Level Three students at Northampton College are ready to make their mark in the workplace, putting into practice everything they have studied on their course to make a difference to their new employers.
Just days after receiving BTEC and T Level results, students are already finding their feet in new jobs – with many securing employment on the back of successful work placements carried out as part of their course.
For aspiring architect Blue Hamed, Northampton College provided firm foundations on which he could build his future career.
A triple distinction star in his BTEC business course has enabled him to accept a place at the prestigious Bartlett School of Architecture and the Built Environment at University College London.
Blue hopes to combine his love of classic architecture styles with a passion for emerging technologies and robotics to bring about change in the industry.
He said: “I have had so many opportunities at Northampton College and I am extremely grateful for the support and guidance I have received from the teaching staff who have allowed me to follow my dream.
“I’m looking forward to now going to the next level and further developing my interest in environmental minimalism, with buildings that are clean, organised but have green space that can psychologically be of benefit for the inhabitants.”
This year’s cohort is the first to complete T Level qualifications at Northampton College and several students have cited the course as a key factor in helping to find immediate employment.
For Daisy Pere, the education and childcare T Level gave her the tools she needed to be able to hit the ground running in her first job. Now working at Caring Kindergarten in Duston, the 18-year-old has been able to call on the experience she gained during placements at Hopping Hill Primary School and Lyncrest Day Nursery to take her new role in her stride.
She said: “My time at Northampton College was very positive and I thoroughly enjoyed the T level course. It was perfect for me as it allowed me to have hands-on working experience in a placement twice a week whilst still coming into college to learn new knowledge and skills that I could then apply practically.
“I enjoyed able to stay at one placement for a longer period of time compared to having several placements, which allowed me to be able to build better bonds with colleagues and attachments with the children and gave me a great sense of what it felt like to work as part of a team in an early years setting.”
A career serving her country awaits for Lily Ager, having passed a T Level in health, on the adult nursing pathway with a merit and earning a place on the Queen Alexandra Royal Army Nursing Corps.
Lily said the course was the “perfect preparation” for her career and added: “Everything that we learnt in year one we were able to put into practice in year two. It was all relevant and meant we were able to crack on with the job as we were confident and well-prepared.
“I spent my placement at Brackley Community Hospital, working alongside the healthcare assistants, and it was a brilliant experience. I’m now really looking forward to the first 13-week phase of my army training, where I’ll be joining a regiment in Winchester, before moving on to the second phase which will be studying a degree in adult nursing at Birmingham City University.”
Jackson Knell has become the first person in his family to secure a place at university having achieved a distinction on the creative media course, overcoming initial difficulties to show great determination to improve. He will now progress to Birmingham City University to study media production.
Fleur Tosney, a 17-year-old musician, photographer, and artist, has thrived during her UAL Level 3 Music Production Diploma and Extended Diploma (Music Tech), blending her creative passions to produce atmospheric music infused with synths and field recordings alongside architectural and portrait photography. Fleur achieved a Distinction and is now looking to work as a freelance multimedia artist while her exceptional talent has been recognised with a nomination for the prestigious UAL Origins Creatives award.
Ammon Follett first joined Northampton College in September 2018 as a Foundation student and has worked his way up through the levels to earn a distinction in Level 3 games design. Ammon produced what his teachers have described as “one of the most technically capable games we have ever seen within the department” and will be returning to the college this September to study HNC games design.
Jason Lancaster, the new Principal of Northampton College, said: “It is extremely pleasing to see the immediate impact our students are having in the workplace and shows that our courses are preparing them for what life is like outside a classroom environment. They are able to roll their sleeves up and get stuck in straight away, confidently displaying the skills that will stand them in good stead for their future careers.
“Whether it is going straight into employment or further study here at college or university, the progression we are seeing in our students is exceptional and we are creating a new generation of tech-savvy, hard-working and ambitious young people capable of making a real difference and meeting the specific needs of local employers.”
