Mersey VQ Champions

Local students from across Merseyside celebrated the inaugural VQ Day this week by highlighting the achievements of students studying vocational qualifications.

Students were chosen by each of the Merseyside colleges as a VQ Champion. Several took part in two radio interviews and a photo opportunity by the Liverpool Echo Arena to mark the occasion.

VQ Day is the first national event that focuses on the people who gain vocational qualifications (VQs) every year, and the people who help them achieve this success. The ten colleges across Merseyside, who provide a huge amount of employment-based courses at various levels and subject areas, came together to highlight the achievements of vocational learners in the region and illustrate the fantastic career opportunities that VQs can lead to.

Colleges across Merseyside boast a wealth of success stories – students who have been successful, reached their potential and achieved their ambitions having undertaken a vocational qualification. They include:

Natalie Bickerstaffe – St Helens College

Natalie came to St Helens College as a VEC student while she was still at school, and sampled a variety of subject areas. Natalie chose Hairdressing, and enrolled onto a level 1 programme when she left school. After successfully completing that, Natalie began her level 2, and is going on to begin the level 3 programme in September.

Julia Bowers – Knowsley Community College (KCC)

Julia joined KCC three years ago and enrolled on the Level 2 Vocational Certificate of Education (VCE) in Childcare. She was very successful on this course, and progressed on to the Level 3 BTEC National Diploma in Early Years. She has achieved a Distinction profile on this course in most of her Units, and will be taking up a place on the Childhood and Youth Studies Degree in Hope University this September.

Julia is a great example of the value and success factor of vocational education, as she has been able to progress to Higher Education in her chosen vocational area with Distinction Grades from a modest GCSE achievement base.

Mark Cody – Liverpool Community College

Mark Cody, 31, traded his steel toecaps for kitchen whites when he embarked on his second career… training to be a chef at Liverpool Community college.

Mark is a dry liner by profession but with work mostly seasonal he came to college to formalise his culinary skills and improve his employment prospects.

Mark now works at the Olive Press in Liverpool city centre and is returning to college to complete the next level of his qualification in September.

Cassia James – Riverside College Halton

Cassia completed the Vocational Training Charitable Trust (VTCT) Level 3 Diploma in Television, Film and Special Effects Make-up and landed a job as a Make Up Artist Assistant on the set of the hit soap opera Hollyoaks.

As well as working with the cast of Hollyoaks, Cassia boast a portfolio of TV work including stints as an assistant make up artist on the teen programme Grange Hill and the BBC period drama Casualty 1907.

Earlier this year she worked as a make up artist for the European opera Emelia De Liverpool in St Georges Hall, Liverpool which was the opening to the Capital of Culture celebrations.

Alison Jones – St Helens College

24 year old Alison began her experience of vocational qualifications as an Interior Design student at St Helens College. On completion of this programme she went on to study the Advanced Vocational Certificate in Education (AVCE) in Business full time.

It was in the final year that Alison started up her first business, an online retailer and wholesaler of exquisitely designed pet wear and accessories. This business is going from strength to strength and expanding all the time. Alison is on the brink of setting up her second company, again online, retailing jewellery, and specifically promoting graduate designers.

Currently, Alison is in the second and final year of a Foundation Degree in Business and Administration and is part of the Kick-Start entrepreneur programme with St Helens Chamber, which means she has received a grant to help fund her business, and has a personal business advisor for two years.

Nic Jones – Riverside College Halton

Nic, 17, from Runcorn, is currently undertaking an apprenticeship in Joinery. After beginning a course in Music Technology course, Nic soon realised this wasn’t for him and chose to follow in his father’s footsteps and work towards a career as a joiner.

Sarah Jane Maher – Hugh Baird College

Sarah has been hugely successful in a subject normally associated with male students. She has broken down such barriers and excelled on an Electrical Installation course.

Through her qualification Sarah worked for an electrical contractor on the Liverpool Echo Arena installing fire alarms and is currently studying Level 3 Electrical Installation.

With the knowledge she has gained during her vocational qualification and the experience gained in the workplace, Sarah hopes to start a family electrical business in the near future.

Jane Peers – Wirral Metropolitan College

After a successful period of work experience in the Contracts office at Wirral Metropolitan College, Jane was offered a three month’s trial with the college. The work experience forms part of the e2e (Entry to Employment) course that the Bromborough student is undertaking at the college. Prior to joining the e2e course Jane achieved a Diploma in Digital Applications for IT (DiDA) and qualifications in First Aid.

Lynn Zullo and Mel Gayton – Riverside College Halton

Former Riverside College students Lynn Zullo and Mel Gayton have opened a Holistic Salon in Warrington town centre after successfully completing vocational qualifications.

Lyn and Mel met whilst studying for their Level 2 certificate in Holistics, Level 3 Diploma in Indian Head and Level 3 Diploma in Health and Safety and Security Standards at Riverside College. As well as gaining their Level 3 Diploma in Aromatherapy and Level 2 in Reki Teacher Training they are both full members of the Federation of Holistic Therapists

Lyn and Mel said; “What we learnt at Riverside College has been invaluable, it made you realise how high the standard in holistic treatments are. Since we opened in January the salon has continued to grow. We now offer a royalty scheme for clients who recommend us to friends.”

Vocational qualifications (VQs) offer a more practical learning programme that relates directly to specific job roles or sectors. Taking a vocational qualification means that you study and gain skills in a particular area. These qualifications follow a course structure and have an emphasis on developing practical skills and knowledge, with assessment by written and practical examinations.

Those who are interested in taking a vocational qualification can contact their local college for more information on the courses offered. To find out more about your local college log on to www.mca.ac.uk where you will find links to the ten colleges across Merseyside.

Ends

For further information contact Dave Scanlan, Marketing Manager at Liverpool Community College, on 0151 252 3181, or Andrew Molyneux, Coordinator of the Merseyside Colleges Association, on 0151 252 3071, or log on to www.mca.ac.uk