We are pleased to have held our first Careers Fair of the 23/24 academic year.
Over 30 exhibitors joined us for this important juncture in the college calendar, representing a vast range of industries including engineering, childcare, maritime, logistics, higher education, aviation and many more! There was a high level of engagement throughout the day with over 600 students gathering in our Learner Hub to learn more about potential career pathways and the different roles available in different sectors.
Trudy McKenzie, Careers Lead at Eastleigh College, commented: “We are really grateful to those employers and universities who give up their time to come and showcase their industries and courses to our learners. The aim of this event was to inform and inspire our learners about potential future options and careers within our locality. These events are always well-attended, confirming the great reputation our professional and technical qualifications hold.
“As a Careers Leader, I am passionate about allowing opportunities for learners to network and engage with organisations to help inform and build confidence in their knowledge. This is just one event of many, where our learners will receive an array of labour market and careers information from professionals, to help them make informed choices for the future.”
Mita was one of our visiting employers, representing Richmond Motor Group. She commented: “It’s been great to chat to so many students and help them see what they can achieve in the motor industry. It’s a really good time to be part of the industry and there’s a lot of transferable skills that can help them both short-term and long into the future as well.”
Susan from Morgan Sindall was also at the Fair. She said: “Many students at first glance would associate certain companies with specific trades but this Careers Fair has given us the platform to help students understand the depth and breadth of career roles within our organisation.”
For more pictures of the day, please visit our social media pages.
For any further queries please contact the College at BeBetter@eastleigh.ac.uk.
Higher education (HE) students from Fareham College, part of the newly formed South Hampshire College Group, have come together for the Class of 2023’s official Higher Education Graduation ceremony.
The ceremony at Fareham College saw HE students and their families enjoy a light drinks reception before joining faculty members in the college’s 120-seat theatre.
Vice Principal Ben Sheridan welcomed guests and opened the ceremony, followed by Robert Hind, Curriculum Area Manager for Higher Education, who conferred the awards. The event ended with a speech from South Hampshire College Group’s Executive Director of Business and Civic Partnerships, Anousha Ottley before students were invited to mark the occasion by having their official portraits taken.
Marking a triumphant end to the academic year, the event comes at a particularly important time for South Hampshire College Group, which officially merged on 1st August 2023.
The Group – which serves an estimated 11,900 students across the Solent region – aims to provide a financially strong, responsive, and ambitious Higher Education programme for those seeking alternative pathways to university.
The HE programmes, which are held at Fareham College, are designed to support progression from a Level 3 or T Level course to a complete undergraduate qualification.
Teaching staff ensure excellence in practice by using industry-leading technology and collaborating with university partners and recognised employers, while students benefit from smaller class sizes, lower tuition fees, and flexible study options, making it a more accessible option for many.
Additionally, students in certain study programmes are supported to enter the second or third year of complementary courses at partner universities, including Southampton Solent University, allowing them to “top up” their qualifications and enrich their learning further.
From this, many of the Group’s alumni have gone on to pursue Master’s degrees or PhDs, a direct result of the outstanding teaching and personalised support offered to all students.
Ben Sheridan, Vice Principal of Fareham College, said:
“The achievement of a qualification at Level 4 or higher is the product of significant hard work and dedication. This event allows our graduates to celebrate their achievements, gathered among friends, family and lecturers. All of our graduates can be immensely proud of their success, and we wish them the best of luck for their next chapter.”
Robert Hind, Curriculum Area Manager for Higher Education at Fareham College, said:
“Our Higher Education graduation ceremony is the highlight of the year for me as it’s our chance to celebrate the considerable achievements of our HE students.
“Fareham College offers a wide range of HE courses which give students who would struggle to access a course at university the chance to study in their local community and gain qualifications to help them move to the next stage in their lives.
Many of the students who graduated this year have overcome considerable challenges in their personal and professional lives to gain their qualification and we are very proud that the supportive environment we offer at Fareham has played a part in that success.”
To find out more about Higher Education courses with Fareham College, please visit: fareham.ac.uk/university-level-courses/
First-year Event Management students at Eastleigh College have raised over £750 in a special coffee and cake fundraiser for Macmillan Cancer Support.
Within a month of their course commencing, our students have hosted their first live event, featuring a raffle, courtyard games and a mix of homemade and store selected delicacies. All proceeds from the event have gone to Macmillan Cancer Support, with raffle prize donations from friends and families, and corporate donations from local retailers in the Hampshire community. Students were given two weeks to plan the event, a process that involved marketing, decorating, baking and assigning responsibilities to ensure the event ran to plan.
Gemma Braybrook, Lecturer in Media, Marketing and Event Management, said: “The Macmillan Cancer Support coffee morning has become a regular fixture on the Events Management course and is an innovative first event for our students to take part in. This class all have brilliant people skills, which is important in this industry, and it is hard to believe they have only been on the course a few weeks. They have done an amazing job.”
Brooklyn was assigned the role of Head of Sales for the event. He commented: “There is so much behind the scenes work that has gone into this event and I think the skills involved are great practice for the real work environment. In this era of social media, it can be hard to communicate properly and the teamwork involved in events like this really helps to build strong communication skills which I believe is very important.”
Sumeya was the Project Manager for the event and said: “My job is to ensure all the stalls run smoothly and I am the first point of contact when somebody has any questions or concerns. I have only been active on this course for a short while but already I can see the impact that Event Management is having upon my growth as a person.”
For any further queries, please contact the College at BeBetter@eastleigh.ac.uk.
We are delighted to have held our annual Freshers’ Fayre, bringing together students from across college for an entertaining day of activities, competitions and free food.
Joining a new school or college can be a daunting experience, having to balance a brand new environment, new people and new information. Eastleigh College recognises this process can be a challenge and our Freshers’ Fayre has become an important staple of the academic year, bringing together new classmates over friendly team-building activities and light entertainment. Each year brings a new assortment of entertainment and this year was no exception, with a Football Ring, Silent Disco, Flight Simulator, Table Tennis and many more activities too! There was also lots of delicious food and drink available, with a candy floss machine, purpose-made Tiki bar and free pizzas courtesy of Papa Johns and Domino’s Pizza.
Gemma Fisher, Enrichment Coordinator at Eastleigh College, said: “The Freshers’ Fayre is a key event for welcoming our new student cohort and helping them to feel settled and relaxed in a new environment. We would like to give a huge thanks to all collaborators and employers who made the day such a success as well as all college staff who volunteered their time in helping the day run smoothly.”
Eastleigh College’s Freshers’ Fayre wouldn’t be possible without the range of external collaborators helping out, and we were delighted to have the support of Pink Frog Events, Daniella’s Ice Cream, FTY FLY, Solent Mind and No Limits. We also had live music provided by L & L Entertainment and beauty treatments provided by Hair Tinsel and Glitter tattoos. The final event of the day was our raffle, with students and staff winning a selection of excellent prizes.
Sian Spinney, Teacher and Learning Coach at Eastleigh College, said: “I was thrilled to win four tickets to Mighty Adventures Crazy Golf in Hedge End. I went when it first opened so am looking forward to visiting it again and spending a fun couple of hours with some of my family. I always buy tickets when the College holds a raffle because I know the money will be going towards a local charity.”
For more photos of Freshers’ Fayre, take a look at our social media coverage here.
For any further queries please contact the College at BeBetter@eastleigh.ac.uk.
The 2023-2024 academic year marks the launch of Eastleigh College’s first T Level course in Early Years.
T Levels were first launched nationwide in September 2020 and offer a dynamic new pathway of education post GCSEs, being equivalent in value to 3 A-levels. The structure of T Levels offers a greater emphasis on industry work placements, with a minimum of 315 hours work, while still maintaining the benefits of classroom learning to create a truly immersive learning experience.
The Eastleigh College Early Years T Level course provides a significant 750 hours of work experience over two years, with a vast window of opportunities through our partnerships with local nurseries, schools and Early Years providers. Upon successful completion of their T-Level, our Early Years learners will be equipped with the skills and confidence to embark on a wide range of career paths, from becoming nursery practitioners to pursuing further studies in education.
Natasha Curzi-Micallef, Head of Delivery for Early Years at Eastleigh College, commented: “The Early Years team is so proud to be pioneering this new mode of education at Eastleigh College and it’s wonderful to see how much the students are enjoying it. We encourage them all to embrace this unique opportunity, soak up the knowledge, and relish every moment of their educational journey, which will hopefully provide a transformative learning experience for all.”
Gracie is one of the students in our first Early Years cohort and gave her thoughts on the T Level structure: “I did a year at another college before coming here but struggled with how assignment-based it was. The course here is arranged in a simpler way that gives me much more opportunity to get work experience.”
Ruby is another student on our Early Years course and said: “I want to be a teacher in the future so plan to go to university after my studies at college. The T Level gives me so much more work experience, which will be really useful to have ahead of going to university.”
To learn more about T Levels please click here.
For any further queries please contact the College at BeBetter@eastleigh.ac.uk.
It’s International Literacy Day and Eastleigh College has launched a new initiative to promote reading and literary discussion.
Both students and staff are invited to join Eastleigh College’s new ‘I am reading …’ scheme, with a dedicated Google Classroom page having been established. This new forum will give everyone the opportunity to share the book they are currently reading, what the book is about and who would enjoy reading it. This discussion is open to any type of book, whether fiction or non-fiction, on any subject matter.
Students are also encouraged to utilise our library service in the Learner Hub, with over 5000 books to choose from, and new books added on a regular basis.
Charlotte Drury, English Team Coordinator at Eastleigh College, commented: “As English teachers at Eastleigh College we have noticed a decline in our students reading for fun. The skill of reading is essential in life as it helps with the basics of spelling, punctuation and grammar and can also inspire new ideas and ways of thinking. As a team we hope that this initiative will encourage students to realise that there isn’t one type of reader or a right or wrong book to read.”
First launched in 1967, International Literacy Day has become a global celebration of the power of language and the written word. It also serves as a reminder that literacy is fundamentally important to growth and development, while being an intrinsic aspect of basic human rights. This remains particularly significant in 2023, post-COVID-19, with literary engagement, opportunities and funding budgets across the world facing new disruptions and challenges.
According to data from UNESCO, at least one in seven people worldwide above the age of 15 still lacked basic literary skills in 2020 – a figure totalling well over 700 million. 244 million children between 6-18 weren’t enrolled in a school in 2021 while gender learning gaps remain ever present, with women representing over 60% of illiterate individuals worldwide since 2000 – a figure unchanged in 2020.
A code to join the new Eastleigh College Google Classroom can be found signposted in the Learner Hub, or by emailing us here.
For any further queries, please contact us at BeBetter@eastleigh.ac.uk.
Learners across Eastleigh College have been discovering their GCSE results this year, with many success stories realised as results day has unfolded.
GCSE results day is one of the marquee events on the education calendar, the culmination of years of hard work, revision and learning. GCSE qualifications are the foundation for many careers, and a gateway to many further education and higher education opportunities. They also equip individuals with a range of essential life skills that stretch beyond the realms of education. Upon receiving their results today, a number of learners have shared their reactions with us.
Lydia Ncube has been out of education for many years, having originally studied in Zimbabwe, and has successfully passed both her English and maths GCSEs upon her first attempt! She commented: “I’ve realised how important education is to life choices and quality of life. I was so happy to have passed and especially with the grade boundaries more challenging this year! My dream is to have a career in nursing and thanks to these grades I can now study an Access to Nursing course. Thank you to all at Eastleigh College for making this dream possible!”
Some of our learners’ results today have been many years in the making. James Laithwaite successfully passed his maths GCSE after four attempts, and faced multiple comments over the years saying he wouldn’t pass in light of learning difficulties. Such comments have been a driving factor in his perseverance, and he said: “I’m very happy that I’ve passed my maths GCSE, which I have desired for such a long time and now it’s finally come true! I’m so glad that Eastleigh College gave me the opportunity to try again”.
Asmaa Kasem Ali is Syrian and has moved around frequently, having arrived in the UK last year after five years in Germany. Learning and retaining all these different languages has proved an additional challenge on top of managing her GCSEs. In spite of this, she has successfully obtained a Grade 4 in her maths GCSE, an achievement that opens up many doors for her next steps. Asmaa commented: “I enjoyed maths and am relieved to have passed. I don’t have much experience with English which made some of the questions difficult, but I studied hard and particularly enjoyed Geometry. I would like to teach in the future and plan to take an ESOL course next at Eastleigh College.”
For anyone who didn’t get the grades they were expecting, there are a variety of options available that can align with your career plans. For support and guidance, please contact our friendly team at Welcome@eastleigh.ac.uk.
This summer, our students have once again achieved a very successful set of results in their Level 3 courses (equivalent to A-levels). Many of these students are confidently progressing to university as their next step with others going on to high-quality apprenticeships and direct employment in their chosen careers.
Congratulations to all of our Level 3 students and we wish them all the best for their future careers.
Rin, who achieved a triple distinction* in their Level 3 Media course, is now progressing to study BA (Hons) Film Production at Arts University Bournemouth.
Sharing how City College really helped them to prepare for university and their career goals, Rin said: “It has been great to be able to focus on one subject and really put all my effort into something I was passionate about. I enjoyed the live assignments as they helped to put what I had learnt into practice and the work experience was really valuable as well. I feel very prepared for university and my future career.”
Isaac is celebrating achieving distinctions in his Level 3 Production Arts course and is now achieving his career goal of working as a Technician at The Point and The Berry Theatre.
He explained that “The facilities here were superb and second to none, I have been lucky enough to work on a wide range of events and shows. My teacher also taught me the key employability skills needed for this industry and was genuinely an expert which has meant I have not only achieved in my course but I have also gone directly into a full-time position.”
Regina came from St Anne’s Catholic School and is now progressing to Solent University, Southampton to study BA (Hons) Education after completing her Level 3 Childcare & Education (Early Years Educator) course.
About her experience, she shared “I always knew I wanted to work with children and help them develop so this course was perfect for me. The teachers really knew what they were talking about and were passionate about sharing their skills and experience which has really helped me to succeed, I feel very confident going on to university.”
Eastleigh College has enjoyed another strong year of academic performance, with 99% of Level 3 learners successfully passing their course.
In addition to this excellent Level 3 pass rate (which excludes Apprenticeships and subcontracted provision), 100% of Adult learners on a funded course and 100% of distance-based learners have passed on today’s results day. Other highlights include 100% of Level 3 English learners and Level 3 Travel learners successfully obtaining a distinction or merit grade. The College is further seeing a range of success stories as learners prepare to embark on their next career steps.
Harvey Clarke studied a Level 3 Marketing and Event Management course at Eastleigh College and has made strong and consistent development throughout his course, culminating in a DMM grade. Harvey’s strengths lie predominantly in project management and earlier this year he received the prestigious accolade of ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’, and is planning to progress to a degree at Solent University. Harvey said: “This course has been fantastic for me and all the activities and events have helped me develop ambition and endurance. I’m very much looking forward to the next chapter.”
Libby Needs has achieved an A* in Level 3 Childcare in Education at Eastleigh College and has enjoyed a rich variety of work experience during her course, including a placement in a nursery, a placement in reception and most recently a four-week placement teaching in Ghana. Libby has recently returned from Ghana, where she was teaching at both a private and public school, helping children discover new ways of learning. Libby commented: “Teaching in Ghana was an amazing experience and it was so rewarding to help these young pupils, who sadly lack the learning resources, foundations and teaching methods that we have in the UK. The lesson plans I created at Eastleigh College were very helpful during this trip and it gave me the opportunity to put all my training into practice.”
Andrew Kaye, Chief Executive Officer of South Hampshire College Group, said: “The achievement of a Level 3 qualification is one of the most important milestones in a student’s educational journey and can open up many doors for their future career. All the students collecting their results today across South Hampshire College Group should be immensely proud of what they have achieved. We wish all our students the very best of luck for their results and next steps in their educational journey or early career.”
Rosie Sharp, Vice Principal of Eastleigh College, commented: “We are very proud of all our students’ success at Eastleigh College. The achievement of their Level 3 qualifications will be the passport to their next steps into higher education or their early career journey and we wish all of them the very best of luck.”
Professional and technical Level 3 courses present a dynamic alternative to A Levels, offering valuable work placements and industry experience alongside that can propel a student into their future career or higher education study. Level 3 programmes are two years in length, the same as A Levels, and are accredited on the UCAS tariff for entry to university.
More reaction from Level 3 results day can be found on our social media.
For any further queries, please contact the College at BeBetter@eastleigh.ac.uk.
Students from across the newly formed South Hampshire College Group (comprising Fareham College, Eastleigh College and City College Southampton) have achieved a very successful set of results in their Level 3 courses with many of these students choosing to progress to university as their next step.
This summer’s results saw many highlights among the College Group’s academic performance, including a 98% pass rate for students on T Level courses and a 96% pass rate for students on Level 3 qualifications. The group has seen a number of success stories as students prepare to embark on their next steps beyond college.
Nate Stevenson has just completed a T Level in Digital Production, Design and Development at Fareham College, in which they successfully achieved a distinction grade. Nate will now progress to a Level 4 course in Professional Creative Enterprise, which is also at Fareham College and starts later this year. Nate commented: “The T Level is extremely useful for my chosen career, a lot of courses give you the knowledge but the good thing about T Levels are that they give you both the knowledge and the experience to better equip you for your next steps.”
Andrew Kaye, Chief Executive Officer of South Hampshire College Group, said: “The achievement of a Level 3 qualification is one of the most important milestones in a student’s educational journey and can open up many doors for their future career. All the students collecting their results today across South Hampshire College Group should be immensely proud of what they have achieved. We wish all our students the very best of luck for their results and next steps in their educational journey or early career.”
Ashley Martin, Director of Student Experience and Transition at South Hampshire College Group, said: “We are exceptionally proud of the achievements of all our students. The outstanding pass rate across the group is testament to the dedication of students, teaching teams and industry-led facilities, all of which foster a positive learning environment for individuals to excel.”
Professional and technical Level 3 courses present a dynamic alternative to A Levels, offering valuable work placements and industry experience alongside that can propel a student into their future career or higher education study. T Levels incorporate a strong emphasis on work experience, offering a minimum of 315 hours, or 45 days, of on-the-job training. Both Level 3 and T Level programmes are two years in length, the same as A Levels, and both are accredited on the UCAS tariff for entry to university.
To find out more about Level 3 courses and South Hampshire College Group, visit www.shcg.ac.uk.
To learn more about T Levels, please click here.
We are delighted to announce the successful merger of City College Southampton, Eastleigh College and Fareham College which, as of Tuesday 1 August 2023, has become South Hampshire College Group (SHCG).
This merger received a positive endorsement from students, parents, staff and local employers in the public consultation and a recommendation for the go-ahead from the Department for Education (DfE).
Students, apprentices and businesses from across South Hampshire will benefit from a financially strong, responsive and ambitious Further Education organisation; with the vision, resources and expertise to best support the evolving and growing skills demands in the region.
Whilst our group name has changed to South Hampshire College Group, the individual campus names remain unchanged and will retain their important links to local communities.
The newly-appointed CEO of South Hampshire College Group, Andrew Kaye, said: “It’s an exciting new start and will bring many benefits to our students and staff, businesses and local communities.
“We will pool all our resources and expertise to enhance the range and quality of courses in this region. We also look forward to delivering enhanced pathways into higher levels of study and work; increasing the supply of skills; meeting employers’ needs and supporting our region’s economy to grow.
“Our ambition is to create a new and vibrant college, better able to meet the economic and social mobility challenges that the region faces.”
Chair of the new Board of Governors at South Hampshire College Group, Sandra Prail, said: “We are tremendously excited to be at the helm of the new SHCG and our Board members look forward to contributing their expertise and skills from many industry sectors into the new venture.
“I’m positive the students attending courses at our new college will flourish, grow in confidence and ultimately make a real tangible contribution to the local workforce and economy with their skill sets.”
Our new group website is currently under development: www.shcg.ac.uk (new window)
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