There are a number of events that Southwark College is running and participating in for National Apprenticeship Week 2012!

6th Feb - Construction Skills & Careers Event - Open to the general public. Experience professional demonstrations and our learners showcase construction techniques, competitively. There will be some VIPs at this event!

9th Feb - SME Apprenticeship Networking Event - (see above). If you represent a small or medium sized enterprise, come along and see how taking on apprentices can benefit your firm. There will be some free samples at this event!

Plus - MORE TO COME!

Floristry’s Displays Cover Radio Times Party

For a second year running Southwark College’s floristry department has been invited back to create unique floral displays for the Radio Times covers party! The event itself was held at the iconic Claridge's Hotel in London’s West End, celebrating a year of Radio Times issues and giving thanks to those iconic celebrities who have graced its covers.

Our budding florists decorated the ballroom with floral pieces inspired by 1950s Hollywood glamour. Having prepared a week before by creating fans, making streamers and ensuring all equipment and fresh material was packed, the team made four large arrangements which included pink roses and calla lilies adorned with beads, mirrors and feather boas. These were set around the venue and a smaller display was especially designed to be placed in the bar area. The students are all on the level 2 full time Diploma in floristry and the commissioned work is linked with their function decorating unit.

Learners thoroughly enjoyed the day and valued the chance to get creative whilst gaining the experience of helping organise a large scale event. Head of floristry, Louise Roffrey, spoke regarding the day, saying:

“All students were very professional in their approach to the task from the beginning planning stages to the final completed designs and were willing and able to complete all tasks given. The job was challenging as no one had completed designs or orders of this scale, so I am very pleased and proud of their hard work.”

The students’ hard work paid off as they were successfully able to fulfill the client’s request; at the end the BBC event manager and editor of the radio times commented on how fantastic the designs were and said they look forward to seeing us again next year!

PHOTO: Level two floristry students with their floral displays for the Radio Times Covers Party

Merger Information

You can submit your views via the online consultation at Lewisham College and Southwark College consultation or the Skills Funding Agency.

For more information about the merger and how it will affect you visit our microsite or download the consultation document.

Sports Students Secure Work Placements

Students from Southwark College Sports department have secured paid work experience in their field with the help of sports lecturer Isaac Omirin. Four places have been secured so far for learners as part of their Level 2 Sports course. The work experience lasts 7 weeks with the learners having carried out 3 week’s work already.

Olajide, who is currently on the Football Academy course at the college, secured a work placement at the London South Bank University sports centre carrying out duties ranging from sports inductions through to Administration work.

“My time at London South Bank University so far has been excellent. I am getting experience in a work environment which completely took me out of my comfort zone but has given me confidence in working as a team and taking responsibility for my own actions.”

Linh, who is also on the Football Academy course, is working at Surrey Square Primary School and has even had the chance to take classes for the year 1 and 2 students, stating:

“I’m really enjoying it as it’s something completely different from what I would do in college. The experience is very beneficial in many aspects and I’m learning take lessons which I haven’t done before.”

The learners were helped and encouraged by their tutor Isaac Omirin to gain experience in the sports industry, so that the learners would have head start in their future careers.

PHOTO: Left to right - Corey, Linh, Samuel and Olajide

Southwark Sports Update!

The Southwark College basketball team has beaten Bedford College who are currently 2^nd in the league. Southwark College will have to win the rest of their games to take 2^nd place behind a well structured Colchester college team. The race is on for second place as two teams including Southwark College are the same on Wins.

Top Scores against Bedford College 30/11/2011:

Ibrahim Kanu – 28

Artus Vitins – 15

Peter Grumble – 11

Jabbie– 8

As for the Cup, the Southwark College team are doing fantastic. They have beaten every team in the cup and are now through to the 4th round of the cup. They will be playing Oakland College next week to stay in the running for the Cup. “I believe the team can progress all the way into the Finals of the Cup if they stay motivated, focus on the game and play with heart because that is what Southwark College is about” says Coach Isaac Omirin.

The Football team remain unbeaten in their league. “We drew all three games that they have played in the first part of the season and are looking to do a lot better in the 2^nd half of the season" says Coach Jake Heracleous.

Southwark College...You’re Hired!

Southwark College is featured on BBC One’s Young Apprentice.

Did you catch the Young Apprentice this week? Well, keen viewers will have noticed that Southwark College was, in fact, featured in the episode!

The third episode of the spin-off to The Apprentice saw teams competing against one another in rival floristry businesses. In order to set up such a business the teams had to be taught how to select the right flowers and then professionally arrange and display them to maximise profit, win the task and evade the perilous return to Lord Sugar’s boardroom – and ultimately avoid those two words no-one wants to hear...

Southwark College assisted the contestants by providing facilities and training from its award winning floristry department.

We won’t give away who was fired, but it was a close one this week, so check it out on the BBC iPlayer!

Additionally, in January Southwark College will be starting a number of free short courses for adult learners such as those wanting to further their career or to re-skill. These include courses in floristry, business and IT, so call 0207 815 1600 to find out more.

Optimum Results with Customer Service Training

As part of our ongoing relationship with The Shard, this week Southwark College worked alongside Optimum Engineering to develop their customer services program.

As part of our bid to help develop the community through providing relavant training to local people, and due to the success of the first session, Southwark College is now running a further two sessions for Optimum and helping them to develop their Customer Services Charter.

With sustainable relationships, like this, Southwark College aims to open up opportunities to our learners, with future career prospects being available upon qualifying at their respetive courses.

PHOTO: Optimum Engineering managers, L. Paskaleff and T. Chambers after the first run of Customer Services training for Optimum.

Beauty Students Visited by Industry Specialist

Students on the Level 2 Beauty Therapy course were visited by worldwide skincare specialists, Dermalogica, on 20th October. Learners spent the day with Emily, their representative, at the Waterloo Campus who discussed products and demonstrated techniques. In talking with beauty lecturer, Deborah, she stated that “the learners asked lots of intelligent questions and displayed a very good knowledge base”, whilst Dermalogica representative Emily agreed – finding the students to be very polite and enjoying her day with the group.

The learners were shown how to extract comedones (remove blackheads) using the Dermalogica preferred method, which they enjoyed.  They were also shown a demonstration of the treatment and were given a scientific lesson on PH levels in the skin and products.  Students felt the day gave them more confidence to prescribe products to clients and were able to successfully link what they were being shown to information learnt in the classroom.

Many students on the one year course commented that they felt it was a good use of their time; they really loved the session.  They felt that Dermalogica’s Emily gave them an insight into other career avenues they can explore and some of them expressed a real interest in working for the firm. 

Dermalogica will be returning before the learners complete the course for another visit and are also able to offer learners additional training at the Dermal Institute.

Southwark Council has been working hard to set up the Southwark Educational maintenance Supplement in light of the recent removal of the EMA. For those 16 – 18 year olds who meet with a certain criteria, the Southwark Educational Maintenance Supplement can help you to stay at school, college or with a training provider.

Click here for more information

New changes to government funding for Further Education Colleges mean that many learners will be eligible for fee remission. Fee remission means that some or all of your course fee’s will be covered. Course fee’s may include charges for tuition fee’s, Admin fee’s, Materials fee’s and examination fee’s. If you match any of the following criteria, you will be able to benefit from fee remission:

• If you are under 19 on 31st August 2011, all fee’s are covered.
• If you are 19 or over on 31st August 2011 – and unemployed/in receipt of benefits – it is likely that your tuition fee’s will be paid for – you may still have to pay examination/materials fee’s if applicable.
• For those ages 19-24 who are studying at L2/L3 for the first time, Tuition fee’s are likely to be paid for – examination/materials fee’s may still apply.
• Some courses at the college are Full Cost Recovery and do not fall under these new rules and everyone will have to pay full course fee’s – please contact customer services for more info.

If you are 19+ and in receipt of any of the following benefits or have been out of Education for a while you may be eligible for fee remission;

• Housing benefit
• Council tax
• Income Support
• Working Tax Credit
• Pension Credit
• Contribution based ESA (unless in the Work Related Activity)

Please bring proof of benefits along with you when you enrol – this must be dated within 3 months.

Why not give us a call to find out more:
0207 815 1600
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