 6 or the full degree of Integrated Technology Engineering.

What are your plans now that you have graduated?
Post-graduation is one of my plans, or the High Voltage qualifications might be another option. Or any further education or qualifications might be an option to develop my business and make it up-to-date, as we all know there is always something new with engineering, and never stop.

Any advice for someone thinking of choosing the same course as you?
Take advantage of all the amazing opportunities through our local University Centre with »¨¼¾ÊÓƵ. Also, don’t hesitate to seek mentorship and guidance from Ph.D. and professionals in the engineering field to maximize your learning journey.
The demand for an engineering career is highly required, and you will find yourself in a field making and developing yourself and all the society around you.

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And what made you pick this particular course?
Bookkeeping and finance roles have made up the majority of my CV for many years, however I felt that I wanted to progress my career and I was aware that this qualification was mentioned in several job adverts for roles that had interested me. I wanted to gain this qualification so that alongside my experience in the workplace, this would make me a stronger candidate in the job market for the roles I wanted to pursue.

What have been highlights so far?
I couldn’t recommend a classroom environment for part time study high enough. Yes, it meant one day a week off work and for me having to do a two hour round trip come rain or shine! But the advantages of being with a group of people, all working towards a common goal and being able to support each other was definitely worth it. When you are in a classroom environment, I think you achieve a greater understanding of the subject as you are able to listen to those around you, have constant interaction and contribute your understanding to the class. Being taught face to face by a lecturer and being able to talk openly, I felt enhanced my understanding of the syllabus. Different students in the class were able to apply the topics we were taught to their own individual circumstances, which I think added depth to our understanding and this would not have been experienced if I had undertaken this course through distance learning.

What do you most enjoy about studying at »¨¼¾ÊÓƵ?
I have to say the support given by my lecturer was second to none. Even outside of our college day, the support was always there. All the resources I needed were provided, I always had plenty of material to practice the topics being taught. Study time for me often fell during the evenings and weekends and my lecturer was just an email away from answering any questions, showing great support and encouragement, even through the trickier times such as the lead up to exams and during lockdown. I felt that our lecturer appreciated that we all had roles to fulfil outside of being a student as well!

Our student group changed somewhat with each level, but I made some great friends along the way. We came from different job roles and had different goals to achieve and were on different paths but came together with our enthusiasm for accounting, desire to learn and improve our skill set. The atmosphere in the classroom was great!

Did you undertake any work experience throughout your studies?
I didn’t undertake any work experience throughout my studies, but I did change jobs part way through so was working in an accountancy practice when I began Level 4, this job change was made possible by my achievement already in gaining Distinctions at Level 2 and Level 3.

What do you plan to do when you leave »¨¼¾ÊÓƵ?
I am currently working within an accountancy practice so I have plenty of scope to utilise my qualifications within this role. Through my improved knowledge from completing this course, I am also interested in pursuing a career in management accounting. I now have a greater awareness of my strengths and how they can apply to this area of accounting.

What’s the long-term plan?
I would like to continue to add to my qualifications and am interested in management accounting and completing the CIMA (or similar) qualification next.

Any advice for someone thinking of choosing the same course as you?
Go for it! I thoroughly enjoyed the 3 years and it went by so fast! It was easier than I thought to study again after a long time away from the classroom and it’s fantastic to have the certificates now to support my experience in the workplace. I didn’t think I would ever achieve 3 distinctions, in the beginning I wasn’t even sure if I would complete all 3 levels, however, for me it was made possible with the combination of commitment from myself and the support and quality of teaching from »¨¼¾ÊÓƵ. I left »¨¼¾ÊÓƵ with more confidence in myself and my abilities, I learnt so much more than just the course content, alongside this came an increased level of motivation for the future and where I want it to take me.

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I have my amazing teachers to thank for encouraging me to believe in myself and achieve the best grades that I could.

I loved all three of my A-levels, but English Literature has always been my favourite subject and I enjoyed the interesting discussions we had in class, which challenged my thinking and made me see texts in a different light every time. Applying to Cambridge is not something I’d ever even considered before it was suggested to me by my English Literature lecturer, and I’m so grateful for all the help and support I received from »¨¼¾ÊÓƵ that enabled me to get an offer from such a prestigious institution.

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In school I always loved playing around with my hair and other people’s hair and had found that I was naturally better at the more practical subjects rather than the academic ones in which I had struggled a lot at and so I decided to study hair.

The highlights this year so far have been passing my English Functional Skills exam and being able to practice on live models, making them love their hair.

What I most enjoy about studying at »¨¼¾ÊÓƵ is being able to study a subject I love and have a passion for rather than having to study a subject in which I have no interest in. I also enjoy the independence you have.

All of the work experience I have had has been in a salon. The first type of experience I had was in Year 10 for a week, in a salon called ‘Love Hair’ that was the first time I tested out my hair skills and found that I naturally picked it up quite quickly so from there I knew hairdressing would be the perfect job for me. In Year 11, I then applied for a Saturday job at ‘Golds Hair and Beauty’ and from there I progressed into a full-time apprenticeship and have loved it ever since. When I leave college, I am hopefully going to carry on working at Golds to become a full-time hairdresser.

As of right now my plan is to go on and apply for a barbering course after completing my Level 2 and then in the future, I may think about becoming self-employed and travelling.

I’d say if you love being creative then go for it, hairdressing is a great way to show off your creative side and to express yourself, there’s no one way of doing things and that’s what makes hairdressing great, it’s also a great way of meeting new people as it’s such a social job.

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