FURTHER education is a valuable route to employment for ambitious young people, according to a leading educationalist.
Principal and chief executive of South Eastern Regional College (SERC) Ken Webb was speaking as one of his students secured his dream job with Montupet.
It was the skills and experi-ence gained whilst studying at the college which enabled Ryan Clarke to land the lucrative post as apprentice mechatronics engineer.
Ryan, who graduated in September with an HND in general engineering, believes his time at SERC prepared him for the role that lies ahead.
He said: “I applied for the apprentice programme on completion of my HND and had it not been for the encouragement of my tutors and the skills I gained during my studies, I may not have even considered applying for it.
“I am 100% sure that without doing this course, I would not have got this apprenticeship. It just goes to show that a few months hard work within the right course can get you your dream job. With the support of the teaching staff, I really learnt what I needed to secure a great future. This was more than just a normal course; it teaches you how to apply your skills and prepares you for life after education.”
In particular Ryan said graduates of SERC are at an advantage having worked on real life industry projects as part of their studies.
James Hegarty Montupet (UK) Ltd training manager said: “During the interview we asked Ryan about his experience and how his study had prepared him for this role. It was clear from the start that he knew what he was talking about, providing detailed answers to our questions. He was an obvious choice for us and we are sure he will be successful in his new job.”
SERC principal and chief executive Ken Webb said: “I am extremely happy for Ryan. He is a great example of how students can embrace what the further education sector has to offer and directly benefit from it.
“Ryan’s success proves that further education is a valuable route to employment for ambitious young people and I hope this success encourages other young people to consider further education when considering their future career choices. We wish him the best of luck for this much deserved apprenticeship.”
Last year 96% of SERC students found employment or embarked on further study on completion of their qualification.
For more information of courses visit www.serc.ac.uk