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Students from our Hair and Beauty department have been competing in the WorldSkills regional finals this week, creating a full make up look, along with an outfit and hair style to match the theme of ‘out of the box’.

WorldSkills is a prestigious global organisation which gives talented students the opportunity to compete against other colleges and learning providers within their vocational field. The competition gives learners the chance to represent the UK in WorldSkills competitions around the world.

All Hair and Beauty students were registered for the initial first round, where they had to complete their looks in a competition environment within the college before having their work emailed to the judges for consideration.

Several students were then selected to compete in the regional finals where they had to perform their look within one and a half hours via Zoom, with the judges watching.

The learners also had to email a photo of their look alongside a picture of their mood boards. Entries will now be judged with eight national finalists, selected from colleges across the UK, announced in August.

Our entries for the Commercial Make Up competition can be found below:

Hayley Grimsaw Lord
Level 2 Hair and Media Make Up

Grace Edwards
Level 2 Hair and Media Make Up

Jamie Fowell
Level 2 Hair and Media Make Up

Isabele Thompson
Level 2 Hair and Media Make Up

Mazie Williams (known as Syd)
Level 3 Theatrical Hair and Media Make Up

We’d like to say a huge congratulations to all participants on getting so far and wish them all the best of luck for the next stage!

To find out more about WorldSkills, please click here, or to browse our hair and beauty courses, click here.

Earlier this year the School of Access was able to secure a voluntary position for one college student to gain valuable research experience with Wirral Ark during the summer holidays, before heading off to university, as part of the college’s strategy of helping students to think about ‘careers not courses’.

There were a number of applications for the role, but Joe Halliday was selected, with Wirral Ark stating that Joe’s “enthusiasm shone through and so did his drive to take the steps needed for his future career”.

Having studied on our Access to HE Diploma in Social Science, Joe will now embark on a piece of research looking into the effects of the pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns upon the lives of homeless people.

It is thought this will be the first piece of research of its kind in the UK, with Joe interviewing service users at a number of Wirral Ark hostels, and also key workers to establish the impact of the lockdown on the country’s most marginalised people.

Joe hopes to progress to Liverpool University to study Psychology in September and is on course to complete his Access Diploma with all distinctions, which is a remarkable achievement given the difficulties we have experienced this year.

This opportunity will give him a vital insight into social research and show how organisations work with people who have a diverse range of complex needs; an experience that will no doubt help Joe in his ultimate career goal of becoming a clinical psychologist.

Joe visited the Wirral Ark charity on 1st June to have his first meeting with the Head of Fundraising and Development, Jacqueline Snell, who said:

“Covid-19 has been an extraordinary time and it has introduced even more pressures to Wirral Ark’s frontline services. The impact on homeless people who are some of the most at risk of exposure to Covid-19 and its effects has been devastating.

“Joe has shown incredible energy, enthusiasm and commitment to undertake this research and we’re really excited to be working with one of The City of Liverpool College’s students to highlight the impact of Covid-19 on the homeless population. This research will support us to develop new services and give a voice to homeless people, to share their experiences and hopes for the future.”

When asked about the opportunity, Joe said:

“Working with Wirral Ark is going to be an invaluable opportunity for me in respect of both my goals and aspirations, as well as my general life experience. I want to be a clinical psychologist in the future, so opportunities like this can do nothing but help me going forward, by providing me with crucial experience I will need both in university and in any future career. I am massively grateful to the college for providing me with such an opportunity, and I know how lucky I am to be able to work with a charity as fantastic as this one!”

To find out more about Wirral Ark and the work they do, click here, or to find out about our Access to HE courses, click here.

Gillian Keegan MP, Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills, visited The City of Liverpool College’s Arts Centre campus this week, home to the UK’s first further education Creative and Digital Academy.

The minister was interested to see the College’s newly refurbished premises, following recent investment of £3 million, £2.5 million of which was awarded by government following a successful capital bid in 2019. The investment has been used as part of the College’s mission to continuously innovate and provide world class facilities for its students, ensuring they leave college ‘work ready’ with specialist skills relevant to thriving and emerging sectors.

In her role, Gillian is jointly responsible for post-16 education strategy alongside the Minister of State for Universities, and oversees the development of T-Levels, which are due to be offered at The City of Liverpool College for the first time in September 2022.

During her visit, the minister met with students from the College’s prestigious Royal Academy of Culinary Arts apprenticeship programme as well as several health and social care cadets who have spent time on care work placements during the Covid pandemic, before taking a tour of the centre’s state-of-the-art facilities.

The tour took Gillian to the performance theatre, to meet some of the College’s rising stars, and to the new TV studio, where students demonstrated live event broadcasting and showcased footage of construction and engineering practical work filmed at the College’s Vauxhall Road campus, dedicated to technical and enterprise course provision. The final part of the visit took place in the College’s brand-new motion capture suite, where students demonstrated the latest in cutting-edge digital, computing and games design technologies.

The Arts Centre has established itself as the leading arts teaching and learning institution on Merseyside, providing state-of-the-art resources to equip learners with the skills needed to be successful in an ever-evolving digital economy.

The minister, who grew up in Knowsley, Merseyside, attended St Augustine of Canterbury Secondary School in Huyton as a child, which has since been renamed St Thomas Becket Catholic High School.

She started her career aged 16 as an apprentice at a car factory in Kirkby and is now the acting Member of Parliament for Chichester, and Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Apprenticeships and Skills, the first former apprentice to hold the role.

Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills Gillian Keegan said:

“It was such a pleasure to visit the City of Liverpool College. With state-of-the-art virtual reality technology and access to high-tech industry standard media facilities, it was amazing to see how the college is working with local businesses to train the talented and highly skilled workforce of the future.

“The students’ passion for where their skills will take them was truly inspiring to hear whether on stage, behind the screen or designing the video games of tomorrow.”

Elaine Bowker, Principal and Chief Executive at The City of Liverpool College, said:

“We were delighted to host the Minister at our Creative and Digital Arts Centre campus today. We welcome every opportunity to showcase our outstanding campuses and the fantastic work our students are doing, particularly after a year of so many challenges. Our students were pleased to speak to the Minister about their experiences and aspirations, and we are grateful to the Minister for spending so much time with each of them during a very enjoyable visit.”

To find out more about courses at our Creative and Digital Academy, please click here.

In June, we celebrate Pride Month, an event dedicated to celebrating LGBTQ+ communities all around the world. We also celebrate the creation of a new group, put together by students at the college, which launches at the Learning Exchange on Thursday 10^th June at 4:30pm – 5:30pm.

To tell us more, we speak to Jacob Reilly, a Creative Media Production student, who played a part in forming the group. Together with his fellow students, they’ve decided to name the group ‘True Colours’.

What have you enjoyed about your time at the college so far?

I have enjoyed being part of creating something that could possibly outlast my time at the college and that will help to support future LGTBQ+ students long after I’m gone.

What exactly is ‘True Colours’ and how did you get involved?

The True Colours social group has been created to provide a safe space for students, who fall under the LGBTQ+ bracket, to go and make friends. There have also been talks of us getting in guest speakers from the LGBTQ+ community in future meetings, so that should be something to look forward to.

I personally got involved as a way of coming to terms with my own sexuality, and to also help in the journey I’m going through in trying to accept it myself.

Where did the name for the group come from?

The name was created as a direct reference to the different colours featured within the pride flag, but also as a reference to what we hope this group will become, as showing your true colours is seen as being open and honest both with yourself and with others. By revealing your true colours, you are breaking down the facade used when you’re not in a safe space.

Why is it important to have this group?

It’s really important to have this group, to give people a place where they can feel comfortable being themselves, and not feel the need to hideaway.

What’s the college like when it comes to LGBTQ+?

In my personal experience the college is very inclusive when it comes to the LGBTQ+ community, it just needed this one thing which we are now focusing on through the Students’ Union.

What is the support network like for LGBTQ+ students?

The support network in the college is good, but we’re hoping it can become even better by adding this group as an extra network, to further support LGBTQ+ students.

What does pride mean to you?

Pride to me means being proud of who you are, and not being afraid to show it. A way of saying this is me and I’m happy with it.

How can other students get involved?

Other students can get involved by coming to our social group, the next one is Thursday 10th June at 4.30pm in the Learning Exchange (LEX), or by joining Microsoft Teams group.

The link below is for the Students’ Union’s Linktree, where you can access the Teams group. This is also accessible by scanning the QR code featured on posters around the college: linktr.ee/Colcsu 

This week is Carers Week, an annual event that raises awareness of caring, highlighting the challenges that unpaid carers face and recognising their contribution to families and communities throughout the UK. On Tuesday 8^th June we also recognise National Young Carers Day.

It is estimated that there are currently more than six million unpaid carers in Britain who are looking after a parent, partner or family member, and many of these are young people.

We’re proud to have many young carers currently studying at the college, as well as many who have graduated and progressed into successful and rewarding careers over the years.

Our teaching and dedicated support team of safeguarding, mental health and wellbeing professionals work hard to ensure that being a carer doesn’t prevent young people from accessing an education and opportunities that our college provides. The college is also working towards the Carer’s Federation quality standard in Carer Support for Young Adult Carers.

We have a number of events taking place throughout the week aimed at raising awareness of the role young carers play and support those carers who are currently studying with us at the college. The events are free to attend, so come and say hi…

“Being a young carer can be a daunting, scary but deeply rewarding role. The people you look up to and seek guidance from now need you to help them. It can make you grow up quickly; it can feel too quickly at times. For me, it felt like the family dynamics had changed; parenting the parent as it were. There were a lot of changes and we struggled, but we got through it as a family. A good sense of humour, resilience and love got us through some really dark times.

“A good support network and communication helped us through it, and will help you too, whether it’s friends, family, or specialist organisations like Barnados. Without the support of others, I would have struggled a lot during my A-Levels. Caring for a parent can be emotionally demanding as well as demanding on your time. So, sticking as much as possible to a routine was crucial in my education. Having teachers and other staff who were understanding of my situation also gave me the breathing room I needed to produce the best work I could.

“With their support, things can get better. You should never feel guilty for any of the emotions you feel, positive or negative, we are all human. Always talk about your feelings and don’t carry this alone, each out because I know you may be scared or angry. Yes, angry, it’s ok to feel that too. Things can get better, and you are doing an amazing job and I’m sure the person you are caring for thinks you are an amazing person for doing what you are for them.”

– Young carer and former college student.

If you’d like to access further resources for young carers, please click here.

The City of Liverpool College has partnered with virtual reality (VR) developer, Viz Box Ltd, to create a VR experience for children to help reduce anxiety, improve mental health, and develop motor and concentration skills, as a cost-effective solution for use in hospitals and primary schools. 

Students on the College’s Digital Games Design & Development course were tasked with the live brief with Viz Box, to help create a virtual reality app that replicates a sensory room – an effective tool often used to support children. 

Whilst incredibly useful in child support, sensory rooms can often be expensive for organisations to install and maintain. As part of the project, students worked as a team alongside industry experts at Viz Box – including previous College alumni, Liam Heron – to create the app, which will enable organisations to provide a sensory experience by purchasing a headset, avoiding the need for additional space, equipment and technology.  

Students used the College’s new cutting-edge motion capture suite and VR studio for further development of the app, which will be rolled out in a future version to engage even more with local primary schools. 

Steph Doyle, Head of The City of Liverpool College’s Digital Academy, said: 

“At The City of Liverpool College, as well as high-quality teaching, one of our top priorities is providing our students with the real world skills they need to secure future jobs in the industry. It’s not just about courses, it’s about careers and setting them up for successful, fulfilling futures. This project has allowed our students to apply the skills they have learnt with us to a setting they may not have expected, demonstrating how transferrable the techniques and knowledge they gain with us are. 

“Given the current climate, it has never been more important for us to ensure our students are industry ready. Through fantastic partnerships such as this, we can be sure that they will hit the ground running.” 

Liam Heron, App Developer at Viz Box, said: 

“As an ex-student of The City of Liverpool College, it was great to come back with a project from Viz Box, to work alongside the students on this Sensory VR. 

“Students had great ideas for new features and models, but the COVID-19 pandemic made it more difficult to execute due to all work being done remotely. However, we were able to work around this through the use of online project management tool, Discord. Students were able to send over their work and I was then able to add it to the project, which was an effective way of working. 

“Lockdown rules are starting to ease up and we are really excited to make use of the motion capture suite offered by the College, to make some unique animations for a specific idea we have in the pipeline. Watch this space!” 

To find out more about courses at our Digital Academy, click here.

Our HNC and HND Photography students have this week launched a very special online exhibition, highlighting their final project work and celebrating the achievement of completing their courses.

Life Or Something Like It Photography Exhibition

The exhibition website features work from the classes of 2020/2021, who have navigated an extremely difficult year and have really risen to the challenge to create some fantastic work for you all to enjoy.

Course tutor, Jen Newton-Prosser, who organised the exhibition, said:

“I am unbelievably proud of the HNC & HND Photography students. During their entire time with us we have been in some form of a lockdown, whether that be on a national or regional level. For some of them, this is their second online exhibition as we are yet to be able to host an end of year show in person for them!

“As difficult as it has been, they have not let it stop them. They have risen to the challenge, often stripping back their approaches and focusing on more simplistic aspects of photography. We always try to find the positives in HE Photography and who knows, maybe these restrictions have inspired some of our students to create something new. 

“They have produced some fantastic work and we are really pleased to share it with you all!”

As part of their final assignment evaluations, each of our students have also included a short survey to gather feedback and they’d really appreciate it if you could take the time to comment.

Please keep an eye out for a separate show dedicated to our degree level students coming up soon too!

To view the exhibition, please click here.

This year’s Mental Health Awareness Week takes place from Monday 10^th May and we have a range of events planned to increase awareness of this subject and to highlight the services and support available at the college.

The health and wellbeing of our staff and students is always an upmost priority to everyone at The City of Liverpool College. Throughout the week, we’ll be talking about the leading mental health organisations we work with, offering wellbeing tips via our social media channels and showcasing the fantastic work of our support staff who play a vital role in helping students during their time with us.

We’ll also be creating 50 wellbeing packs and sending them to students, and will have stalls in each of our five city centre campuses to promote college support services and our Students’ Union programmes. You’ll find our team at the following centres between 12pm and 1pm:

Monday 10th – The Arts Centre

Tuesday 11th – Duke Street

Wednesday 12th – Clarence Street

Thursday 13th – Vauxhall Road

Friday 14th – The Learning Exchange (LEX)

Students can also keep an eye out for a very special competition on our Students’ Union Instagram account (@COLCSU), where we’ll be looking for the best nature photos, with the winner receiving a £25 voucher for Liverpool ONE. Meanwhile, college staff are invited to attend an online mindfulness session, and will also be able to take part in mental health training tutorials

We have further activities being planned by our Level 1 Health and Social Care students, including displays, leaflets, poetry, and daily mindfulness exercises, so keep an eye out for more soon!

To find out about mental health and the support available at the college, please visit our Student Wellbeing Hub: https://www.liv-coll.ac.uk/life-at-the-college/student-support-and-wellbeing/

What is Access to HE?

Our Access to Higher Education (HE) diplomas have been designed for learners who are either returning to education or have left school without the qualifications required to be able to progress on to higher education and university.

The courses provide students with a good level of understanding about their chosen subject to prepare them for an undergraduate degree at university and come with UCAS tariff points to help them secure their place.

Who is Access for?

Access to HE Diplomas are available for anyone aged 19 and over. So if you have left school without A Levels (or an equivalent) but decide you want to go to university, Access to HE Diplomas could be the perfect solution. The qualification is designed to allow learners to go on to study at degree level or progress in their employment.

Is Access suitable for older students?

Absolutely! Access to HE Diplomas can be an ideal route back into education for mature students. We know that re-entering education after any period away can be daunting and we will make sure you get the support you need whilst studying at the college to help you to achieve your full potential.

How long does the course take?

All of our Access to HE courses take one year of full-time study to complete.

How much study time is required?

Typically, students who are completing the Diploma spend around 12 hours per week studying, so it can easily be studied alongside other commitments. We also offer our allied health Access course as an evening class.

Is Access recognised by universities?

Access to HE courses are widely recognised by UK universities as an alternative to ‘traditional’ qualifications for entry into undergraduate degree courses. In fact, many universities across the UK are directly involved in the creation of courses and many actively encourage applications from Access to HE Diploma holders.

How many UCAS points are they worth?

UCAS tariff points are hugely important for getting into university. For an Access to HE Diploma, UCAS tariff points are anywhere between 48 and 144 points, depending on the grade you receive. It’s therefore possible for Access courses to generate the same amount of UCAS points as A Level or BTEC courses.

What does the course include?

All Access to HE courses are designed to equip students for university level study in a specific subject or subject area. The content will therefore vary on the subject area you choose, but all courses will generally provide you with the knowledge and skills required for university and equip you with the study techniques required to be successful at that level.

How does it compare to A Levels or BTEC?

Just like A-Levels and BTECs, our Access to HE Diploma is a full Level 3 qualification, so it meets the same academic demands.

How is the Access to HE Diploma assessed?

Units are formally assessed in a variety of ways. This may include exams and portfolio work, depending on the Diploma.

What subjects are available as an Access to HE course?

We offer a variety of Access to HE courses, including:

– Allied Health Professions and Nursing

– Business & Finance

– Engineering

– Humanities

– Professions in Teaching and Education

– Science

– Social Science

– Law and criminal justice

What is the success rate like?

Last year, Access to Higher Education had a pass rate of 99.5%.

91% of last year’s Access who applied for university were successful in securing a place, most of them (83%) went onto study at universities in the North West, with 71% joining universities based in the Liverpool City Region.

What subjects could I go onto study at university after my Access course?

Here are some of the subjects our students from last year (2020-2021) have gone onto study at university:

Who is the college’s awarding body for Access to HE courses?

We work with Ascentis, an award-winning provider of cutting-edge qualifications for education, training and business in the UK and overseas. To find out more about them, visit: https://www.ascentis.co.uk/qualifications/access-to-higher-education

How can I find out more about Access to HE courses?

To find out more about our course options and to begin your application, please click here.

A new collaboration between Vital Energi and The City of Liverpool College is set to deliver bespoke renewable energy and heat network apprenticeship programmes.

The new apprenticeship programmes demonstrate Vital’s commitment to developing the key industry skills required to achieve net zero and create a sustainable workforce for the future.

Having pledged to recruit 20 apprentices across the UK, Vital are proud to be joining forces with The City of Liverpool College, which will deliver the curriculum from the £2m state-of-the-art Training Academy located at Vital’s Blackburn headquarters, for two pathways: Craft and Technical.

Both pathways will take apprentices on an energy journey where they will learn and work within the renewable energy and heat networks market. They will discover how energy is generated and distributed, and how to manage and reduce consumption for residential and commercial clients. Apprentices will also learn how carbon emissions are reduced through Vital’s renewable technologies and the innovative products they have developed.

The programmes will be delivered via a blended mix of virtual online teaching and a minimum of 25 days curriculum learning each year within the Training Academy. Apprentices will spend the majority of their time on-site working on exciting projects, where they will pick up a wealth of skills through hands-on experience and support from Vital’s experienced and knowledgeable team.

Vital Energi’s Manging Director for the North & Scotland, Mike Cooke, completed an apprenticeship at The City of Liverpool College and he believes this formed a great foundation for his successful career path.

“I loved the apprentice programme at The City of Liverpool College,” said Mike. “At 18 years old this was my first opportunity to experience independence and life in the city. My apprenticeship provided me with social, interpersonal, and technical skills which have been the platform of my career, and even though the pay was significantly less than Vital’s offer today, I’ve been able to progress through my career without being saddled with tuition fees and student loans. A real and genuine upside.

Liverpool City Region has an ambition to reach net zero carbon by 2040 and The City of Liverpool College is focussed on developing its curriculum around the needs of industry, creating a workforce for the future by developing the skills needed to enter the world of work in sustainable careers.

Sophie Park, Director of Workforce Skills at The City of Liverpool College, said:

“Our partnership with Vital Energi is built on the knowledge and skills of its engineers and our innovative curriculum leaders at The City of Liverpool College. Working with progressive, exciting organisations such as Vital Energi helps us to continue to innovate and provide our students with the skills they need to enter the workforce and forge successful, sustainable careers.

“This new state of the art training centre will play an essential role in developing the skills needed to deliver our low carbon future.”

“Vital are forward-thinking, agile and strategic in the deployment of our resources,” added Mike. “As we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, 2021 creates an opportunity to support apprentice recruitment and shape the workforce of the future, enabling a journey to net zero for our customers and the UK as a whole.

“We’re really excited to be working with The City of Liverpool College to deliver our new renewable apprenticeships, and we’re looking forward to welcoming our first cohort in September.”

During the three-year Craft programme, apprentices will study for a Level 3 Building Services Engineering Craftsperson qualification. They will learn a range of key skills from pipework fabrication and jointing techniques such as electro fusion jointing, to welding, the installation of plumbing and heating systems, and more.

At the end of the Technical programme, apprentices will achieve a Level 3 Building Services Design Technician qualification, after developing their understanding of building services design principles. As well as using project management systems to ensure timeframes and budgets are adhered to, apprentices will work alongside the commercial team to understand contractual agreements and review the financial performance of a project, produce technical reports, plus more.

Vital Energi are working on nationwide projects and are looking to recruit apprentices from all over the UK. The curriculum learning will take place in the North West, so depending on your location, this may require residential attendance which will be funded by the company.

For more information about Vital Energi’s apprenticeship programmes, visit: www.vitalenergi.co.uk/careers/apprenticeship-programmes/