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Adult Learners Excel with Outstanding GCSE Results 

As thousands of young people around the country collected their GCSE results yesterday, adult learners also logged on to find out how they did. At Exeter College, adult learners take GCSEs in English, Maths and Biology every year. 

Sarah Mandeno, Head of Faculty for Adult Learning at Exeter College, said; 

“We are very proud of our adult learners’ progress and achievements this year. They have done brilliantly. 

“Our teachers deliver an amazing learning experience and learners today have been full of praise for the outstanding teaching and support they have received.” 

The College has also seen outstanding success from its 16-18 students who have collected GCSE results this week. 

Adult learner, Nathan Mitchell-Campbell (pictured left above) collected his results today and achieved a brilliant 7 in GCSE English and a high 4 in Maths. He now plans to take GCSE Biology before progressing to the Access to Science course at Exeter College with the hope to study Marine Biology at university. Speaking about coming back to college, he said; 

“I think as an adult, you have a much firmer choice and you’ve lived a bit, so you have an idea of what you’d enjoy and what you’d like to go into. I found as an adult I was able to make those choices more consciously and dedicate the energy where I needed it, compared to doing it when I was younger. 

“It was a very relaxed environment. If I needed help, I could ask and see where I went wrong. The teachers were very kind and knowledgeable – it was just two people having a conversation and that’s why I found it so relaxing and got the grade I did.” 

An adult learner sits outside and smiles at the camera
Alinu collected her GCSE results this week and hopes to move on to an Access course.

Alinu Dinu (pictured above) took GCSEs in Maths and English, achieving an incredible grade 5 and 4. Alinu, who currently works in care, hopes to do the Access to Science course with the aim of becoming a nurse. She was full of praise for the teaching and support she has received at Exeter College, saying; 

“The schooling here is completely different than in Romania. You receive a lot of support and encouragement. In the beginning, I found it very, very hard. It’s not my first language. But my teacher, she was amazing. She supported me the whole time and gave me extra things to study, so I can improve myself. Thank you to our teachers. We did it!” 

There is a variety of reasons for coming back into education, from wanting a change of career, to wanting to support children as they take their own GCSEs. 

One such learner is Donna Drew (pictured below left) who originally wanted to take GCSE Maths to support her son. She is interested in teaching and is considering taking a PGCE next year.  

Donna stands with her teacher and smiles at the camera
Donna with one of her teachers on GCSE results day

Today she achieved a grade 5 in Maths. Speaking about coming back into education, she said; 

“The teachers are so supportive, aware of people’s different learning styles and skills. I’ve really enjoyed helping some of the people in my class with subjects I understood that maybe I could break down for them and that ignited that teaching bug again, approaching things from different angles.” 

This success follows on from the achievements earlier in the summer by the College’s Access to HE students. This year, 95% of learners completed their programme and achieved the full 60 credits available. 

In addition to this 100% of Access to Business, Healthcare and Science students completed and achieved the full 60 credits, while 80% of the Access to HE Humanities students achieved 100% Distinction credits. 

Find out more about GCSE courses at Exeter College or contact our Adult Advice Team on AdultAdvice@exe-coll.ac.uk or 01392 400170.

Software Development Students Develop Training App for the Royal Navy Leadership Academy 

Students at Exeter College studying the Software Development in Apple Swift Programming Skills Bootcamp have developed an app for the Royal Navy Leadership Academy (RNLA). As part of the course students were set a live brief and allocated tasks which culminated in them presenting their app to the Royal Navy. 

The brief was to simplify and digitise the marking and scoring system used in the RNLA when carrying out assessments in the field. Seven students worked on the project, they were all allocated tasks such as graphic design, navigation flow, and the data model. 

Paul Barnard, Quality Assurance Chief for the Royal Navy Leadership Academy said; 

“The brief was to digitise our marking scheme that we utilise in the Royal Navy Leadership Academy. We call it ORCE, which stands for observe, record, classify, evaluate. Currently its being done by paper, so instructors are out and about with students trying to write down in the wind, rain etc.  

“This app will massively help the instructors. They will be able to standardise their reports as well as saving huge amounts of time. We’re quite set in our ways and thought some fresh ideas would help, it’s always better to have a variety of people looking into solving a problem as they all bring something else to the table.” 

Speaking about the students work, he commented; 

“What they have achieved in such a short amount of time is amazing. We weren’t expecting them to be this far down the track at all. Within 4 weeks they have produced a prototype with some really good ideas. 

“We’re about 85% of the way there so the next step is to finish it, take some students out in the field so they can see how it’s used and the problems we encounter, and fine tune what they have already produced.” 

Students received feedback directly from the Royal Navy.

Chloe Baker is one of the students working on the project. Her role was in designing the user interface and all the graphic design elements including the layouts of the screens and a colour scheme. She said; 

“It’s been fed back today that the design is really in keeping with the Royal Navy brand, which is nice feedback to have. I think the thing I enjoyed the most about the course was knowing it was a real live brief that was going to be used within the RNLA. Knowing it will benefit people and knowing your contributing towards helping such a large organisation is great.” 

She added; 

“The bootcamp has really helped me with a good base of coding knowledge, coming into it having never written code. From the course I’ve learnt that I really enjoyed the user interface design and the graphic design side of the app development.”  

The project came about when a previous student, who had studied on the Software Development Skills Bootcamp and then the Apple App Development Skills Bootcamp, reached out to the Navy via his innovation role at Capita. The Royal Navy recognised that this collaborative approach of working would benefit them and give students invaluable industry experience. 

Chris Pegg, Apple Certified Educator at Exeter College, said; 

“The students have just blown me away at the pace they have worked on the brief and how they have gelled as a team. They are all different ages (ranging from early 20’s to 75), and life backgrounds yet they have worked in unison and built lifelong friendships. For adult learning it’s so pivotal that the learning experience be cemented in real world examples – and what a lovely side product to have lifelong learning connections generated along the way.” 

Speaking about the benefit of the students working on a live brief, Chris said; 

“The benefit of this is not just so they complete something that is needed, but they get to work through real world problems. It gives them accessibility to problems that would develop naturally in industry, and not just in the classroom. It also builds upon soft skills like resilience, communication, independence, and collaboration, which are invaluable in tackling these challenges.” 

Colleges awarded grant to improve region’s Maths and English skills

Exeter College, in partnership with City College Plymouth, has been awarded a fantastic grant to run a project focusing on empowering post-16 lecturers throughout the region, so they can best support students who are hoping to gain or improve their English and Maths qualifications. 

Teachers and lecturers across the South West will be offered free CPD opportunities that will draw upon the latest research and provide access to some of the most relevant and up-to-date pedagogies that have been devised specifically for the post-16 environment.  

Sam Hillman, Assistant Principal at Exeter College, said:

“We are incredibly excited to be working in partnership with City College Plymouth on this project. Outstanding English and Maths provision at post-16 is transformative and these vital qualifications shape the futures of our young people. For many, studying Maths and English at college is their best chance of achieving these qualifications and we are delighted to be sharing innovative practice and working with colleagues across the peninsula”. 

Katie Fremlin, Plymouth’s Maths Centre for Excellence Project Manager, said:

“In addition to offering a range of face to face CPD opportunities, we will be setting up a dedicated online platform that will provide teachers and lecturers with access to high-quality digital content. There is also the opportunity to conduct research and we will be leading a series of forums on this.  

“It is a very exciting opportunity that we have been given along with our colleagues at Exeter College and we would encourage all those who are supporting post-16 learners to consider being part of this project.” 

With numeracy and literacy skills linked to economic growth, there is currently a push across the South West to improve people’s English and Maths qualifications. The regional team is eager to improve outcomes and raise the confidence of both lecturers and students, supporting the career progression of individuals alongside strongly contributing to an ambitious vision to raise attainment levels throughout the region.  

City College Plymouth’s Chief Executive and Principal, Jackie Grubb, said:

“Maths is vital for some of the key industries here in Plymouth and beyond. We’re delighted to be working in collaboration with Exeter College for the benefit of the wider South West region, and giving more people the skills that will help transform their futures.”

The project started in January and will run until 2025.

Multiply your Maths knowledge with a Free Course or Workshop 

Are you an adult that struggles with Maths? Are you looking to improve your Maths skills to help you with budgeting, progress in your job, or to support your child in their Maths studies? 

Whether you are new to Maths or simply want to brush up on existing skills, Exeter College, in partnership with the Urban Learning Academy, is offering a whole host of free courses, workshops and events.  

Multiply is a government initiative aimed at increasing the levels of functional numeracy in the adult population across the UK. If you are aged 19+ and do not already have a GCSE at grade C (or equivalent) in Maths, Multiply is available to you. 

It includes: 

  • Pop Up Maths events  
  • Maths for life (budgeting, managing bills etc)  
  • Pre-GCSE Maths (6 x weeks) 

Come and say hi

Maths is out in the community soon with Pop Up Maths beginning in February in various Devon Libraries. You could be in with a chance of winning a Lenovo Chromebook through a fun and simple Maths challenge. Visit our Facebook page to find out which library we are visiting next.  

Book your place today 

There are a series of workshops and courses running throughout February and March. These are free and available to book through Eventbrite. Find out more and book your place. 

More about Multiply 

Multiply offers easy access to free numeracy courses and initiatives that can help you brush up on your Maths skills and help you become more confident with numbers.  

Multiply offers easy access to free numeracy courses and initiatives where you can gain a qualification and build your confidence in using numbers at work or in everyday life.  

You will be able to learn at a pace that suits you. 

Exceptional Exeter College once again awarded “Outstanding” by Ofsted 

Exeter College is celebrating after a full Ofsted Inspection, which has resulted in the College retaining the impressive accolade of Outstanding.  

Eight years since its last inspection Ofsted again confirmed that Exeter College is an Outstanding College. The College also scored the top assessment of ‘strong’ for its approach to meeting the skills needs of the area. This makes Exeter College the first college in the country to achieve the highest judgement in both elements of Ofsted’s new enhanced inspections.  

The 21-strong Ofsted inspection team visited every College site and reviewed every facet of the College offer from 29 November to 2 December 2022. 

Exeter College Principal and CEO, John Laramy CBE said: 

“At a time when the national press is talking about Ofsted raising the bar for their top grade the team at Exeter College has demonstrated that we have sustained Outstanding, even in the new rigorous enhanced framework.  

“I would like to wholeheartedly thank everyone who contributed to this exceptional sector-leading outcome, especially our amazing learners, apprentices, staff and governors. Ofsted has recognised what I see from our students, apprentices and staff every single day.” 

Students and staff celebrating their Ofsted Outstanding rating.

Bindu Arjoon, Chair of the Board of Governors, added: 

“We are delighted that the hard work of everyone at the College has been recognised in this way. On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank all the students, staff and stakeholders for their personal contribution to our Outstanding College.” 

The College achieved the top Ofsted rating of Outstanding in all four cross-college judgements; Quality of Education, Behaviour and Attitudes, Personal Development and Leadership and Management. The College’s Sixth Form provision, adult learning and apprenticeships were also rated as Outstanding. The Outstanding grade for apprenticeships is extremely hard to achieve, with very few colleges nationally having achieved this. 

The report praises the standard of teaching and learning across the College as well as the standards of behaviour and culture, citing that teachers and other staff are excellent role models who work tirelessly to meet the needs of learners. 

Zakia Volschenk, from Exmouth, is studying A Levels at Exeter College and is part of the Learner Leadership Team. Speaking about the Outstanding grade, she said: 

“I believe it’s well-deserved and feel extremely proud to be a part of a constantly developing institution that really takes into consideration the student’s opinions. I know that the opportunities at Exeter College will give me an advantage when it comes to applying to university or finding future jobs.” 

As national exams returned last year, Ofsted’s inspection included scrutinising learner results and outcomes in exams. This meant that the summer’s record-breaking A Level results and top 10% value added performance were assessed as part of the inspection process. 

Jade Otty, Vice Principal and Ofsted Quality Nominee, said:  

“I am so pleased that the exceptional work of our teachers and support staff has been recognised by Ofsted. The College is Outstanding thanks to their expertise, care and commitment. I am proud too that this report reflects how amazing our learners and apprentices are in working with us to create a college community in which everyone can thrive and develop. We were also delighted that the report credited the support and work of our community and industry partners”    

You can read the College’s full Ofsted report here.

Ofsted Inspections 

  • The new Education Inspection Framework (EIF) came into force in September 2019. This rigorous inspection framework means fewer schools and colleges have been awarded outstanding nationally. 
  • Ofsted’s new enhanced inspections of Further Education providers and Sixth Form colleges came into force in September 2022. It means that in addition to the EIF focus on Quality of Education, colleges are also judged on how well they link with community, civic, industry and education partners to meet their region’s skills needs. 
  • Exeter College is the first college in the country to receive the top grade of Outstanding and the top grade of ‘strong contribution’ to skills needs.

Urban Learning Academy Supports Learning in the Community

The Urban Learning Academy (ULA) held an engagement event today at Exeter Library. The community learning project is a partnership between local providers in Exeter and has formed an Alliance that includes; Exeter College, CoLab, Exeter City Council and Devon County Council.  

The ULA is a venture exploring innovative approaches toward city-wide inclusive adult learning opportunities. It offers a range of sessions taking place in community hubs across the city. 

Partners are collaborating to provide opportunities for adults to participate in free and low-cost learning across the city.  

Rob Bosworth, Vice Principal and Deputy CEO at Exeter College, said; 

“There is a burgeoning need in the city for a type of learning offer, that is different to the traditional offer, for people that do not have the confidence or have found past learning experiences difficult.  

“By collaborating with several different organisations in the city, that share our passion and values for outreach, the ULA will be in the community in venues like libraries to offer the type of learning that is going to reengage members of the public that haven’t stepped into a classroom in years. 

“The city is growing, there are more people, which is great, but it does bring its own challenges, further compounded now by the cost-of-living crisis, Brexit and unemployment.  

“Exeter College has fantastic partnerships in the city and by joining together we have an opportunity to do this for the people in the community.” 

Jo Cuthbertson, Learning Matters Lead at CoLab Exeter, said: 

“The ULA really is committed to offering a wide range of community learning opportunities, doing things differently and connecting communities through learning and meaningful activity. Our learners are at the centre of all we do. 

“We will work from the grassroots level to bring organisations, communities and individuals together to connect and break down barriers, offering free and very low cost opportunities to learn in our city. 

“The ULA will enable people to learn, empower individuals to make choices about their learning journey and hopefully use learning as a tool for change to help transform lives. 

“In just 5 months we have doubled our learning offer in our ULA programme and increased the number of learning providers being part of the ULA Partnership. It’s a very exciting time to be involved and we are still building on this and has scope for so much more” 

Jola Pawlikowska, Community Ambassador at CoLab, will be reaching out to people in the community. She said; 

“My job is to ensure that people with complex needs have access to education and training. That’s through informal training, through drop-ins, that then can be a seed that can move forward and progress people through to more formal training and progression opportunities.  

The ULA aims to empower and transform the lives of people who find it hardest to connect and engage. Working in partnership with learning providers in Exeter, a varied and inclusive learning programme has been designed. Workshops include; Be Kind to Your Mind, Woodwork for Wellbeing, Walking Football, Writing Flash Fiction, Emotional First Aid and much more.  

Phill Adams is Economic Inclusion Lead at Devon County Council and Lead Officer for Learn Devon. He said; 

“Learn Devon is one of the direct delivery partners in this initiative. It’s really important for us to move the residents of Devon forward and give them those life chances, pathways into work or learning and wider life opportunities that we all strive for.  

“The big thing for us, particularly with cost of living, is finding jobs and pathways which allow people to move into careers and find income at a time when it is hard going out there.  

“At a time when the economy is turbulent, we need to be creating those moments when people shift onto a new career or a new option.” 

Councillor Duncan Wood, Lead Councillor for Skills at Exeter City Council added; 

“The reason that we are involved in the Urban Learning Academy is because we have a clear strategic priority around supporting people to engage in learning, help to move people towards employment and the workplace.  

“We see this as being key in terms of doing that, engaging with some of those people that aren’t involved in any kind of learning or education at the moment and helping them on that journey back towards being fully engaged in life in the city.” 

Rachel Payne, Business Development and Fundraising Manager at Libraries Unlimited said;  

“The initial conversations started with Exeter College around how we could do some more community-led learning. Starting off with pop-up maths events at Exeter Library, St Thomas and Pinhoe – we began to discuss how community learning could go wider afield. 

“We were talking about the ULA and how libraries have evolved. The notion that libraries are just about books is behind us, they are community hubs. They are an intrinsic part of the local community; offering a range of activities from Bounce and Rhyme, to Knit and Natter groups, dementia awareness, and mindfulness cafes, not to mention co working spaces and IT sessions.  

“We are really excited to be part of the ULA, particularly as we aim to reach new communities across the city and showing them that this is a warm, safe, free space to be used. Especially with the cost-of-living crisis, just opening our doors and making people aware that libraries are there and that they’re freely available across the county is essential.” 

To find out more about the Urban Learning Academy and how you can get involved visit Urban Learning Academy  

Transforming community life in Exeter through learning 

Exeter College Community Learning is delighted to announce a new partnership with CoLab and Exeter City Council. Partners are collaborating to provide opportunities for adults to participate in free and low-cost learning across the city through an initiative called the Urban Learning Academy.  

The Urban Learning Academy is a venture exploring innovative approaches toward city-wide inclusive adult learning opportunities. The project was kickstarted by multi agency well-being hub CoLab funded through the National Lottery. It offers a range of sessions taking place in community hubs across the city, rather than a traditional bricks and mortar building, 

Maddy Hearn, Adult Community and Partnership Lead at Exeter College, said; 

“The Urban Learning Academy is an amazing new learning initiative for the city. Together with educators, and through listening to learners’ hopes and aspirations we are building an innovative programme of free to access learning that is open to all and delivered in accessible, community locations.” 

Following a successful summer pilot programme, Exeter College Community Learning has designed a new programme of courses to take place in community locations including Exeter libraries over the winter months. Courses enable people to connect, build skills and improve wellbeing. Adults are encouraged to take part in learning programmes exploring creativity, employability, and numeracy. 

Exeter College Creative Writing Tutor Sam Watson, who facilitated Writing at the Museum, a Creative Writing course taking place at RAMM (Royal Albert Memorial Museum) said;  

“It is so nice to be able to meet with learners in such creative and inspiring locations. We took full advantage of the space and exhibits available at the Museum, and we wrote some beautiful pieces.” 

The Winter Programme aims to offer free of charge, meaningful learning opportunities produced in collaboration with partners, to help shape curriculum and add value for learners. As well as feeling more connected, healthier, and happier, participants will be empowered to build confidence in areas such as writing, everyday maths, self-care, and employability skills.  

Learners form close communities through their classes; Catriona, who took a poetry class at Exeter Library, said; 

“It was so lovely hearing everyone talking about the poetry they like and great to hear them read their own words.” Catriona described being immensely proud of one of her fellow learners, she said; “They are so honest and so brave when facing challenges.” 

Through experimentation, collaboration and a shared vision, the work has created a lively learning community and opened accessible pathways to connect and transform communities through new and innovative learning opportunities. Exeter is a learning city and Urban Learning Academy is providing equity of access in the heart of the city. 

Find out more by emailing info@urbanlearningacademy.org.uk.

Exeter College Adult Learners Praise Teachers as they Collect GCSE Results

As 16-year-olds across the country collect their GCSE results today, adult learners at Exeter College also face the trepidation of opening results.  

Exeter College is proud to be celebrating another year of great results from its Adult Learners taking GCSE Maths and English.

Adult learners take the decision to go back into education for a whole host of reasons, including wanting to change direction in their career. 

Hubert is delighted with his results for GCSE English and Maths

Hubert Pawlowski, 33, from Exeter works in a hospital as a Health Care Assistant and wants to continue his education to allow him to do a degree in Nursing. He achieved a grade 6 in GCSE English and a grade 5 in GCSE Maths. He said: 

“I am very happy with my results; I think the teachers have been great. Maths was always my weaker subject, and the fact that English is my second language as well means it wasn’t necessarily my favourite. I have enjoyed it all very much and I’m coming back here in September to do my GCSE in Biology.” 

Sarah Mandeno, Head of Faculty for Professional Adult Learning at Exeter College, said; 

“Our adult learners have done incredibly well this year. We are very proud of their achievements and wish them all the best with their next steps.  

“Our teachers, as ever, have delivered a fantastic learning experience and learners today have been full of praise for the support and high-quality teaching and learning they have received.” 

This was the first time Martin had sat formal exams.

Martin sat GCSEs in both English and Maths. He currently works in clerical administration but would like to work in mental health in the future. This was the first time Martin had ever sat exams and he achieved an amazing grade 6 and 4. Speaking about his experience at College, he said; 

“It’s been brilliant, and not just because I have passed. Both of my teachers have been inspirational on a daily basis, but they have also made it fun. I was soaking up everything they were saying. Especially with Maths, because that was the one I was really scared about but they were always very supportive, and I’ve come out with some really good marks.” 

Natasha Kingston, 31, from Exmouth has just collected her results for GCSE Maths and English, achieving a grade 4 in both. She now plans to take GCSE Biology before doing an Access course which will allow her to study Midwifery at university. Talking about her experience, she said: 

“I was really quite nervous when I signed up, but it’s been great. I’ve made some lifelong friends. It was out of my comfort zone, but I enjoyed it.  

“It’s been really supportive; the fact that the College help pay for childcare and travel and things like that has helped because I was a bit worried, but I would definitely do it again. I’m glad I did it.” 

Find out more about GCSE English and GCSE Maths at Exeter College or contact our Adult Advice Team on AdultAdvice@exe-coll.ac.uk or 01392 400170.   

Exeter College Access to Higher Education students have, once again, achieved amazing results, with many now set to progress to university-level courses at Exeter College and other institutions. 

Exeter College student, Jack Ford, explains that you must dedicate yourself to the course, and discusses its worth when you reach your goals. He said: 

“Working full time alongside studying the Access to Computing course was very difficult but with the support and belief of my tutors and structured consistency I was successful. I will continue to study at Exeter College and am starting the the HNC in Computing in September. I plan to work within the cyber security field after I finish college and have completed my higher-level qualification.”   

Exeter College’s Access to Higher Education Diplomas are well-established and a very successful route into university-level study for adult students who may lack formal entry qualifications and who wish to pursue a change of career and/or need to develop confidence and practice in their study skills. 

These diplomas can also improve general education and are specifically designed to help students progress on to professional advanced training.  

Suzy Bell is the Access to HE Lead at Exeter College. Commenting on this year’s results, she said: 

“Huge congratulations to all our Access to Higher Education students who have successfully completed their courses at Exeter College. They have achieved highly which has been reflected in outstanding grade profiles. We could not be prouder of our students and their many achievements. They have been a pleasure to teach, and we wish them the very best of luck for the future.  

“In addition, a huge thank you to all Access to Higher Education staff who have gone above and beyond their roles in order to help support and guide our access students.” 

In a year when the College is celebrating achieving the highest student satisfaction rate (82.69%)* for a Higher Education provider in the South West, it is also celebrating outstanding feedback from moderators on how they deliver and grade Access students. 

Feedback included: 

  • Excellent assessment methods. 
  • Consistently strong standards of learner work. 
  • Continues to be an excellent HE Diploma. 
  • Staff and students are to be congratulated. 
  • Excellent support given to students to achieve their potential. 
  • Staff go above and beyond. 
  • Students are well prepared for the next level of study. 

Find out more 

There’s still time to apply. Learn more about the courses on offer and view our Access Guide. 

*National Student Survey 2022 

Exeter College celebrates bootcamp graduates at Digital Summit event 

Exeter College welcomed back recent graduates this week to celebrate them completing a 12-week bootcamp course. Students from Digital Marketing, Data Analysis, Apple App Development and Software Development courses were invited in and given the opportunity to network with relevant regional and national businesses including EDF, Booking.com and Optix Solutions. 

Bootcamp courses are practical-focused courses which run over 12 weeks and are fully funded by the Government. The courses are part time, consisting of a day a week learning with the College’s specialist lecturers. 

Kate Beale, Head of Digital and Data at Exeter College, said;  

“The Digital Summit is a chance to celebrate the fact that we’ve taken a group of learners from all walks of life and put them into a 12-week intensive course, and for them to have that achievement at the end is fantastic. The event is also a way of raising awareness and showing the impact that bootcamps are now having on the learners and the industry. 

“The biggest thing for us is to show that there is a massive amount of untapped talent that is here today that don’t necessarily have a university degree. It’s trying to break down that barrier to show businesses that they can take a chance on someone who is practicing the skills they need but doesn’t have the traditional piece of paper. It’s starting to happen and it’s starting to make an impact in the community.” 

Exeter College is delighted to be offering further bootcamp courses in the autumn, following recent success in the digital sector. Students will be able to choose from: 

Clair Bruce recently completed the Digital Marketing bootcamp. After leaving her management role at Marks and Spencer to start her own Dog Grooming company she decided she wanted to learn more about marketing to help her new business. She said: 

“I wanted the skills to understand how you reach your target market. The course has been of great benefit to me, I’ve met people from all different areas of business, and it’s been really good for me. I would highly recommend it.” 

Chris Pegg, Digital and Data lecturer at Exeter College, spoke about teaching on the bootcamp programmes. He said: 

“When adult learners come back into education, there is often some sort of barrier. The bootcamps are targeted at helping people reintegrate back into employment or potentially getting over that hurdle of going back into education. A bootcamp is short enough that they can just try it. Then they come in and they meet fellow students like themselves, people with diverse life experiences and it is that sharing of experiences which is just lovely. They have had their own progression; they’re now doing a similar course and building a relationship in terms of learning but bringing different things to the table. That dynamic is just a concoction for really good learning. My favourite thing is just the people and what they bring and how we then use that to shape lessons.” 

Rob Stevens, Managing Director at Optix Solutions worked with the College to provide industry feedback on the bootcamp course content, structure and delivery to ensure it was fit for purpose. He said:  

“We hope that by helping others we encourage more business to get involved and help shape the future talent market. From the people I have met who have undertaken the bootcamps they have told me that it has been a key step in helping them acquire the confidence and skills to apply for higher paid roles. In terms of addressing social mobility the courses are attracting underrepresented groups and helping them improve lives.” 

Need help with deciding on your pathway or have any more questions? Contact the Adult Learning Advisers on AdultAdvice@exe-coll.ac.uk.    

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