“I'm currently studying the Level 3 Advanced Technical Diploma in Health Care and have applied, through UCAS, for Adult Nursing to start in September 2018.

So far, I have received 2 offers from Northumbria University and the University of Manchester. I feel my learning is very vocational and the strong placement component has helped me prepare for not only my University course but for a career in Nursing in the future.”

- Bethany, Level 3 Advanced Technical Diploma in Health Care, Newcastle College

“My favourite units were safeguarding and I have really enjoyed Models of Healthcare and Science for Health this year. I think work placement across the two years was the most valuable part of the course because it has confirmed to me what I want to do in the future. My placement at the hospital gave me an insight into my chosen career and gave me the opportunity to gain basic clinical skills which I can now develop in the future.

The assessments are varied which has allowed opportunity to show strengths in different areas. I particularly enjoyed the professional discussions as I feel it enhanced my confidence. The course as a whole has prepared me for University and I have thoroughly enjoyed it”.

- Ella, Level 3 Advanced Technical Extended Diploma in Health and Care student, West Suffolk College

“This course provides a broad base of understanding and develops transferable skills such as working independently and as part of a team. The knowledge and understanding students develop enables them to make judgements through analysis and evaluation of vehicle problems."

- Paul Saluk, Automotive Engineering-Lead Teacher, Ashfield School

"We started delivering the City & Guilds Technical Qualification in September 2016 at our brand new school, London Design & Engineering UTC. The qualification is a clear, concise and technical one which covers the right amount of theory and practical which allows learners to be engaged and link the learning to the bigger picture, to the real work-life. The support given by City & Guilds is incredible, there are allocated Technical Advisors who can help develop your SoW to suit your learners.

Employer engagement has been our biggest success with our learners. At London Design & Engineering UTC, we have been fortunate enough to build strong links with prestige companies such as Multiplex, Bouygues, Haworth & Tompkins, RIBA, Skanska, Thames Water, Brocade, Kyocera, Intel, Fujitsu, Lego. These are a few to mention – we have had guest speakers involved, industry mentors and project mentors. People from these companies work directly with our students on their project based learning and give them the knowledge on the Built Environment – for our students everyday has become a ‘work’ day as they interact not only with their peers but also professionals from the industry.

Ideally, the Built environment design and planning pathway should increase the ‘design’ element to their assignments. Most of our work has been in the form of theory based assignments and we think our learners would have engaged from an increased focus on AutoCAD.

Coming from a brand new technical college which aims to deliver courses which are a cross between employer and higher education and the built environment qualification caters to exactly what we need.

The greatest asset to City & Guilds is that many of the people who I often reach out to for support are people who I have taught before. They completely understand the pressure that comes with moving from one exam board to another so they’re empathetic but they provide us with specific guidelines to help develop and transition into the qualification as smoothly as possible”.

- Furnaz Ahmed, Lead Built Environment, London Design & Engineering UTC

“My name is Ben Pearce; I am a senior technical trainer at the Samsung Digital Academy based in Eastham. We have been delivering the Technical Qualifications for Digital Technology where we have created content to best aid the future of the IT industry. The City & Guilds qualification is one of the most advanced qualifications in giving students real experience in developing IT projects. The skills we have been developing are the key principals in software development, cyber security, the importance of securing data and the techniques used by organisations and personally, developing social media promotional techniques, networking fundamentals in understanding protocols, network principals and the way networks function.

The students we currently have on the course have been developing key skills in mobile development using Android studio to create applications using API integration to meet the needs of the local community and developed a VR application to help inform local residents about new jobs available in the Newham Borough.

The benefits of using our academy undertaking the IT Technical Qualifications has enabled me to not just teach theory of programming, but give students the opportunity to develop applications using multiple languages to achieve these goals; such as one of the students projects in developing a mobile recruitment application using the principals of design and implementation of projects from the course.”

- Ben Pearce, Senior Technical Trainer, Samsung Digital Academy

“Chloe came to the course with an A grade profile of GCSE results but didn’t like the idea of A-Levels with all the exams at the end. Chloe has been a young carer for over 10 years and has developed mature qualities because of this role. Chloe is driven and focused on becoming a midwife and had been volunteering at the local hospital maternity centre for the year prior to the course as well as other experience to enhance her knowledge.

On completing the first year of her Level 3 Health & Care Technical Qualification with a distinction, Chloe returned to year two and applied for Midwifery via UCAS.

This has resulted in an unconditional offer from Bournemouth University for Midwifery and offers from others including a conditional offer from the University of the West of England. Chloe is looking forward to enjoying her next step along her chosen career.”

- David Panes, Lecturer in Health and Social Care, Swindon College on behalf of Level 3 Advanced student Chloe

"Harriet has taken full advantage of the opportunities her study programme has offered her. Completing the required placement hours in a residential care setting. Harriet has found the course enjoyable and it has allowed her to have an in depth understanding of the health and care sector.

It has opened her eyes to all the career opportunities in the health and care sector and allowed her to have a wide variety of future options. She has found the course has enabled her to apply her theoretical knowledge to her own practice and this has allowed her to have a deeper understanding overall.

Overall she would recommend the qualification to anybody wanting a career in the health and care sector.

Harriet is now on the way to complete the second year with a prediction of D*/D overall. Harriet has secured employment as a Health Care Assistant at the Royal Oldham Hospital, and is taking a year out to utilise the skills she has had with the career aspiration of becoming an adult nurse.

Harriet is looking to progress to university in the academic year September 2019, to study adult nursing with the hope of securing a place on the new higher nursing apprenticeships. She wants to continue to learn in the way she has on her current programme."

Dan Mullan, Programme Tutor, Oldham College on behalf of Harriet, Level 3 Extended Diploma Health and Care (Health Pathway) student.

"Jess has taken full advantage of the opportunities her study programme has offered her. Completing the required placement hours in a special educational setting, working with individuals with complex needs.

Jessica has found the qualification is well suited to her and her peers. She specifically has liked the way her assessments have allowed her to be holistically assessed using not only exams or coursework but an amalgamation of case studies, exams and professional discussions to suit all.

Originally the thought of a professional discussion was daunting to her and she found the prospect of carrying it out a trigger for anxiety. However completion of her PD in the first year, allowed her to gain valuable skills required for the following year. The overall qualification has also allowed her to develop her knowledge and understanding of the health and care sector, along with her own confidence, communication and presentation skills all these are requirements for the next stage of her career path in to higher education. She believes the qualification has fully equipped her with the knowledge, skills and tools that will allow her to fully succeed.

Jess highlighted that she found specific units enjoyable and practical to her and her career pathway (308, 313, 315). The course overall has given Jess a much deeper understanding than any qualification she has studied previously, as it allowed her to get practical experience in her chosen career aspiration.

The heavy element of work placement has allowed her to become a valued member of staff at her placement organisation; she attends placement 3 days a week which allows a deeper understanding of what she has learnt in the classroom and apply this theory to her practice.

Jess is on the way to achieve high grades overall and is predicted to achieve a D/D* at the end of her programme.

Jess has applied for a university course in primary education and has received conditional offers from Leeds Beckett University and The University of Huddersfield for a degree in Primary Education with QTS. Jess has a career ambition to enter education focusing on the primary sector and has ambitions to work specifically with children with special educational needs.

Overall she would recommend the qualification to anybody wanting a career in the health and care sector."

Dan Mullan, Programme Tutor, Oldham College on behalf of Jessica, Level 3 Extended Diploma Health and Care (Care Pathway) student.

"The best thing about delivering the Technical Qualifications is that they are robust and thorough. As a teacher you can steer the lesson to the student’s needs, which allows for an organic development of a subject, not restricted by constant B tasks and Q&A papers. Also, the discipline of deadlines will prepare the learners for the world of work and the added EOW element of the Qualifications has enabled some of our learners to find an employer for when they leave college.

I would recommend the qualifications to other colleges if they have the teaching staff with appropriate technical experience at the right level to deliver them.”

- Joe Mulhall, Head of Hospitality, Catering, Tourism & Aspire, City College Norwich

"The best thing about delivering Technical Qualifications was the focus on training and skills development as opposed to continuous testing. I also enjoyed the fact that we had the freedom to teach relevant elements. 

The Qualifications enable learners to grow in confidence and progress at different speeds to suit their learning style. They lead to well-rounded individuals who can see the rewards if they put the effort into their course - something which is echoed in industry and life.

With regards to making the transition to the new qualifications for 14-19, communication and feedback from Head Office and external moderators has been clear and concise and City & Guilds offer a personal touch, where nothing is too much trouble.

I'd recommend Technical Qualifications to other colleges without hesitation. Delivering the Qualification is a breath of fresh air, you are free to work with and develop a chef over a period of time and not force learners into assessment too early.

I truly believe that we have seen an increase in the quality of chef at the end of the year, who is much more employable, and this can only be a good thing."

- Chris Penk, Curriculum Lead in Hospitality and Professional Cookery, Cornwall College