Journalism student climbs the career ladder with ‘invaluable’ help from Cornwall College

A journey around Central Asia on a horse, a trip through Armenia’s deepest forests and a choppy voyage to the Falklands as a deckhand on a cargo ship.

These are just some of the adventures a journalism student will be embarking on when he graduates from Cornwall College this month.

Jamie Maddison is planning the escapades as the start of his freelance career as journalist, photographer, filmmaker and explorer.

The 23-year-old, who is completing his Fast-track National Council for the Training of Journalists course at the college, said: “After university I began writing for the climbing magazine Climber and this gave me this unquenchable desire to explore lost and forgotten corners of the world.

“The training I received at the college has turned out to be invaluable in my preparation for the trip.

“Having already completed an academic-centred journalism course at Cardiff University – followed by two years of freelance work for Climber – I thought I knew everything there was to know about reporting but I was completely wrong.”

Jamie has already been on a number of expeditions, including mountaineering in Kyrgyzstan’s remote Tian Shan Mountains and spending two weeks in isolation climbing in the South Africa’s Cedeberg Mountains – where he took these stunning pictures.

Bloodhound to visit Northampton College

The 1,000mph Bloodhound Supersonic Car – the centrepiece for a global education initiative – will be heading to Northampton College.

It is part of an innovative new programme led by Northamptonshire County Council to inspire budding mathematicians, scientists and engineers.

Bloodhound SSC is powered by a Rolls Royce Eurofighter jet engine and hybrid rocket and has a control system developed by Cosworth.

The car is designed to travel up to 1,050 mph – faster than a bullet – and will attempt to break the world land speed record on the Hakskeen Pan, South Africa in 2013.

A life-size replica of the Bloodhound car along with its V8 Cosworth F1 engine, which drives the rocket fuel pump, will be based in the college’s brand new engineering studios at Booth Lane from February 21 to 23.

College students, school pupils, members of the public, businesses and special guests will have opportunity to see the car, find out about how it works and enjoy a virtual high-speed driving experience in interactive events and activities. Principal Len Closs said: “The entire event will undoubtedly prove highly inspirational and we look forward to welcoming people from across the county to come and see what it’s all about.”

Cirencester College hits 101 apprentices

Cirencester College is celebrating the placement of their 100th and 101st apprentices.

Tuesday Townsend and Harlan Stallard have signed up to an apprenticeship programme, in partnership with Jesse’s Bistro.

Both Tuesday and Harlan are taking an intermediate apprenticeship in Hospitality, with Tuesday in Hospitality Services (Front of House) and Harlan in Food and Production, working four days a week at the Bistro and attending the college one day a week.

Head of commercial and business development Richard Ashwood said: “The last 12 months has seen a remarkable growth in apprenticeships.

“Employers across the district are now showing increasing interest.

“We have seen our apprenticeship numbers rise by over 112 per cent and have been delighted that numbers topped 100 in a year.”

Manager of Jesse’s Bisto Andrew Parffrey said: “It’s so important to be supporting young people to get a foot on the ladder, particularly in the current climate and we’re fortunate enough to be in a position to do so.”

Rotherham College students stay safe in style

Students have been making road safety fashionable at an event selling bespoke clothing to help keep young people visible during dark nights.

Rotherham College of Arts and Technology has teamed up with South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership to increase road safety awareness amongst students by selling adapted fashion items they would wear during a night out.

Funded by the partnership, the Level 3 Fashion students hosted an event selling their own high visibility garments which they designed and produced to help keep fellow students safe when out and about.

The students project-managed the event, from the accounting and budgeting, to the ordering of materials and the production of the items.

Caroline Bell, curriculum leader in fashion and design said: “This was great experience.

“Not only was this a challenge to come up with fashionable safety items which younger people would wear, but their business skills have also been put to the test and have improved greatly.”

Joe Hockney, road safety officer from Sheffield Council, working on behalf of the South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership said: “Working with the college has been a great way of raising road safety awareness with the students involved.”

City College Brighton and Hove puts film students behind bars and behind the camera

City College Brighton and Hove students from a range of different courses have collaborated on a new film project at the City College East campus.

Film-making students were given the chance to pitch their own short film ideas – all of which had to have a prison-based theme – to the rest of their class.

The three most popular ideas are now in production on set with their creators as directors.

To provide the sets for the films, painting and decorating students built a small prison cell set with adjoining corridor out of wooden frames, creating a brick-work effect on prison walls and doors with incredible detail.

Film students then decorated the bare set to look more natural with paint, graffiti on walls and even a suitably grim toilet.

College drama students and local actors have now been enlisted to star in the films, giving them vital on-set experience.

Film-making student Jordan Khan (19), director of the short film Food for Thought, said: “With these sets, we’ve got something that we wouldn’t normally have access to and having industry-standard equipment to work with, it really gives the project a professional edge.”

Fellow-director Emmet Holmes-Boyes (20) said: “I’ve had a chance to develop key skills I feel will be needed to succeed in the world of film.”

Canterbury College beat the Monday blues

Students and staff at Canterbury College spread the happiness when they led a national campaign to beat Blue Monday.

Led by its very own Blue Man, the college hosted a series of events to combat the effects of what is termed the most depressing day of the year.

There was magic, music, free food, a special chill-out zone and more at the New Dover Road campus on Monday, January 16.

The popular event was run by the college’s award-winning Students’ Union, whose manager Tony Payne said: “The campaign is about changing the perception of a day seen as the most depressing date of the year.

Walsall College wins best practice award

Walsall College shared best practice with colleges across the country after winning an Association of Colleges Beacon Award.

The college’s functional skills team won the award for adopting innovative approaches to teaching the functional skills of English, maths and ICT within all of its vocational areas, which has led to a significant improvement to success of learners.

During the day, representatives had the opportunity to find out how the college achieved such high standards in functional skills. Susan Salter, from award sponsors OCR, attended on the day to present the college with a cheque for the cash prize of £5,000, to enhance the project further.

Walsall College will also be officially presented with their Award by John Hayes, minister for further education, skills and lifelong learning, at a national presentation ceremony, due to be held at Westminster in February.

Jan Myatt, curriculum manager for functional skills said: “Winning the AoC Beacon Award for Skills was a great achievement.”

IT students turn their hands to teaching for Chesterfield College 50+ mentoring project

Chesterfield College students have been tutoring members of Derbyshire County Council’s 50+ Forum in all things computer for the past six weeks.

Gill Clarke, intergenerational practice officer at the council, formed the collaboration with learners studying on the BTEC Diploma for IT Practitioners course and her 50+ Forum have been meeting for one-to-one tutelage.

Last week the group received their certificates of achievement from the students.

She said: “This is the second year the council and the college have collaborated on an Intergenerational IT mentoring project.

“The members of the Chesterfield 50+ forum who attended said they had found the experience invaluable.

“Many of them also commented that it had been better than other classes they attended as they had their own personal tutor and were able to learn anything they wanted to know about IT.

“The older group were also extremely impressed with the patience and knowledge of the young people they met through this project.”

Westminster Education Forum – Over 100 UTCs by next election, says Lord Baker

England could have more than 100 University Technical Colleges (UTC) up and running by the next general election, according to Lord Baker of Dorking.

“We’re going to have a considerable number of UTCs over the course of the next few years,” Lord Baker said.

“Possibly, by the next election, more than 100 will be approved…and most of them will be open by then.”

Lord Baker, co-founder of the Baker Dearing Educational Trust, used the conference to propose a new educational system consisting of four college types, available to all students from the age of 14.

The proposed model included liberal arts colleges, focused on traditional academic subjects “rather similar to the grammar school curriculum”, as well as the emerging UTC model.

“You would then have sports, performing arts and creative arts colleges,” Lord Baker said.

“The fourth, I think, should be a career college.”

Lord Baker said the UTC model was a rare chance for businesses and employers to try and influence the curriculum.

“Industry has never had that chance before,” he said.

“I’m fed up with industrialists always complaining how awful the English educational system is – well now they have a chance to actually shape it in a way which they want it to be shaped.”

He added: “That is revolutionary.”

The UTC concept challenges the age at which students leave school and the point at which they begin to receive vocational training.

Ian Pryce, principal and chief executive of Bedford College, said: “Most schools have shown themselves to be useless, and I mean that, useless, at vocational education.

“They damage the brand.”

Mr Pryce added: “It may even be a word that’s tarnished as a result of that.”

Delegates were given an insight into the operation and learner outcomes of the UTC model by Jim Wade, principal of The JCB Academy in Staffordshire.

Mr Wade said many students think of the UTC as a fresh start, having previously been “discontented” with their experience in education.

“Quite a high percentage of our youngsters have dyslexia as a specialist educational need, and are of average ability,” Mr Wade said.

“A key factor about them though, is that they tend to be slightly discontented with their previous school experience.”

He added: “They see the academy as a second chance to make their education a success.”

I’m fed up with industrialists always complaining how awful the English educational system is”

Nineteen UTCs have been approved so far, although a further 27 were submitted for the second round of applications last week.

“They are of a very high standard indeed, right across the country,” Lord Baker said.

“There will certainly now be more than 24.”

UTCs cater for students between the age of 14 and 19, relying on relationships between both universities and employers to support the curriculum.

Each UTC specialises in one or two technical fields, but also caters for a broad range of general subjects including English, mathematics, science, a modern language, humanities and sport.

“There should be a rounded education,” Lord Baker said.

“Not just a specialist education, a much more rounded one for the student than they would get taking a course at an FE college.”

Dr Susanne Wiborg, head of lifelong learning and comparative education at the institute of education, said UTCs were a chance for the government to try and fix some of the problems associated with vocational training.

“The coalition is trying to shake up the education landscape in England through the academy and free school programme, and now also the UTCs,” Dr Wiborg said.

“The history of vocational and education training in England is long and troubled.”

She added: “It is clear for the government that many aspects of it still need fixing.”