Petroc college helps its degree students achieve their ambitions and find dream careers

Whether you're looking to start your career, retrain, or try something new, a Devon-based college can set you on the right path.

That's according to former students at Petroc College of Further and Higher Education who have gone on to their dream careers thanks to their work at the college.

Petroc College has been delivering degree-level courses, validated by the University of Plymouth, for more than 30 years and has three campuses across North and Mid Devon.

Petroc provides foundation degrees and Higher National Certificates (HNC) across a range of subjects, including education, computing, engineering and sport.

The inspirational college is ambitious for its students and furnishes them with more than just an academic qualification. When you study at Petroc College you will learn new skills, make new friends and colleagues as well as build links with employers and lecturers that have invaluable industry experience.

All students studying on foundation degree programmes have the opportunity to gain 20 days of work experience which can be used to try a new career area or build up their employment knowledge and experience. Students who decide to do the non-compulsory internship receive a generous bursary following the completion of the course.

The college is dedicated to producing 'change agents' - people who go out into the world to make a difference - sharing their innovation, creativity, and talent.

From September 2022 there will be four new degree-level programmes in Sustainable Tourism, Sustainable Environmental Management, Creative Media, and Theatre and Performance. Graduates from these programmes will have an array of job opportunities and may choose to stay and work locally or look for national roles.

Thousands of students have graduated with degree-level qualifications from Petroc and the college encourages all students to make a difference in the world – whether this is in the field of healthcare, business, animal conservation or another discipline.

To find out more about studying at Petroc, meet the team at the Green Lanes shopping centre, Barnstaple, on Saturday, January 29. Full details on the event can be found below.

We speak to Jade, Kelly and Bob about their experiences of Petroc and why they recommend studying there to others.

'My photographs are featured in Cornwall Wildlife Trusts magazine'

Wildlife lover, Jade Aston, was unsure what career path to take after finishing her GCSEs. While looking at local colleges, she discovered that Petroc's facilities and animal management courses were perfect for her.

Jade completed the application process and enrolled in the level 3 Advanced Extended Diploma in Animal Management.

She said: "I absolutely loved the course and it gave a great basis of knowledge around the animal care sector. Upon finishing my diploma I was made aware of Petroc’s higher education degrees, this is when I progressed onto study Animal Conservation with Petroc for another two years."

Jade's love for animals and interest in wildlife conservation grew as a result of the diploma, however, she was still unsure of the exact career path she wanted to follow.

Jade finally made the decision to take Petroc’s Animal Conservation degree and never looked back: "The course had a great variety of modules that would help me to gain the relevant knowledge and practical skills to assist me in my future in conservation.

"The highlights of this course for me have not been trips or any specific visits, personally what I’ve enjoyed most about this course is the journey it has allowed me to take when figuring out my interests and career path.

"What I have most enjoyed about studying at Petroc is the friendliness and support from lecturers."

The course has given her a wealth of opportunities, she said: "Throughout my studies, I have volunteered for Bude Marine Group, a volunteer marine conservation group based in Bude, Cornwall.

"In October 2020 I became a committee member and was given the role as their Digital Communications Officer. I now manage the group's social media platforms and also assist in monthly committee surveys along with helping out with public events and general planning.

"I have really enjoyed working with Bude Marine Group, although marine biology is not my study of interest I became fascinated with the marine life that was on my doorstep and developed a hobby for underwater photography. I have since had my photographs featured in Cornwall Wildlife Trusts magazine and have met many great people with similar interests to me.

"Volunteering with Bude Marine Group has allowed me to meet people working within the Wildlife Trusts and allowed me to develop survey skills while also helping to link me with other organisations which could potentially assist me in my career."

After her positive experience at Petroc, Jade is now continuing her animal studies and aspires to work with the Wildlife Trust upon graduation.

Jade was keen to offer advice to other people who share her interests or who are unsure what path to take, she said: "If you are interested in conservation and have a love for nature, this course is for you. If you are still unsure on a specific career then this course will help you to find an area of interest due to its wide range of modules and options to personally tailor your studies through written assignments."

'Best Overall Student, 2020'

For some, studying after starting a family can seem daunting and too difficult, but Kelly Hudson rose above these barriers.

Living locally to Petroc played a part in Kelly's decision to start studying at the college. Not only was the location convenient, but the courses available sparked her interest.

In 2018, Kelly enrolled in the BA Honours Professional Development Health and Social Care course.

She spoke about the highlights of studying social care at Petroc: "The community-based project was great. I also won the University of Plymouth academic partnerships outstanding student prize for the academic year 2019/20. I was awarded a certificate and a £50 voucher."

Looking back on the experience, Kelly expressed warm feelings for the college: "I loved my time at Petroc, I particularly enjoyed the content on my course, specifically the community-based project, where we collaborated and designed an early intervention programme, which was successfully used."

Petroc prides itself in giving students the opportunity to undertake work experience during their studies. Kelly took full advantage of this opportunity by volunteering at North Devon Against Domestic Abuse (NDADA) - a women's refuge - where she mentored in advocacy.

She has now returned to Petroc in order to lecture, speaking volumes about the college and how much she enjoyed her time there.

Kelly said: "I’ve actually done a complete 360 and now work as a Health and Social Care and Early Childhood Studies lecturer at Petroc. In time I would like to do a Masters in Health and Social Care or Education."

'I am passionate about the environment and designing healthy buildings'

Bob Moores is a lecturer on the HNC Construction course at Petroc and has a lifetime interest in designing sustainable and healthy buildings. He is qualified to Masters level where his research focused on developing a design framework for healthy school buildings for primary-aged children.

By profession, Bob is a sustainable design consultant, specialising in designing high-performance, sustainable buildings and in using natural building methods. He is currently developing a modular cabin design/build system to provide bespoke, adaptable, healthy, off-grid cabins and garden offices.

He was inspired to teach after delivering a series of guest lectures at universities: "It was great engaging with students and professionals who were inspired by my subject, it was very rewarding to inspire and inform the designers and architects of the future.”

For Bob, being a lecturer is such an important role, especially supporting them in making career choices and getting their first professional job. He regularly receives thank-you emails from graduates and requests for advice on projects they are working on.

Construction is a growing industry and Petroc is working to support and inspire the next generation of building designers and architects.

As part of British Science Week in March, the college has produced a fun construction experiment. This is featured in the British Science Week activities pack and is available for schools and families to download. Petroc’s experiment activity encourages children and families to build structures from dried spaghetti and marshmallows and test their strength!

Studying at Petroc

If Kelly, Bob, and Jade's stories have inspired you, why not think about beginning your learning journey at Petroc in September?

By studying higher education courses at your local education provider you will have convenient access to academic experts, excellent links to business and industry opportunities without the expenses of accommodation and travel often associated with studying further afield.

Take the opportunity to make 2022 really count. The Petroc team will be at the Green Lanes shopping centre, Barnstaple, between 9am and 5pm on Saturday, January 29 to answer any questions you have relating to the college's courses.

There will be information on the college's degrees courses, HNCs and new Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) and the chance to ask more about the programmes available.

If you are in Mid Devon, you can email the Petroc team to arrange a time to meet on the Tiverton campus.

For more information, and to see Petroc's full range of courses available, you can visit the website here.

For more details about Petroc, the courses on offer, and how to apply, see www.petroc.ac.uk or contact guidancecentre@petroc.ac.uk to talk through your options.