"I told two friends about the College. They came here and now they're both at University"

Victoria wants to be one of the few women who make it to the top in Chemical Engineering – an aspiration that she is now well on the way to achieving. The inspiration behind her ambition may have come from two of her aunts – who both work as engineers – but the knowledge and practical support she needs are being supplied by her teachers here at the College.

“I’m the only girl in a class of sixteen,” explains Victoria, “and that can be quite challenging at times. But I’m not intimidated by it at all – I’m actually the class representative, and I think I got chosen for that role because I’m always the first one with my hand up to answer questions! Now, if any of my classmates has a problem, they know that I’m another source of help and advice, alongside their tutor.”

“All of my teachers at the College have been really good. They listen to the learners and make sure everyone has understood a topic before they move on. They often make time for students who might need extra help, with their language skills for instance.”

“My course is Access to Higher Education, and I already feel like I’m going to be ready for University once I finish at the College – because the way we work here is very similar. It’s an adult course and so we’re treated like adults. I also went along to a major recruitment event with the staff from the College’s Careers Service, which was brilliant. I got to speak to lots of employers, and I already have an offer from BP for a work placement in my second year at Uni – if I work hard enough in my first year!”

Victoria had been at another college before starting her course here, which she admits she had heard mixed reports about. “I think the perception people had is really out of date now,” she says. “The teaching and the equipment are brilliant, and everything’s really well organised – there’s always a back up plan if one of my teachers is ill. In fact, two of the people I know who had heard negative things about the College have come here themselves after I told them about it – and now they’ve both gone on to University!”