Student Case Studies

What led you to choosing this course? If you chose to do a T Level course, why? I’ve always wanted to work in Formula One, but specifically in the drivers' side of things. As soon as I learned about the mechanics behind the sport, I ...

What led you to choose this course?  I studied Design and Technology in school and really enjoyed it. I've always liked building things, which started my interest in carpentry.Why did you decide to study at ESC?  I live clos...

Why did you decide to study at ESC? My interest in carpentry started with my Grandad, who is also a carpenter, and his work inspired me to consider the trade as a career path. I originally started my carpentry studies with a Level 1 course a...

What led to you choosing this course? My whole family has always been involved in the trade industry and Carpentry, from my Grandad to my dad and Uncle and now me and my bother so I grew up around it. This made me interested in the career pa...

Gabor studied under the School Links programme, completing an EAL Level 1 Motor Vehicle course where he achieved an amazing full house of Distinction results. The students started at 14 years of age on a half-day release from Woodcote High Schoo...

Kellie studied a Life Skills course at ESC before getting a job at East Surrey Hospital as part of the Estates and Facilities Housekeeping team. She has been working in the busy NHS hospital for over five years, interacting with hundreds of patients ...

Former School: The Warwick School What led you to choosing this course? I originally heard about the Applied Science course through a friend. I read the information on the ESC website and had a reignition of my passion for science.&n...

What led you to choosing this course? I have always been interested in music because of my dad, even learning electric guitar at home over lockdown. I also really enjoy performing so when I was in secondary school I made sure to join a lot o...

What led you to choosing this course?  It seemed like the perfect choice as it meant I could focus solely on art and developing the necessary skills for the art industry. By studying at ESC, I could focus on one subject of interest rath...

What brought you to ESC? I wanted to pursue a career in ICT and computing, so I was suggested East Surrey College by the careers team at Royal Alexandera and Albert School. I started a course in BTEC Computing Level 3 before eventu...

What led you to choosing this course?I was drawn to the field of construction and had a particular interest in housing. Whether it was through interior design or understanding the entire process of building a house, I wanted to delve into it. I&#...

Past education and experiences?I completed my GCSEs with strong grades in History, DT, Spanish, and IT. I did not have any prior experience in accounting but have always had a keen interest in the field.Why did you decide to study at ESC?...

Mima joined the Education Sector-Based Work Academy Programme in 2023, after the Job Centre shared the course details. From there she has become a Learning Support Assistant at East Surrey College.When did you study at ESC and why did you choose ...

Louis joined ESC from De Stafford School and has achieved a Level 3 in Business, Level 1 in Supported Internship, and is currently in his first year of an Apprenticeship with Client Services at ESC.Why did you decide to study at ESC?There is ...

Nicole joined ESC after completing her GCSEs. She chose to study at the College as she was a high achiever in hands-on subjects at school such as Photography and Art.Why did you decide to study at ESC?The building is not too big, and everythi...

James joined ESC after completing his GCSEs and was drawn to a Full-time qualification in Electro-Mechanical Engineering. After attending an employer talk from Bucher Municipal during his first year of studies he decided to move into an Apprenti...

When did you study at ESC and why did you choose us?  School wasn’t a good fit for me and I had to leave at 15 for personal reasons so didn’t get any qualifications. I was advised to look into vocational courses and joined E...

What led you to choose this subject?  I’ve been into art since I was young, especially painting. I've also always had an interest in make-up, helping my friends do theirs. After GSCEs I thought I might do a Diploma in Art &amp...

What led you to choosing this subject? I’ve always enjoyed flying and already have my Private Pilot’s License (PPL).I’ve also been inspired by the diaries of my Great Granddad who was a B29 bomber pilot for the American Airf...

After taking A levels at school, Tim explored the University option. However, the idea of an apprenticeship appealed to him more as he didn't like the idea of getting into debt and wanted to get on the career ladder as soon as possible:"...

Ben developed a passion for Business in Year 9. He felt it was a subject he could succeed in and undertook a lot of background research into the subject in his own time. His father is CEO of a company, and through conversations with employees, B...

Luka came to the UK from Portugal when he was ten years old. His favourite subject at secondary school was Art and he has had an interest in Photography since he was a child.After attending Art taster days at both Reigate College and ESC, he...

Charlie has always had an interest in art and design. He does a lot of artwork at home, and his favourite subject at school was Design Technology.With his excellent GSCE grades, Charlie could have gone on to study A Levels but he much prefer...

Lisa came from Ireland to live in England in 2020.On leaving school, Lisa did an apprenticeship in a hairdressing salon for a year. After realising this wasn't the career for her, she decided to get into primary teaching instead.With...

Fernando joined East Surrey College on the recommendation of several friends who had attended the College. He chose this course to build on the knowledge and interest he had developed in the subject whilst studying Business Studies A le...

Jafan is an asylum seeker from Iraq.Prior to leaving Iraq, Jafan studied psychology at university, which he loved. He had been planning to further his studies with a Master’s or Doctorate degree.Jafan had learnt some English at sch...

Olena came to the UK from Ukraine in April 22. Before leaving Ukraine, she had a career as an Accountant. When she first arrived, Olena felt it was essential for her to improve her English language skills to help her to integrate into societ...

Jessica started her journey at East Surrey College in 2018 after coming to an Open Day and being impressed by the wide range of courses which offered new opportunities and different career paths.Since joining the College, she has successfully pro...

Ben grew up in South Africa, where he developed a love for music and played drums in a marimba band. On moving to the UK, he enrolled on this course with a view to forging a career as a sound engineer.“My course is engaging, and this is the...

Maeve has always loved drawing and art, achieving well in her Art GCSE.She chose this course for its broad offer and the chance to experiment in different areas to see which direction she wanted to follow.The College has great facilities for ...

Georgie applied for this course as he has always enjoyed playing football, badminton and golf as well as being interested in how the body functions.He really enjoyed the course, in particular the practical work. Alongside his studies, he coaches ...

Alana chose this course as it looked really interesting with lots of physical elements such as watersports and rockclimbing.She really enjoyed the course, both in and out of the classroom. Taking part in expeditions and going on trips to see...

Isabel has always had a passion for cars. She wanted to get into car modification and work in the mechanics trade so when the Motor Vehicle course at the College was suggested by her School, she decided to apply.It seemed really interesting and i...

Adonay is an Aylum Seeker from Eritrea. The College was recommended by his social worker and he is now in his second year studying English.His favourite part of the course has been working on a pantomime where students were required to read, lear...

Chloe was inspired to study Health & Social care by her mother working in a care home. She joined the College at Level 2 and was encouraged by her tutors to progress to Level 3 to open up more career opportunities.During her course, Chloe com...

In her first year at East Surrey College, Mia studied Art and Design before moving on to Theatrical Make-Up.She learned a wide range of hair and make-up skills and was inspired by visiting make-up artists and masterclasses. She excelled in compet...

Harry was drawn to Engineering as he is good at Maths and problem solving, and enjoyed taking things apart to see how they worked when he was young.He chose this course as he felt it offered the most options and was also impressed by the standard...

Levi’s love of art and his desire to learn how to paint rather than pay someone else to do it for him, led to him choosing this course.Since starting at East Surrey College, Levi has enjoyed learning new skills such as painting a panelled d...

Knowing he wanted to study something care-related, Jaimeson completed a Level 2 Health & Social Care course at ESC before deciding to try Childcare, which he has really enjoyed.Alongside his studies, Jamieson worked as an Assistant at a Kinde...

After leaving school with excellent GCSE grades, Jacob joined ESC to pursue his interest in woodwork and joinery. He liked the feel of the College and thought the facilities were good.He has particularly enjoyed the trips off-site as they give co...

Rebecca wanted to try something new and has always liked working with numbers. She chose accountancy as it relates to everyday life and opens up opportunites. ESC offered the exact course she was looking for.Rebecca has really enjoyed the co...

Reuben studied Aeronautical Engineering for a year before deciding to join the Aviation Operations course at East Surrey College on the recommendation of a friend.“I really enjoyed the course – the content was great but what made it f...

Benjamin chose Applied Science as he liked the real-life applications of the traditional Science subjects that the course offered and felt this would open up a broad spectrum of career choices.“I really enjoyed the practical elements of the...

After moving to the UK from Thailand, Kannika worked as a Nursing Assistant for several years. When she decided to progress her career by going for a Nursing Degree, East Surrey College seemed the natural choice as she had previously taken her Maths ...

Jose first enrolled on Travel & Tourism Level 2, to get a first taste of the industry, and then began studying our Cabin Crew qualification. He chose ESC after hearing positive things from former students, and knew which subjects he wanted to stu...

Caitlin initially joined ESC on Photography Level 3 and progressed through the 2 year HND qualification to then begin the BA (Hons) Top-Up. When applying for her Level 3, Caitlin had visited an Open Event and enjoyed exploring the facilities...

After studying Art GCSE at school, Annabelle joined us on Photography Level 3 and progressed through our 2 year HND course to her current BA (Hons) qualification. She found that the courses at ESC offered more freedom than other Colleges and...

Ben joined ESC after completing his GCSEs and was drawn to the range of topics within the Engineering sector: "Ranging from aeronautics to mechanical systems in cars and the groundbreaking progress that’s being made in regards to ...

Hashim left his home country of Ethiopia and eventually came to the UK to study, in order to improve his English skills and job prospects. The College was recommended to Hashim by his keyworker, and he commented that he was surprised at how ...

After enjoying Engineering at her previous College, Zoe knew she wanted to pursue it and followed her dad's advice to apply for an Apprenticeship. “I didn’t want to go to university as that was more written work, an Apprentic...

Marie knew she wanted to go into the Construction industry, and applied for a variety of Apprenticeships. It was after watching a documentary, however, that she knew this was the route she wanted to take. "I saw a documentary about the ...

After enjoying Design & Technology at School, Harry followed in his brother's footsteps and applied for the Gatwick Airport Engineering Apprenticeship scheme.“It’s a 4-year programme, with our first year spent at College, and ...

After finishing GCSEs, Finlay started an Aeronautics course based at Brighton City (Formerly Shoreham) Airport. During this time, he applied for a few Apprenticeships, but it wasn't until his second time around applying a year later that he lande...

Abi was introduced to the Apprenticeship route in Year 8, by her mum who worked for an airline and was already familiar with the pathway. This opened up the opportunity for Abi to learn in a more practical way as “our school ...

Molly previously studied Childcare Level 2 and chose the Childcare pathway as she is passionate about helping children with disabilities. Her reasons for applying to ESC include it being her local college and:"I heard about the col...

Chloe initially came to East Surrey College with an interest in studying Early Years. But after visiting the Salon facilities with a friend, she realised that Beauty Therapy was a route she would love to explore. She had always loved doing beauty tre...

Elise was one of our students in the first cohort of BA Make-Up, SFX & Hair for Media & Performance graduates, gaining her degree through our awarding institution, the University of Chichester. Elise was delighted to pass the course...

Pictured above: Lily's 3D piece in situ in the office of Jayne Dickinson, Chief ExecutiveLily enjoyed technical subjects at school but initially started her FE journey at Merrist Wood College, studying Dog Grooming. After finishing this ...

Muhammed is undertaking his Apprenticeship with Norbury High School for Girls, where he processes purchase orders and invoices, as well as banking money collected from students. He uses Accounting software on a daily basis and ski...

Originally from Sudan, Mo enrolled on ESOL Entry Level 3 and then progressed onto our Motor Vehicle Entry Level Diploma.Now on Motorsports Level 3, he chose to go into the Motor industry as he is "interested in cars and I want to g...

After completing a Foundation Degree in Architecture at Central Saint Martins, where he was able to combine his interests in Art and Resistant Materials, Sam knew he wanted to explore the Construction industry. He joined a Construction...

After leaving school, Katie headed to Reigate College to complete A Levels. It was during this time that she realised she had an interest in Business and found the topic "interesting and engaging." After 2 years and...

Finlay completed Public Services Level 3 at ESC and was excited to begin a career in the Armed Forces. He's now in the British Army, within the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards. "As part of the household division, we are a dual role i...

Amy’s journey at ESC started in 2015 when she started the Hair & Media Make-Up Level 2 course. Since then Amy has put in the hard work to recently complete her BA Hons (Top-Up) degree for Theatrical, Media and Special Effects Make-Up.&l...

Rylan joined ESC on an Entry Level 1 Life Skills course, progressing up through Entry Levels 2 and 3 before joining the Supported Internship at Level 1. Due to the pandemic, he was unable to complete the work placement element, so was keen to re...

Applied Science Tutor Andy worked his way up through our CET, AET and DET courses, completing his Teacher Training through an Apprenticeship. "It fits into my goal of becoming a teacher and allows me far more experience than traditional...

In her home country of Italy, Pamela chose a school specialising in languages, where she studied English, Spanish and French. She wanted to then come to the UK to improve her English before going to university. Pamela commented that the acti...

Rowan originally enrolled on the Painting & Decorating course at East Surrey College and later decided to enrol onto the LEAP Programme through late enrolment.Whilst on LEAP, Rowan had the opportunity to build confidence in pre...

Jo-Ash initially joined us on Business Level 1 and progressed through IT Levels 2 and 3, to join our Internet Software Development FdSC. After leaving school, he initially chose ESC because of the opportunities offered by the College: &...

Former School: Congleton High School With the aim of seeking new opportunities and furthering her career prospects, Alex travelled down from her home in Cheshire to study in Redhill. When researching courses, she spoke to numerous Colle...

Holly chose a practical Sport course to help move one step closer to her dream career of becoming a PE teacher. "I chose a BTEC over an A-level because I believed it would give me a more in-depth understanding of Sport, as the...

Whilst studying at GCSE level, Livia was inspired by her Business teacher and was passionate about pursuing Business with the hope of starting her own company. She chose ESC due to the location but also having heard positive recommendations ...

Thomas originally joined East Surrey College on the Motor Vehicle Entry Level Diploma. Thomas had heard many great things about the College and came to look around for the first time at the facilities. Shortly after joining, he decided to t...

Sophie applied to East Surrey College as she found the learning style more suited to her and enrolled on Health & Social Care Level 2, but after hearing about LEAP (Learning, Employability and Progression), Sophie decided this would be more suita...

Khyl joined East Surrey College to take on a new adventure in a new area, having completed his secondary education in Croydon. Khyl originally joined the College on a Construction course but found this wasn’t the right pathway for him. He ...

Megan always had a huge passion for Sport which is why she wanted to study this in her further education. From a young age, she would do gymnastics and play hockey in her spare time and even began coaching gymnastics to others when she was old enough...

When Jhalak came to an Open Event at East Surrey College to get more information about the Science courses, she knew this would be the best place to continue her studies. She was excited about the progression routes the College could offer her, and w...

Former School: Greenshaw High SchoolAfter completing his GCSEs, Murtaz enrolled onto IT Level 2, after which he then studied Business Level 2, before his current course, IT Level 3! He's on his first year of the course, and initially cho...

Shaydon played football for his school team as well as with Raynes Park Vale FC but he has always been interested in aviation, particularly a career in Air Traffic Control. He applied to the Royal Navy in November and had a fa...

Aeronautical Engineering Level 3 student Billy made a positive impression at his work experience interview and was subsequently offered a five-day placement with the Gatwick Hangar 6 Programme with British Airways.Billy was able to experienc...

Owen began studying Motor Vehicle School Links programme at East Surrey College and moved onto a Health & Social Care course. Whilst studying, he gained some work experience at the YMCA. He commented that he "really enjoys working there and ...

Lauren studied Child Development as one of her subjects at school before coming to East Surrey College to study Childcare. She wanted to study Childcare as she is passionate about working with young children. Her school recommended East Surrey Colleg...

Former School: Moor House School & CollegeAlfie studied on our Aviation Operations Level 3 course and was offered the opportunity of work experience with Airbus! Alfie undertook a week-long virtual work experience, during w...

Our student Noelle was happy to tell us all about her experience studying for a Higher National Diploma in Photography at ESC. “Open discussion has always been encouraged on my course – the support network within the Co...

Charlotte is an HR Apprentice with Schlumberger, completing her training at ESC. She’s loving discovering the world of HR and really enjoys being able to learn on the job, getting to grips with different procedures and building her relationship...

After completing his A Levels, Charlie joined us at ESC, where he completed Engineering Levels 1 & 2, followed by an Engineering Level 3 Apprenticeship and his current course, the Engineering Level 4 Apprenticeship. ESC was Charlie's loc...

Michael joined ESC straight after GCSEs, and after enjoying Computer Science GCSE he knew he wanted to study IT."I've been interested in IT since I was young, and the course is a good step to help pursue a career."He was gr...

Jake started his career journey with a Customer Services Level 2 Apprenticeship at Reigate and Banstead Borough Council, which he found helped him to build transferable customer related skills. For Jake, an Apprenticeship allowed him the opportunity ...

Former School: Therfield School, LeatherheadAfter finishing Sixth Form, Lucy knew that she didn't want to go to university and started researching career options. She came across Apprenticeships and thought that it sounded like the perfe...

Aspiring Make-Up Artist Emily joined us on Hair & Media Level 2 after a friend had recommended the College to her. Emily chose to come to ESC for Level 2  and then progressed up to Fashion & Media Make-Up Level 3.“I didn’...

Jonah enjoyed Design & Technology at school, particularly being able to create a miniature chair, experimenting with new construction skills. When considering his options for College, Jonah was undecided between Brickwork and Carpentry and visite...

After experimenting with mechanisms in Design & Technology GCSE, Abbie knew she wanted to pursue something practical, taking after her father, a retired Carpenter. She also took part in a Carpentry & Joinery session as part of a Taster D...

Leo was our Student Union President for 2020/21 and joined ESC after finishing his GCSEs at Royal Alexandra and Albert School. He loved Art and Computer classes at school and was able to combine his two passions by studying Film & TV Product...

Former School: Harris Academy, PurleyMaria chose to study at the College as it provided her with the opportunity to gain work experience in the industry. She's always had an aspiration to work within Health & Social Care as a Social Worke...

Megan chose to study a Hairdressing course, as she had always been interested in hair and beauty, and had heard good things about the facilities. She's loved the course so far, commenting that "I love it more than I thought I would. It ...

Max started at ESC on the Springboard programme, which gave him the opportunity to try out Carpentry, Brickwork and Painting & Decorating. He really enjoyed the Painting & Decorating elements in particular and progressed to Pai...

Former School: Hartpury CollegeJames is currently studying Geology at Durham University, after progressing from his Access to Science course at ESC. He knew he wanted to study Science at university, so chose to study a science-based course at Col...

Dale was determined to pursue his interest in business and get a qualification, so joined ESC on the Business Level 3 course, whilst also re-taking his English GCSE.Whilst on the Level 3 courses, he found the learning style to be completely diffe...

Former School: Westfield Academy, WatfordFaiszarn is currently on an Engineering Apprenticeship, working at University College London (UCL), whilst completing his training through East Surrey College. He was shortlisted at The BAME Apprentic...

Ella enjoyed IT GCSE and knew that she wanted to do something creative, and decided to challenge her skills with Film & TV Production. "I choose this particular course as I really enjoyed video editing and wanted...

Freya is an extremely motivated student and is on track to achieve a DM grade for Year 1 of her Public Services course. She actively participates in student-led community based events such as helping a local outdoor centre and taking part in the...

Myles took on an Apprenticeship in Mechanical Engineering with East Surrey College and is now in his second year of studies for his Level 4 qualification. Having completed his GCSEs at Carrington School and A Levels at Reigate College, he “deci...

Past student James came back with his employer, Smart Aviation to speak to current students, sitting in the same classroom that he had been in as an ESC student. James had initially chosen to study at ESC, as he had been researching Aviation...

Louis is currently undertaking an Apprenticeship with True Electrical Ltd, where he supports the installation and maintenance of electrical systems, adhering to health and safety standards.  As a benefit of his Apprenticeship, Loui...

Former School: Collyer's CollegeSian, like many others, had not heard much about the Apprenticeship pathway, but further research led her to “to discover that [it was] something I was interested in and wanted to pursue a career in ...

Aspiring Beauty Therapist Jamie joined East Surrey College on Beauty Therapy Level 1, and progressed up through Level 2 to Level 3. She now has a part-time job at Lifeline Beauty Salon in Redhill, and shared her experience of the course at College:&n...

Reece is a keen kart racer, and chose to study a Motor Vehicle course to "learn about the technical side of racing" and support his passion.He first went karting whilst on holiday in 2013, and fell in love with motor racing: &q...

As part of the national Pearson BTEC Awards for 2019, Ryan was nominated by his tutor and won the BTEC Gold Award for Public Services Student of the Year! Ryan was nominated for his outstanding work and dedication to his course.Ryan also led the ...

Current position: Renewal Advisor, Plan Insurance BrokersChantelle initially enrolled on Aviation Operations Level 2, before deciding that she wanted to pursue a career in business, and went on to study Business Levels 2 and 3. She feels...

Current Position: Sales and Marketing Apprentice, GoogleDuring his Business Level 3 course, Callum heard from Iconic Digital as part of Raising Aspirations Week. The digital marketing agency presented on their role in the industry and Callum shar...

Rory is studying towards an Intermediate Apprenticeship qualification, and works as a Bricklaying Apprentice with Engie, an energy and services company.He has seen great success at various competitions in 2019, as his passion for the industr...

Beth visited East Surrey College at an Open Event and said that "it felt right - I could see myself here." Her choice to enrol onto Public Services was easy, as she takes part in Cadets twice a week. "The course appealed to me...

Former School: Knole AcademyAfter his school pulled the Travel & Tourism courses, Adam started looking for options and came to an Open Event at East Surrey College. “Although the College was one of furthest from me, it had a go...

Former School: Millom School, CumbriaMichael moved down to Redhill after finishing education in Cumbria. He was looking for further options to compliment his passion for Sport and "ESC appealed to me, due to the sport-specific courses t...

Reece originally enrolled onto Film & TV, but was interested in the creative side of the business industry and later began Business Level 3.“Being able to focus on one course really appealed to me – I think that’s a real adv...

Reigate School of Art students; Marina, Jack, James and Lucas enjoyed the exciting opportunity to exhibit their work at Origins Creative Arts Festival in July, held at the Truman Brewery in Brick Lane.This annual celebration of work by ...

Former student Lucy studied Travel & Tourism at school and knew that she wanted to work towards a career in Cabin Crew. "I've always had a passion for travel, and Cabin Crew was the perfect way for me to work and do what I love....

After finishing A Levels, Alfie wasn't sure of which pathway to take, and upon visiting an Open Event at East Surrey College, he was impressed with the Reigate School of Art, commenting that "I like the vibe - it seemed like an independent a...

Brenda had a place at her school's Sixth Form, but decided that College was more suited to her work style, and enrolled on Childcare Level 2: “At that point, I had no idea what I wanted to do, but I knew I enjoyed working with chil...

William chose ESC as it allowed him to join even though he left school with few qualifications. He has now gained Maths and English GCSEs, which he is very grateful to have achieved through College. Will initially joined Business Level 1, be...

Faith initially joined East Surrey College on a School Links Hairdressing programme, but changed to Childcare Level 3 as she knew she wanted to work with children and "the course would introduce me to a wider range of jobs available." ...

Elizabeth visited various college Open Events, and decided that ESC was best suited to her career aspirations and found that: “ESC was so much more welcoming and friendly – I was excited to start the course and be part of the fam...

Tom initially spent a year at another college, working towards A-Levels, before transferring to East Surrey College, where he found that:“The teaching at ESC was so much better – everything was taught from ground level and the course ...

Charlie discovered the IT course at a College Open Event, where he found that: “The teachers went through the course content in a lot of detail and explained how it’s all coursework based – which I prefer. The college also ...

Lily joined ESC on Childcare Level 2, after missing a Maths GCSE Pass by one mark! Determined to continue towards the Level 3 qualification, she found that "it definitely helped me feel more ready for Level 3, as I gained a lot of knowledge.&quo...

After visiting an Open Event, Rochelle was impressed with the facilities at East Surrey College and initially enrolled on Art & Design Level 3. She then moved to the Beauty Therapy course and progressed from Level 2 to Level 3. Her Colle...

Georgina joined ESC from de Stafford School, after visiting the College at an Open Event, and chose to explore Public Services as she wanted to do something "different and practical - I'm not a fan of exams!"The course gives Georgin...

After finishing her A Levels, Liberty spent six months in Germany, interning at a law firm, and then returned back to the UK to pursue her passion for Engineering, and career that runs in her family. In Sept 2017, she joined the four-year En...

Despite enrolling late on the Access to Social Work Level 3 course, Maria was quick to catch up due to her determination and passion for the subject, after taking Health & Social Care for GCSE."I was considering a gap year but decided th...

Matthew joined East Surrey College from Boston College in Lincolnshire, where he studied Health & Social Care. Throughout his course, his part-time work as a care assistant in a residential dementia facility helped him to realise that &q...

A Supported Internship is a chance to build up confidence and gain independence, and was the path chosen by Hannah, who started the course in 2017.Hannah began by working 2 days a week in the College shop, which allowed her to develop key retail ...

Only a few months into 2019, and Theatrical and Special Effects Make-Up Level 3 Kirsten has seen success on a national level!In February, she competed at the prestigious Warpaint Magazine competition, which took place at the P...

Callum initially joined East Surrey College on a Public Services course, as his chosen route of science was not yet available. His decision to study at ESC was helped by location, but also with a visit to an Open Event, where he remarked tha...

James, an Engineering Apprentice working at Gatwick Airport, was recently awarded an IET (Institute of Engineering and Technology) bursary, which will support him throughout his studies. The award comes following his work as a STEM Amba...

Michael put together a fantastic video titled ‘My Stammer is Me,’ for his final project. Drawing on his personal experience, he wanted to “change perceptions on stammering.”The 30 minute film featured Michael talking ...

Former School: DunottarAlumni student Sophie recently celebrated the launch of her book, ‘Alienated’, at Reigate Library. The illustrated children’s book started as a project during her foundation year at...

Students on the Level 1 course were tasked by London-based FBM Architects with a professional brief: design a contemporary London arts centre, using pencil and the two-point perspective technique. Taylor impressing FBM Architects with his de...

Talented songwriter Teide, has been playing gigs in Surrey, Liverpool and London, impressing audiences with her guitar and vocal style.  She progressed from Music Production Level 2 to Sound and Music Production Level 3 and has recorded many...

Former School: The Gatwick SchoolKallisti was placed 2nd at the Association of Hairdressers and Therapists (AHT) 2018 National Finals in the ‘Prosthetics’ Category. With a passion for prosthetics, Kallisti worked with Thorpe ...

Jack is a very talented songwriter, guitarist and vocalist who is studying Sound and Music Production Level 3. Jack plans to progress onto university having received offers from Westminster, Bournemouth and Southampton to study Music Pe...

Harry studied Sound and Music Production at Reigate School of Art and was one of a handful of successful applicants selected for a BBC Apprenticeship in Broadcast Engineering.Alongside the Apprenticeship, Harry completed a three year BSc degree a...

Hannah currently works at East Surrey College as a Technician, assisting students on the Theatrical, Media & Special Effects Make-Up HND course. She started out as a student at the College, enrolling on Beauty Therapy Level 2, and progressing to ...

Ethan first visited East Surrey College as part of a Taster day with his former school, de Stafford. He then spent a summer helping out with landscaping work, and spent one week gaining plumbing experience. This sparked a desire to pursue a plumbing ...

Alam came from a background of science-based A Levels and decided to retrain for a career in Business. After phoning the College and asking to speak with the Director of HE, she "felt excited! He was really clear on what the c...

The summer before starting her Business Level 2 course at East Surrey College, Amber undertook an internship as a Personal Assistant in a Human Resources team. This is what affirmed her desire to pursue a career in business, and she enrolled on a Bus...

Lydia left ESC with a Business Level 3 qualification and went on to study Marketing at Aston University after being awarded a scholarship based on her College grades. She graduated with a 2:1 degree and now works as a Fleet Ad...

Former de Stafford School pupil Jake had his work featured at the OXO Tower Wharf in London, as part of the eighth annual Origins Creative Arts Festival. Now on Art & Design Level 2, Jake was delighted to see his work displayed amongst work from ...

Emily joined East Surrey College after taking a year out from studying at Reigate College - she had heard great things from friends at ESC about the facilities and teaching and enrolled on Art & Design Level 3. "I was really impress...

Alumni student Kelly was attracted to East Surrey College as "it is a new building with updated equipment and fantastic facilities, and offered more practical courses." She enrolled on the Theatrical, Media and Special Effects Make-Up ...

After leaving school, Elliott started looking for Engineering jobs, but the lack thereof led him to explore other avenues, particularly Apprenticeships. He found an opportunity at Gatwick Airport Limited, which “fitted [him] perfectly,” a...

Jo’s route to a Construction Apprenticeship began with an Art & Design course at East Surrey College, she enjoyed the creative freedom and decided to join the Level 1 Painting & Decorating course at College. Whilst on the course, someon...

Alex’s experience with painting and decorating at home developed into a desire to pursue a career in the industry. She had studied Art, but didn't want to stay on for Sixth Form, and discovered the Apprenticeship path - choosing to earn whi...

Shola chose to study music as she feels it is a great “creative output for emotions”. She is really enjoying her course and commented that “the tutors have a lot of knowledge, and it’s the most support I’ve ever had&rdqu...

Rebecca spent just a year learning English before she joined the College, and after studying Art & Design in Milan, knew that this was the pathway she wanted to take. Upon visiting ESC for the first time, she remarked “It felt right [&helli...

Former School: The Ashcombe SchoolStephanie has been doing kickboxing for 10 years and for the past 6 years has been in Team GB. Once a year she travels internationally with Team GB and several times a year with her club team for competitions....

Luke’s love of cycling has taken him from bike-riding at a young age, to the 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games. He has been chosen to represent Team GB at the Games, which take place in March 2019 in Abu Dhabi. This is a huge achievement...

Petra joined East Surrey College after moving from her home country of Hungary, and speaking very little English. “I could say yes, no, thank you… that was about it!”Despite initially joining at ESOL Entry Level 1, her dedicati...

Former School: The Gatwick School During her time at College, Kallisti has taken the opportunity to take part in many external projects and competitions. Most recently, she was placed 2nd at the Association of Hairdressers and Therapists (AH...

Solomon is employed as an Apprentice with Halfords. He enjoys the balance of work and College.“I wanted to learn in the workplace.”Solomon commented that the practical tasks he performs as part of his Apprenticeship are reflected ...

A few months into his Brickwork Level 1 course, Peter won a competition testing his ability to follow a brief of building a ‘Stretcher bond wall with attached piers’, taking into account all health and safety requirements.Seven Brickw...

Veronica first came to ESC to study ESOL in 2014, shortly after arriving in the UK from Moldova. She chose the College as it had a good reputation, modern facilities and was close to where she had just moved. She considered studying Tra...

Alex had worked part-time at Epsom Car Care for 2 1/2 years before deciding that he wanted to get officially qualified, and chose to do an Apprenticeship, after completing his Level 1 at ESC.He knew the college had a good reputation and, as ...

After enjoying a Taster Day at the College in Year 10, Aaron chose Carpentry & Joinery, as the experience confirmed the type of career he wanted to pursue.Aaron had the opportunity to complete a week’s work experience the summer before ...

Former School: Cheam High School“I first started kicking a ball at the age of 3.”Football fan Georgie has been able to dedicate time at College to his passion: sports coaching. He joined ESC on Life Skills Entry Level 2, and Georg...

Marta moved from Italy to England 4 years ago, and developed her English whilst studying at Kingston College, as she had struggled to find courses in Italy that suited her passion for make-up. Equipped with the technical vocabulary, she started Highe...

Alice followed in her brother’s footsteps, after hearing good things about the College, and enrolled on the Mechanical Engineering course.She enjoys having a flexible timetable so that she can balance her time at College with independent st...

Kane chose Sport as he is an active person looking to eventually become a professional basketball player. He enjoys how active the Sports course is but also likes learning the theory behind sports science and anatomy. He enjoys meeting new peo...

Marios progressed to a top London University following graduation and has embarked on a career in software engineering.“Attending ESC helped me build the foundation of my career. Before my studies here I was still unaware of what I wanted t...

Georgia really enjoyed her time at ESC. Her favourite aspect of the course was learning to be disciplined and working as part of a team. She has been very active within the Student Union and was elected President and Student Governor in her fi...

Nyomi started on a Traineeship programme which offered her the option of sampling various subject areas. She particularly enjoyed Painting & Decorating and has progessed on to Level 2 in that area. She commented  that “th...

Abbie chose a Traineeship as she thought it would be a good way to develop skills that would help her find a career. She said “I really like that we do something different all the time and the tutors are really good at encouraging us. ...

Cameron enjoyed spending two days with British Airways during national work experience week.  He was able to chat to pilots, engineers and other staff about their job roles and what it’s like working for the company. Along with fe...

Ben proved to be an excellent football player and enjoyed representing the College in the highly competitive Surrey Sixth Form Football League.Ben was awarded Player of the Year for his leadership skills and comitment, helping the ESC team to 2nd p...

Harley enjoyed spending two days with British Airways during national work experience week.  She was able to chat to pilots, engineers and other staff about their job roles and what it’s like working for the company. A...

Richard originally started at ESC on the Kick Start programme. He progressed on to Business Admin and then IT Level 2 before his current course. He developed a passion for IT and his tutors helped him select the right course for him. Richard’s ...

Ella took part in a competition at Canon UK to design a campaign that encourages ‘Generation Z’ to use more cameras. The Challenge was to develop work related skills and provide exposure to the business environment. Ella and her ...

Following his Foundation Diploma at Reigate School of Art, Thomas went on to study Fine Art; Painting (BA) at Camberwell College of Arts.He has exhibited his contemporary artwork at various galleries including the ICA in London and The Bluecoat i...

Arlin took part in a competition at Canon UK to design a campaign that encourages ‘Generation Z’ to use more cameras. The Challenge was to develop work related skills and provide exposure to the business environment. Arlin and he...

Lewis studied Construction Level 3 at ESC and was delighted to secure an Apprenticeship as a Trainee Site Supervisor with national builder – Buxton Building Contractors Limited.Lewis has made good progress commenting: “since the begin...

Charlotte chose Public Services at ESC as she preferred the vocational route rather than A-levels.Charlie really enjoyed the course and particularly liked the practical elements such as leadership tasks, water sports and fitness.A big highlig...

IT student Matheus enjoyed a week of work experience at Canon UK where he was given an introduction to all aspects of the business. As part of a competition at Canon, Matheus had to successfully build a digital marketing strategy to market a...

Halina North studied Level 4 Foundation Diploma in Art & Design at East Surrey College before progressing to Edinburgh College of Arts. She flourished during Graduate Fashion Week 2017 and walked away with the Christopher Bailey Gol...

Having studied for A-Levels, Anne decided that vocational study was a much better fit for her way of learning. She found the course: “great fun with lots of variety and work to do,” especially the criminology aspect of the course where ev...

Ellen studied at the College for three years; which included completing a Level 3 Public Services course.“The opportunity to excel in academic and other areas is what drew me to the College, and my passion for education and its benefits has...

Ellie has started an exciting career within the skincare industry and is currently working for Dermalogica as a training specialist.Ellie was inspired by the different skincare companies that visited the College and knew this was the direction sh...

Rebecca progressed to the Business Foundation Degree (FdA) from the Level 3 Business Diploma at East Surrey College. During her Level 3 course, Rebecca was selected to work on a part-time work placement in the HR department at Winterbotham Darby. The...

Jack completed Level 3 IT Software Development with a triple distinction.Web solution agency Monochrome visited the College to give the students an overview of the cutting edge tools they use. Jack used the opportunity to approach the company gai...

Matthew wanted to study Sports at college and was really interested in Sports Psychology and Coaching. The Level 3 Extended Diploma in Sport (Development, Coaching and Fitness) covered both of these areas of interest and many other aspects such as pr...

Level 3 Sport student Millie was elected as an Activity Champion at the College and was recommended for a coaching job at Chelsea Disabled FC after accumulating over 40 hours of coaching volunteering.Millie plans to continue studying at ESC on th...

Aaron joined the Army as a recruit in February 2014 after studying Level 3 Public Services. He completed various assignments at College including Government, Citizenship, Leadership and Discipline which gave him the edge over his peers in his Ph...

Zoe started in Supported Learning six years ago, lacking confidence in her abilities. During her time at the College, with the support of her tutors, Zoe has made outstanding progress moving from Supported Learning onto Health & Social Care....

Aaron joined the Kick Start programme in 2012 having moved from another area. He admits that while he was at school he struggled to settle down and as a result, his behaviour suffered.He lacked confidence in his abilities but through the support ...

Faye received the Special Achievement Award - Certificate of Excellence for her HND. During her course, Faye competed against professionals and was placed in several national competitions.She worked in an Estee Lauder pop-up store in Shoredi...

Jake completed his Level 1 Award in Vehicle Maintenance & Repair and his talent was spotted by Reigate & Banstead Borough Council when he applied for a job through their Young Workers Scheme. Although they did not have a Vehicle Maintenance A...

Mohammed wanted to gain formal qualifications and experience so joined the College in 2010 enrolling on a PEO in Engineering. Coming from Afghanistan, the opportunities to study there were limited; since joining the College, Mohammed has also gained ...

Alison was awarded Student of the Year for Childcare Level 3. She completed a work placement in her first year at Furzefield Primary School and was asked back in her second year on the course. She is hoping to work there full-time for a year before r...

Louise completed her Level 3 Diploma in Health and Social Care with distinction. She has been an exemplary student going above and beyond what was required.“The course at East Surrey College offered everything I needed. With the excellent s...

Daniel chose to study at East Surrey College as he felt the Level 3 course was more relevant to what he wanted to do as a career rather than the A level equivalent at his previous school. Daniel is now studying Computer Science at the University of B...

Lauren was selected to work in collaboration with The Reigate Society to commemorate its 60th Anniversary with a permanent sculpture in Reigate Priory Park. Her winning design was selected from over 50 students from local schools and colleges; it is ...

Sound & Music Production student Jack has been commissioned by publishers Curious Fox to produce a piece of music inspired by a new novel; Half my Facebook Friends are Ferrets by local author Jackie Buckle from Reigate. The book is about a f...

Alex, a Level 2 Bench Joinery student impressed the judges at the Young Start Up Talent competition with his bespoke skateboard business idea. Alex secured a place in the finals of the competition, which aims to support 16 – 25-year-old entrepr...

Jason completed his BTEC Level 3 in Travel & Tourism and has been offered a full-time position with BA as cabin crew. Whilst at ESC, Jason also studied Level 2 in Cabin Crew to supplement his studies as he wanted to differentiate himself from oth...

Joe, Andrea and Andrew studied on the Aviation Operations Level 3 National Diploma 5 years ago. Since completing the course, they have progressed either on to Higher Education or are in employment within the Aviation industry.Joe, ...

Richard first studied Level 2 Travel & Tourism at East Surrey College as a route to the Level 3 Aviation Operations course. He is described by his tutor as being "hardworking" and was awarded Level 3 Aviation Operations Student of the Y...

Joe completed a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design at East Surrey College in June 2011. His final project was selected to be manufactured and installed as the focal point at the front of the College.The 6 metre high raw steel scul...

Art & Design Level 3 student Oliver had his winning artwork framed and displayed in the Epoch Art Gallery’s window in Redhill!The students visited the Gallery to find out about the commercial aspects of running a gallery, different...

Aimee has always had an interest in art and photography and was initially planning to study A Levels but due to personal circumstances, the A Level route was not a viable option. After meeting with the Photography tutor at the College, she found that...

Sound & Music Production student Michaela was offered the Maud Tyler Scholarship to study Commercial Music Performance BMus Honours degree at Westminster University in September 2015. This is the first time a student from the College has been off...