Further information on what happens after successfully completing your College course
When it comes to leaving College and moving on – whether that is to continue with your education elsewhere or at university, or whether you are progressing directly into work – North East Scotland College has various arrangements in place to ensure you have the support you need.
On completing your course at North East Scotland College, you may decide that university is the next step for you. Depending on the course you have studied, you could gain direct entry into year two or three of a degree programme. This is something that many students aspire to, so the College has developed strong links with universities across the Scotland.
Many students progress to work or further education upon completion of a course at North East Scotland College, but there are lots of other options you can consider.
We urge past students to keep in touch and update us on further achievements. If you have something you’d like to share then please let us know – it could be anything from securing employment, completing a university degree, winning a competition or award or returning to College!
A Gap Year is an excellent opportunity to develop your personal skills and can be a positive and life-changing experience. It should be well-planned and well thought out, structured and relevant to your future plans. If successful, it can help inform decisions relevant to your future career.
Ensure that you research your options, are aware of possible costs involved and seek advice on the suitability and reliability of the companies offering Gap Year opportunities. Useful websites include:
Gap Advice
Website: www.gapadvice.org
GapGurU
Website: www.gapguru.com
Gapwork
Website: www.gapwork.com
VSO
Website: www.vsointernational.org
Worldwide Volunteering
Website: www.wwv.org.uk
Year Out Group
Website: www.yearoutgroup.org
“When you go into hairdressing at first it may seem very easy. Although you don’t need qualifications it is so much harder than it looks. It’s commitment, it’s hard work, it’s remembering, it’s being creative, it’s always knowing what you want as a finished look. As long as you are prepared for this then I would encourage anyone to go for it.”
“Apart from the obvious of learning how to deal with people professionally, it has also helped me on a personal level with my own self-confidence.”
“As a mature student and a home owner I have been able to work and learn at the same time – if I had returned to full time education then I would have struggled financially. I came away from school with few qualifications and didn’t think that I would go back into education. I always wanted to, but never really had the confidence. This has shown me that I have a huge potential for learning and it’s given me more interest to pick up learning again in the future.”
“For me the benefits of an apprenticeship are that you get hands-on practical experience compared to someone studying at Uni. I’m also earning a wage rather than racking up debt.”
“I wanted a qualification that would prove and support my ability. I chose Logistics Operations as this is the largest part of the role I carry out. I left school and worked my way up so it’s really nice to have a qualification that proves I’m competent in this area.”
“I would love to extend my knowledge of the transport industry in the future – perhaps extra courses or learning on the job. There’s lots of exciting possibilities. From my experience I would definitely recommend an apprenticeship. You gain a qualification at the end of it and there’s all the help and support around you to make sure you succeed.”
“There have been things that I didn’t think I needed to learn about that I have learnt about! It’s helped my day job dramatically – I now feel a lot more confident in what I’m doing. “
“The beauty of a construction apprenticeship it is you can join from school, so you are earning at 16. By the time you’re 20 you’re on a full time wage compared to university which is 4 years, and then you have a traineeship.”
“When I was looking for work I tried office jobs but knew that that just wasn’t for me. When I saw the electrical apprenticeship position advertised with Aberdeenshire Council I applied and was lucky enough to be chosen.”
“I would 100% recommend NESCol. First and foremost for the obvious academic reasons and achieving a qualification. But also for being a stepping stone to lead to other opportunities, professionally and personally. It’s an environment where you’re supported and encouraged to make your own success. With the right attitude and the help of the staff and your peers, you can make that happen. “