City of Bristol College students have wowed organisations from the local business community in an event aimed at simulating the real working environment.
College students from a variety of vocational courses were invited to reply to job advertisements and, from these applications, ten students were selected to go forward to the interview stage. The event was organised in partnership with Working Knowledge, a social enterprise organisation dedicated to opening the eyes of business to young talent available locally.
Local business experts, drawn from industry sectors related to the students’ courses, conducted ten interviews lasting ten minutes each. They put the students through their paces, showing them what they can expect from the interview process when they apply for real jobs.
Among the participants were George Woolston and Natalie Baxter, both studying a BTEC in Catering and Hospitality. George commented: “I want to do a management training programme after my course with a large hotel. This event has given me valuable experience of what it’s like to apply for jobs and I now feel better prepared for interviews when I apply.”
“My interview went really well”, said 18 year old student Natalie. “I prepared beforehand, with a CV and a covering letter, and I got really positive feedback. There is a possible supervisor job becoming available at my part-time job and I now feel like I have the confidence to go for it after my course.”
The event was held at Business Environment’s Bristol Temple Meads Centre. Stacey McCarthy, Centre Manager, commented: “There’s a great deal of doom and gloom in the media at the moment about youth unemployment so initiatives like this, which really try to prepare young people for the world of work, are hugely positive. We’re delighted that we were able to host such a successful event at our Temple Meads centre and look forward to any future collaborations with the young people of Bristol.”
“This was an amazing chance for our students to gain some of experience and knowledge with local business leaders of what it is like in the industry when applying for jobs”, said Ajay Sarda, Head of Vocational Studies at City of Bristol College’s Sixth Form Academy.
By taking part in this process, students to gain a real insight into the world of work, which perfectly complements the skills they are developing on their vocational courses.”
To find out more information on vocational courses at the College visit www.cityofbristol.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
City of Bristol College
Over the last few years City of Bristol College has emerged as one of the region’s leading education providers. Major expansion and management restructuring has created a further and higher education college at the forefront of its field.
One of the largest further education colleges in the UK, City of Bristol College offers over 1,000 courses at all levels for both 16-19 year olds and adult learners. Currently catering for more than 30,000 students and employing over 2,200 staff, the College delivers a significant majority of the post-16 educational provision in the greater Bristol area.
For further information about City of Bristol College visit www.cityofbristol.ac.uk
For more information please contact Samantha Cordrey on 07795 318685 or email news@cityofbristol.ac.uk
