Having studied ESOL and Fashion Business courses at NESCol, Flavio is now at university and plans to start his own fashion brand one day.

Flavio Silva (28) is originally from Portugal and previously lived in London. While he was based in the capital, he didn’t speak much English and worked as a cleaner until his friend made the move up to Aberdeen.

Flavio said, “I decided to join my friend and move for a better quality of life. The cost of living in London meant that I would have to choose between studying English or working.”

Flavio relocated to Aberdeen in December 2019 and joined NESCol in 2021 to improve his English. He enrolled on the part-time Pre-Intermediate ESOL course first, before progressing to the Intermediate level.

He said, “The ESOL courses helped me a lot. They gave me more confidence and improved my communication skills.

“Studying English in Portugal was different to learning here. You have more opportunities to learn and you’re speaking the language on a regular basis.”

Fashion Business

Having built up his English language skills, Flavio decided to continue studying at NESCol. He had an interest in design but was unsure what course to choose.

He said, “I considered both Fashion Business and Photography, so I spoke to the Curriculum Manager who helped me choose between the two. I’ve always loved fashion, so I thought I would give Fashion Business a go.

“Learning English and studying were hard at the beginning as I had both Portuguese and English in my head at the same time!”

Flavio studied SCQF Level 6 Introduction to Fashion Business in 2023, and HNC Fashion Business the following year.

He said, “I enjoyed learning more about the fashion industry, studying topics such as fashion history and visual merchandising. It helped guide me towards what I want to do in the future.”

Studying at NESCol

Flavio embraced student life and volunteered as Class Representative during the Level 6 course.

He worked on some exciting projects as part of his coursework, including creating a window display for a new Louis Vuitton candle and designing a Mother of the Bride collection inspired by Lisbon’s iconic blue and white ceramics.

His class also had the chance to visit the Gucci store in Edinburgh on a trip, and Flavio focused on the brand for his Fashion Forecasting project.

Flavio was impressed by the support he received during his time at College.

He said, “You guys have the best facilities and support. I found that all my lecturers were really nice and supportive, and the mental health support was also really good.

“The Mac labs were great for my digital design work, and the library was another useful resource.”

Next steps

Flavio graduated from NESCol with his HNC at the Music Hall on 7 October 2025. Through the RGU Degree Link programme, he has just started Year 2 of a BA (Hons) Fashion Management degree. He also recently attended Lisbon Fashion Week (ModaLisboa) and one day, wants to start his own brand.

Flavio said, “It’s early days, but I’m really liking it – although I miss College so much!

“We’re learning similar topics to what was covered in College, and I’m enjoying it.

“In the future, I want to work in the fashion industry and run my own brand. I plan to take as many skills away as possible from my degree and grow my confidence, so I’m ready to start my own business.

“I would like to design women’s clothing collections, as I find the styles much more fun – I particularly love dresses.”

Advice for other students

Flavio’s advice is “to never give up and always believe in your dreams.”

He also said, “Be consistent and focused and keep doing your best each day. Take as many notes as possible and be positive – you’ll get there.”

Study at NESCol

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