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Our HNC and HND Photography students have this week launched a very special online exhibition, highlighting their final project work and celebrating the achievement of completing their courses.
Life Or Something Like It Photography Exhibition
The exhibition website features work from the classes of 2020/2021, who have navigated an extremely difficult year and have really risen to the challenge to create some fantastic work for you all to enjoy.
Course tutor, Jen Newton-Prosser, who organised the exhibition, said:
“I am unbelievably proud of the HNC & HND Photography students. During their entire time with us we have been in some form of a lockdown, whether that be on a national or regional level. For some of them, this is their second online exhibition as we are yet to be able to host an end of year show in person for them!
“As difficult as it has been, they have not let it stop them. They have risen to the challenge, often stripping back their approaches and focusing on more simplistic aspects of photography. We always try to find the positives in HE Photography and who knows, maybe these restrictions have inspired some of our students to create something new.
“They have produced some fantastic work and we are really pleased to share it with you all!”
As part of their final assignment evaluations, each of our students have also included a short survey to gather feedback and they’d really appreciate it if you could take the time to comment.
Please keep an eye out for a separate show dedicated to our degree level students coming up soon too!
To view the exhibition, please click here.
Mental Health Awareness Week 2021This year’s Mental Health Awareness Week takes place from Monday 10th May and we have a range of events planned to increase awareness of this subject and to highlight the services and support available at the college.
The health and wellbeing of our staff and students is always an upmost priority to everyone at The City of Liverpool College. Throughout the week, we’ll be talking about the leading mental health organisations we work with, offering wellbeing tips via our social media channels and showcasing the fantastic work of our support staff who play a vital role in helping students during their time with us.
We’ll also be creating 50 wellbeing packs and sending them to students, and will have stalls in each of our five city centre campuses to promote college support services and our Students’ Union programmes. You’ll find our team at the following centres between 12pm and 1pm:
Monday 10th – The Arts Centre
Tuesday 11th – Duke Street
Wednesday 12th – Clarence Street
Thursday 13th – Vauxhall Road
Friday 14th – The Learning Exchange (LEX)
Students can also keep an eye out for a very special competition on our Students’ Union Instagram account (@COLCSU), where we’ll be looking for the best nature photos, with the winner receiving a £25 voucher for Liverpool ONE. Meanwhile, college staff are invited to attend an online mindfulness session, and will also be able to take part in mental health training tutorials
We have further activities being planned by our Level 1 Health and Social Care students, including displays, leaflets, poetry, and daily mindfulness exercises, so keep an eye out for more soon!
To find out about mental health and the support available at the college, please visit our Student Wellbeing Hub: https://www.liv-coll.ac.uk/life-at-the-college/student-support-and-wellbeing/
Access Explained: the path to universityOur Access to Higher Education (HE) diplomas have been designed for learners who are either returning to education or have left school without the qualifications required to be able to progress on to higher education and university.
The courses provide students with a good level of understanding about their chosen subject to prepare them for an undergraduate degree at university and come with UCAS tariff points to help them secure their place.
Access to HE Diplomas are available for anyone aged 19 and over. So if you have left school without A Levels (or an equivalent) but decide you want to go to university, Access to HE Diplomas could be the perfect solution. The qualification is designed to allow learners to go on to study at degree level or progress in their employment.
Absolutely! Access to HE Diplomas can be an ideal route back into education for mature students. We know that re-entering education after any period away can be daunting and we will make sure you get the support you need whilst studying at the college to help you to achieve your full potential.
All of our Access to HE courses take one year of full-time study to complete.
Typically, students who are completing the Diploma spend around 12 hours per week studying, so it can easily be studied alongside other commitments. We also offer our allied health Access course as an evening class.
Access to HE courses are widely recognised by UK universities as an alternative to ‘traditional’ qualifications for entry into undergraduate degree courses. In fact, many universities across the UK are directly involved in the creation of courses and many actively encourage applications from Access to HE Diploma holders.
UCAS tariff points are hugely important for getting into university. For an Access to HE Diploma, UCAS tariff points are anywhere between 48 and 144 points, depending on the grade you receive. It’s therefore possible for Access courses to generate the same amount of UCAS points as A Level or BTEC courses.
All Access to HE courses are designed to equip students for university level study in a specific subject or subject area. The content will therefore vary on the subject area you choose, but all courses will generally provide you with the knowledge and skills required for university and equip you with the study techniques required to be successful at that level.
Just like A-Levels and BTECs, our Access to HE Diploma is a full Level 3 qualification, so it meets the same academic demands.
Units are formally assessed in a variety of ways. This may include exams and portfolio work, depending on the Diploma.
We offer a variety of Access to HE courses, including:
– Allied Health Professions and Nursing
– Business & Finance
– Engineering
– Humanities
– Professions in Teaching and Education
– Science
– Social Science
– Law and criminal justice
Last year, Access to Higher Education had a pass rate of 99.5%.
91% of last year’s Access who applied for university were successful in securing a place, most of them (83%) went onto study at universities in the North West, with 71% joining universities based in the Liverpool City Region.
Here are some of the subjects our students from last year (2020-2021) have gone onto study at university:
| Access to HE Diploma | What our learners from last year are studying at university |
| Business | Accounting and Finance
Business and Management Business and Public Relations Business Management Economics Marketing
|
| Education Professions | Education and English Language
Educational Psychology Primary Education with QTS (5-11) Special Educational Needs and Sport & Physical Education
|
| Engineering | Aeronautical Engineering with Foundation Year
Aerospace Engineering with Pilot Studies Architecture Civil Engineering Computer Science Electrical & Electronic Engineering Mechanical Engineering
|
| Allied Health Professions | Adult Nursing
Child Nursing Mental Health Nursing Midwifery Nursing Nutrition Paramedic Science
|
| Humanities | Ancient, Medieval and Modern History
Creative Writing and English Literature Criminology English Literature and History History Law Law and Criminal Justice Philosophy and Politics
|
| Science | Biochemistry
Biological Sciences Biomedical Science Dental Therapy Diagnostic Radiography Optometry Pharmacy Physiotherapy Veterinary Medicine
|
| Social Science | Childhood & Youth and Social Policy
Forensic Psychology Psychology and Sociology Social Work Sociology
|
We work with Ascentis, an award-winning provider of cutting-edge qualifications for education, training and business in the UK and overseas. To find out more about them, visit: https://www.ascentis.co.uk/qualifications/access-to-higher-education
To find out more about our course options and to begin your application, please click here.
Vital Energi partnership to deliver bespoke renewable energy apprenticeshipsA new collaboration between Vital Energi and The City of Liverpool College is set to deliver bespoke renewable energy and heat network apprenticeship programmes.
The new apprenticeship programmes demonstrate Vital’s commitment to developing the key industry skills required to achieve net zero and create a sustainable workforce for the future.
Having pledged to recruit 20 apprentices across the UK, Vital are proud to be joining forces with The City of Liverpool College, which will deliver the curriculum from the £2m state-of-the-art Training Academy located at Vital’s Blackburn headquarters, for two pathways: Craft and Technical.
Both pathways will take apprentices on an energy journey where they will learn and work within the renewable energy and heat networks market. They will discover how energy is generated and distributed, and how to manage and reduce consumption for residential and commercial clients. Apprentices will also learn how carbon emissions are reduced through Vital’s renewable technologies and the innovative products they have developed.
The programmes will be delivered via a blended mix of virtual online teaching and a minimum of 25 days curriculum learning each year within the Training Academy. Apprentices will spend the majority of their time on-site working on exciting projects, where they will pick up a wealth of skills through hands-on experience and support from Vital’s experienced and knowledgeable team.
Vital Energi’s Manging Director for the North & Scotland, Mike Cooke, completed an apprenticeship at The City of Liverpool College and he believes this formed a great foundation for his successful career path.
“I loved the apprentice programme at The City of Liverpool College,” said Mike. “At 18 years old this was my first opportunity to experience independence and life in the city. My apprenticeship provided me with social, interpersonal, and technical skills which have been the platform of my career, and even though the pay was significantly less than Vital’s offer today, I’ve been able to progress through my career without being saddled with tuition fees and student loans. A real and genuine upside.
Liverpool City Region has an ambition to reach net zero carbon by 2040 and The City of Liverpool College is focussed on developing its curriculum around the needs of industry, creating a workforce for the future by developing the skills needed to enter the world of work in sustainable careers.
Sophie Park, Director of Workforce Skills at The City of Liverpool College, said:
“Our partnership with Vital Energi is built on the knowledge and skills of its engineers and our innovative curriculum leaders at The City of Liverpool College. Working with progressive, exciting organisations such as Vital Energi helps us to continue to innovate and provide our students with the skills they need to enter the workforce and forge successful, sustainable careers.
“This new state of the art training centre will play an essential role in developing the skills needed to deliver our low carbon future.”
“Vital are forward-thinking, agile and strategic in the deployment of our resources,” added Mike. “As we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, 2021 creates an opportunity to support apprentice recruitment and shape the workforce of the future, enabling a journey to net zero for our customers and the UK as a whole.
“We’re really excited to be working with The City of Liverpool College to deliver our new renewable apprenticeships, and we’re looking forward to welcoming our first cohort in September.”
During the three-year Craft programme, apprentices will study for a Level 3 Building Services Engineering Craftsperson qualification. They will learn a range of key skills from pipework fabrication and jointing techniques such as electro fusion jointing, to welding, the installation of plumbing and heating systems, and more.
At the end of the Technical programme, apprentices will achieve a Level 3 Building Services Design Technician qualification, after developing their understanding of building services design principles. As well as using project management systems to ensure timeframes and budgets are adhered to, apprentices will work alongside the commercial team to understand contractual agreements and review the financial performance of a project, produce technical reports, plus more.
Vital Energi are working on nationwide projects and are looking to recruit apprentices from all over the UK. The curriculum learning will take place in the North West, so depending on your location, this may require residential attendance which will be funded by the company.
For more information about Vital Energi’s apprenticeship programmes, visit: www.vitalenergi.co.uk/careers/apprenticeship-programmes/
Alan Horton: Gaming his way into the digital industryWe recently caught up with Alan Horton, who studied on our HND Games Design course, about his current role at leading Liverpool-based games developer Lucid Games. Alan talks to us about his experiences of the college and attending Game Jams, which helped him break into the industry…
When did you study at the college?
I studied at the college from September 2016 to June 2018, enlisting as a mature student on the Higher National Diploma (HND) in Games Design. The course had 16 modules in total, covering all areas of games design from animation, programming, character creation, modelling and much more.
How did the college prepare you for your role now?
When I first started the qualification, I was unsure about which area of games design I wanted to move into but having a lot of modules covering all the different areas of games design helped me narrow down and find an area I wanted to focus on for my career.
What was the support like at college?
The support I received at the college was great, I have dyslexia and that put me off for years about going back into education. My tutors and support staff helped me with writing essays and blogs, which in turn helped me to become more confident.
What were the opportunities like?
The gaming industry is very competitive and is hard to get into. I found entering competitions, going to networking events and joining projects was extremely beneficial to my development. It helps you to get noticed within the industry but also helps you to improve on your chosen specialism.
Could you tell us a bit about the ‘Game Jams’ and how they helped you to get noticed?
Game Jams are a great way to work on your skills within a limited time frame. They can last anywhere from 24 hours to a couple of months and usually involve a team of up to five people. Within your teams and the designated time period, you’re required to develop a game based on a theme provided. Everything is usually made from scratch and by the end of the jam you will have a small playable game. I’ve entered a number of these before getting into the industry properly and was lucky enough to win one of them.
What is your role now?
I’m currently employed as a technical designer at Lucid Games in Liverpool. Usually part of a production design team, a technical designer is a game or level designer by training and is known for their technical skills. It’s my job to create and implement complex technical and system design elements into the game.
What are your greatest achievements so far?
My greatest achievements so far have been getting a job in an industry that I absolutely love, winning the Game Jam and having the game shown on Channel 5’s The Gadget Show. I’m also very proud of a game I created with my friends that we showcased at EGC 2019.
What things do you enjoy about working in the digital/gaming industry?
I enjoy being part of the creative process and producing something that many people will see, play and enjoy.
Do you have any advice for students interested in digital careers?
If you’re interested in a subject, try it. Like most things you might find it difficult at first but keep practicing and learning about your subject and you will no doubt improve over time.
We’d like to say a huge thank you to Alan for taking the time to speak to us, everyone at The City of Liverpool College wishes you all the best in your future career.
If you’re interested in seeing more of Alan’s work, click here, or to find out about our Digital and Games Design courses, click here.
College students help to raise funds for Leonard CheshireOur Pathways learners have produced a very special notebook as part of a Leonard Cheshire ‘Can Do’ programme for individuals aged 10-35 with a disability or long-term health condition.
The books are on sale at the college and are already proving very popular. Money raised from the sale of the books will provide much needed funds for Leonard Cheshire, a charity that supports disabled people in the UK and around the world.
The notebooks have been designed to help people feel more positive. They contain uplifting quotes and photographs of things that have helped the students get through lockdown. It includes a message from the students that reads:
The notebooks are currently available to purchase in the college’s Learning Resource Centres (LRCs). To find out more about Leonard Cheshire’s Can Do programme, click here, or to learn about our Pathways Employability Skills courses, click here.
From Trainee To TeacherOur Teacher Training courses, taught at the University Centre, are designed to equip learners with the skills, knowledge and understanding they will need for a successful career in the education sector.
The course allows our students to gain real, practical experience of teaching alongside other professionals, either through employment or volunteering, and helps them to gain confidence in planning, teaching and working with students and other professionals.
We believe this course provides a great starting point for those interested in teaching, so much so that we have a great track record of keeping trainees at the college, either to gain experience as part of their training, or in full-time employment once qualified.
We currently have a number of teachers working at the college who have themselves completed their teacher training with us, before being recruited as college staff. They bring with them valuable ideas, fresh approaches and enthusiasm to our college community.
Here’s what some of them had to say about their experience at the college:
Name: Fatou Jagne
Course(s) studied: Certificate in Education
Role now: Lecturer and HE Access and Participation Coordinator
“I really enjoyed my time as a student teacher at the college. I felt supported by lecturers and my subject specialist mentor. The support I received from fellow staff was also reassuring.
“As part of my course, I was given a teaching placement at the college, which allowed me to develop my teaching and learning skills. My mentor and lecturers often observed my classes and always provided me with constructive feedback.
“Working in further education everyday provides many opportunities – it certainly did for me! It can be challenging at times, but seeing students exceed their own expectations, grow in confidence and achieve their goals makes it all worthwhile!”
Name: Hannah Doyle
Course(s) studied: PGCE – Teacher Education, Lifelong Learning
Role now: Main Grade Lecturer – Art and Design
“I was lucky enough to work with staff in the school of Fashion, Art and Design. The team as it was back then taught me a lot. They were strong, dedicated and really encouraged me and pushed me to develop my understanding of education.
“I wouldn’t be half the lecturer I am today without the Art Foundation Team that trained me. I’m now solely responsible for the same course area and I’m so grateful that I’m able to keep their good practice going.”
Name: Damien Coulson
Course studied: HNC/HND Games Development and Certificate in Education
Current role: Main Grade Lecturer
“Both the Games Development course and the Cert Ed prepared me well for my transition from student to lecturer. The Games Development course equipped me with fundamental knowledge about all aspects of games design, which I can now pass on to new students, whereas the Cert Ed provided me with the knowledge needed to develop my skills as a lecturer.
“I really enjoyed studying at the College and was impressed by the facilities and the quality of teaching here. I felt supported, was welcomed into the College community, and enjoyed learning about games development and education. I am delighted to be part of the team now and I am looking forward to many more years here.”
Name: Steven Ierston
Course(s) studied: Electrical Installation and PGCE
Role now: Deputy Head of School – Sustainable Construction & Building Services
“I’ve been interested in electrical installation ever since I undertook work experience at the age of sixteen. However, after completing a-levels at secondary school I realised I really also enjoyed the sciences and went onto graduate from LJMU with a degree in Applied Microbiology. After several years working at the university’s school of Biomolecular Sciences and school of Pharmacy & Chemistry, I decided to reignite my interest in electrical installation once again. I enrolled onto an evening course at the college and the rest is history.
“After completing the initial course, I got my hands dirty for a few years in the trade and then decided I’d really like to teach the subject. I emailed a contact I still had within the department and I was soon invited in for a chat. Literally a few days after the informal chat, I started working at the college as a part time lecturer. A little while later a full-time position became available and I applied and was successful with the added benefit of a funded teacher training course, studying part-time over two years alongside my job.
“I really enjoyed the teacher training at the college, it opened my mind to the different teaching theories and strategies and has allowed me to adapt and develop my own teaching styles. Teaching is not easy; you have to put the time in if you want the students to be successful. Every day is different, every student is unique, and this is what makes it rewarding and a career that has endless possibilities enabling us to have a positive impact shaping the minds of the next generation.”
Name: Jennifer Rose Marie Schears
Course(s) studied at the College: Post Graduate Diploma in Lifelong Learning
Role now: MGL in History and Education, Access Department of the City of Liverpool College
“I enjoyed my studies and found it a very challenging, inciteful and rewarding experience. The teaching and learning were at an excellent standard and my tutors worked exhaustively to support my learning. My second year of my studies was a very distressing time for me in my personal life and the college provided me with excellent pastoral support to help get me through the course, and I will be forever grateful for that. Additionally, the lessons were engaging and informative and I really enjoyed the diversity in their approaches in the classroom which was always very student focused.
“The course prepared me well for becoming a teacher, as before the course I did not know how to plan and structure a lesson using appropriate aims and objectives. It also enabled me to understand different theories of learning. This has been paramount to me as I now teach education to Level 3 students, so I’m applying my learning every day.
“I feel blessed to be a part of such a great team in Access and privileged to be working with our students. The environment that we have created in Access has a real community ethos and it’s a pleasure to be able to work with students from all different backgrounds who bring a wealth of experiences to the classroom and to this community.”
Name: Marc Sumner
Course(s) studied: HNC/HND Photography, BS (Hons) Art & Design (Photography), Certificate in Education
Role now: Lecturer/Student
“My experience of the college as a student has been brilliant. My current and previous tutors have offered great support, motivated me and have expanded my knowledge allowing me to progress further. I’ve been lucky to observe how other tutors teach and take points from them along with some techniques. Their hard work has really influenced me.
“To be a part time teacher is great, understanding how the college works from the other side is an amazing insight that will stay with me throughout my future teaching career.”
We’d like to take this opportunity to thank Fatou, Hannah, Damien, Steven, Jennifer and Marc for sharing their experiences and for their continued hard work in supporting the next generation of college students.
If you’re interested in teacher training and would like to find out more about our courses, click here.
Apprenticeship Incentive Scheme Increased & ExtendedChancellor Rishi Sunak delivered the spring budget on the 3rd March 2021 which included valuable additions to the Plan for Jobs introduced in July last year.
From April 1st 2021, employers recruiting new apprentices will be eligible for an increased incentive payment of £3000, regardless of the apprentice’s age. This is on top of the £1,000 payment already provided for new apprentices aged 16 to 18 and those under 25 with an Education, Health and Care Plan, meaning that some employers could receive £4,000 in total. This new scheme is set to run until September 30th 2021.
“Apprenticeships and training of the very highest calibre play a vital role, not just for businesses, but also for the economy to help people and businesses thrive, and I would encourage our region’s businesses to consider how they could benefit. This latest announcement from the Government will enable even more businesses to develop the next generation of talent.”
– Sophie Park, Director of Workforce Skills
The £1000 employer incentive for providing work experience for trainees has also been extended into the 2021/2022 academic year. Employers can continue to claim a £1000 incentive for offering at least 70 hours of work experience to a 16-24 year who is on a Traineeship programme. We are already working with businesses to develop meaningful Traineeship programme. A traineeship is a skills development programme that includes a work placement. The full programme can last from 6 weeks up to 1 year, though most traineeships last for less than 6 months.
If you would like to find out more about how your business could benefit from apprenticeships and the new increased incentive payments, contact: workforceskills@liv-coll.ac.uk
National Careers Week 2021
National Careers Week takes place from Monday 1st March and is a celebration of all things careers for those in education across the UK.
To celebrate National Careers Week 2021, The City of Liverpool College has lined up a jam-packed week of opportunities for students to explore careers they’re interested in, meet local employers and have their questions answered by our Careers Advice and Guidance (CAG) team.
On Tuesday, we’re excited to launch the first ever City of Liverpool College Virtual Careers Fair, featuring over 30 local employers from a wide range of industries. This event is an amazing opportunity for students to meet employers such as HSBC, BBC, Morgan Sindall, Royal Navy, IBM, NHS Merseycare and many others, to discuss what opportunities exist for young people after graduation.
From Wednesday to Friday, our Careers Advice and Guidance team will be holding virtual careers advice clinics on Microsoft Teams for students to discuss their career aspirations following the fair. Drop-ins will be open from 12 pm – 3pm and can be accessed via MyCollege.
On Thursday, get to know our amazing Work Experience Team who use their extensive industry links to provide City of Liverpool College students with fantastic work experience placements and employability skills. We’ll be showcasing footage of their new promotional video across our website and social media channels – tune in to hear from students, employers and the team about the opportunities on offer.
On Thursday 4th March at 2pm, join a live Q&A on Teams with David Matthews, from the College’s Apprenticeship Team. This session will break down the key features of apprenticeships and show you how they can help you create a career for life.
On Friday 5th March at 12pm, all students are invited to a live Interactive Careers Session with Merseyside Police Force, hosted by Thrive Careers Hub. With so many career opportunities available to young people within Merseyside Police, gaining an apprenticeship, qualifications, confidence and starting on a generous wage, you might be interested in exploring a career in the Police career as an option. From working the streets to data analyst to dog handler and everything in-between… join Thrive to hear from Katie Anderson, Force Apprenticeships & Qualifications Officer, who’ll tell us all about how the different departments that make up Merseyside Police work together to make one big, efficient team that protects us on a daily basis.
Click here to access the session on Microsoft Teams at 12pm on Friday.
You can also access the session via the events page on Thrive’s website: Events | Thrive (thrive-cic.co.uk)
Also on Friday, tune into an Instagram Live session at 2.30pm with Alex Sherlock from our Careers Advice and Guidance Team. Alex will be answering questions from students about careers options and pathways, and offering advice on how to reach your career goals.
To find out more about National Careers Week, please visit: nationalcareersweek.com
Eve Jenkins: a make-up masterclassEve Jenkins, former student and star of BBC Three’s hit series ‘Glow Up’, treated students to an online masterclass recently, talking to them about her experiences in the industry so far and sharing some of her top tips.
Invitations to the masterclass were extended exclusively to all of the college’s existing hair, beauty and make-up students, as well as graduates and new applicants. The session was a great example of the opportunities we offer to students when it comes to learning about their chosen industry, providing them with high quality opportunities, despite the restrictions bought about by the pandemic.
Following the session, we caught up with Eve about her time at the college, spoke about her experience of Glow Up and asked what advice she’d give to any students starting out in their career.
What did you enjoy most about your time at the college?
I studied hair and make-up at the college and enjoyed barbering the most.
How did you get started in the industry?
I never wanted to be anything other than a makeup artist. I started learning special effects makeup on YouTube and then my dad booked me on a 2-day course with a company called So Coco Rouge. They took me under their wing, took me on jobs and I have been doing makeup ever since.
What does your job entail?
I do many different types of work within makeup. Sometimes it’s doing makeup in the salon for nights out, sometimes weddings, teaching or going on photoshoots. The most important part of my job is pleasing the client, whoever they may be.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I like being in a creative environment, I like being in job where I don’t have to look or act a certain way, I can just be me.
Who in the industry inspires you?
Too many people to count!!
What was it like being on Glow Up?
Glow Up was such a massive learning experience for me, I feel like it really helped me find who I am as a makeup artist. If I am not looking at the bigger picture, I would describe my experience as, fun, stressful, tiring, overwhelming and unique.
What did you learn?
I learnt not to care what other people think of me. I was so worried about being judged by the judges for being a ‘Glam Artist’ like it was something to be embarrassed about. Now I am proud to be the artist I am.
How did it feel doing a masterclass for our students – the next generation of pros?
I love teaching and sharing my knowledge, I believe you never stop learning as a MUA, so I always love interacting with other creatives and picking up tips myself! I think it’s important to look after each other, it can be a very tough industry.
What advice do you have for students?
My biggest advice is to always attempt looks that are beyond your skill level, challenge yourself and push yourself all the time.
We’d like to thank Eve for taking the time to speak to our students and would like to wish her all the best with the rest of her career. We hope there will be more of these sessions in the future.
If, like Eve, you’re interested in hair, beauty and make-up then take a look at our courses, here.
