With school not able to offer the subjects she wanted, Kerin turned to NESCol to continue studying sport and fitness.

Kerin Watt (18) has always been active and passionate about sports. She began dancing when she was only 17 months old and took up running and netball in primary school.

It’s no surprise that Kerin’s love of fitness influenced her choice of subjects at secondary school. However, she was disappointed to find out that her school couldn’t offer her Higher P.E. in fifth year, and the other schools that did were too far away.

After speaking to the careers advisor, she left school under exceptional circumstances.

She said, “Using my qualifications from school, I was able to secure an unconditional offer for the NCFE Level 3 Sport and Physical Activity course at NESCol.

“At first, I was very apprehensive about going to College being so young, but with support and encouragement from family, friends and mentors, I embraced the challenge.”

Studying fitness, health & exercise

Kerin joined NESCol in 2022, and despite her nerves, she settled into College life.

She said, “I was the youngest in my class, and it was also a male-dominated course – I was one of only three women. It was daunting to begin with, but I became friends with the other girls.

“The sports lecturers were all really supportive and I managed to achieve a distinction in this course!”

After completing her NCFE Level 3, Kerin moved on to HND Fitness, Health & Exercise and continued to thrive, securing A grades in her graded units in both Year 1 and 2.

She said, “College has given me a lot of confidence. It’s gone by so quickly!

“One of my favourite parts of the HND was the live client work. I worked with a lecturer who had recently retired and had a weight loss goal. We focused on her reaching 10k steps a day and resistance training, and I was delighted that she managed to achieve her goal.”

Volunteering and achievements

Kerin enjoys keeping busy, and this extended beyond her coursework. As well as being a Class Rep during her time at College, Kerin also received recognition for her volunteering efforts.

She said, “I am so proud of my achievements to date. I was nominated for Young Coach/ Young Volunteer of the Year at the Aberdeen Sport Awards in 2024, and I also received a Platinum Award from Active Schools Aberdeen for completing 150 hours of volunteering.”

Kerin recently started seasonal work with Sport Aberdeen, coaching children’s holiday camps. She still volunteers with Active Schools as much as she can, going into schools and running activities for breakfast, lunch and after school clubs.

She said, “I also help with ASN sessions, where the pupils come in and get to do what they want with the equipment. I really enjoy these sessions – they’re challenging but really rewarding.

“I like to fill my time, and I’m known for being someone who will reply straight away and say yes to helping out if I can.”

Next steps

Kerin graduated with her HND from NESCol at the Music Hall on Tuesday 7 October 2025.

Although she originally planned to go straight into third year of a BSc (Hons) Sports Coaching degree at Robert Gordon University (RGU), she has deferred entry for a year. During this time, she hopes to gain more experience and earn some more money before continuing her education.

After university, Kerin aspires to have a career in sport and fitness.

She said, “I would like to work for Active Schools full-time as I love working with kids. However, I have also considered returning to NESCol one day as a sports lecturer!”

Advice for students

Kerin would encourage younger students to consider College as an alternative pathway.

She said, “I didn’t know if College was the right thing for me because I was so young, but the sports lecturers are so welcoming and they’re always happy to help.

“It has been tough, and I have faced many challenges along the way being the youngest class member and studying a subject which is often male-dominated, but this made me even more determined to succeed.

“I am so glad I chose this route and now have the option to enter third year of a very exciting degree in the future.”

Study sport and fitness at NESCol

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