An increasing number of students are engaging in a widening range of vocational training seminars, reflecting a strong commitment to developing practical, real-world skills. These hands-on opportunities equip learners with tangible evidence of engagement, supporting future applications for apprenticeships and progression to Higher Education.
One of the most significant developments this year has been within the Engineering department, which has introduced two innovative short courses. Launched in November, the new Aeronautical Club consisted of a series of three workshops offering students an introductory insight into the aeronautics industry and its impact on everyday life. The course explored key themes including aeronautics, robotics, mathematics and artificial intelligence. This was followed in January by the introduction of Cardboard Modelling Engineering, a course designed to develop conceptual modelling skills such as biomimetics and reverse engineering, running throughout the month.
Alongside these initiatives, demand for British Sign Language courses has continued to grow. Increased student interest has resulted in the addition of a third course, scheduled to begin in early February. All vocational seminars are delivered by VANTAGE Education and led by the highly experienced and dynamic tutor, Dr Mary Ann-Preece.
Student participation across these programmes demonstrates a high level of commitment, with each course requiring six hours of training. With 85 students currently enrolled across five courses, this represents an impressive total of approximately 510 hours of vocational learning to date.
Further strengthening the vocational offer, long-standing partner ANUBIS Training will deliver Trauma First Aid seminars. Twelve students completed training in January, with additional sessions planned for March and during IMPACT week.
Participation in these programmes has the potential to be truly transformational, giving young people a valuable head start and enabling them to achieve and thrive in an increasingly competitive world.
Building on the success of this year, Hereford Sixth Form College is already looking ahead to further expand its vocational training provision!
