Website: www.southwark.ac.uk Telephone: 02078151600 MARCH 2010: ISSUE 10
SOUTHWARK COLLEGE VOICE 7
learners some vital
Visit to see
classroom
practical experience
skills used
A GROUP of Information
Technology learners from
Southwark College paid a visit
By PAUL BLAIR to a leading financial institution
in the City of London to see for
A GROUP of learners from
themselves how skills learned in
Southwark College made a
the classroom are applied in
splash when they became
industry.
hydro-engineers for the day
The youngsters were given a
talk on what financial software,
and tried to find their own
news and data company
solutions to real logistical Bloomberg is involved with,
water supply problems.
watched programmers and
Engineering Higher Diploma learners
developers solve IT problems and
from the College joined pupils from St
found out what kind of skills
Saviour’s and St Olave’s School for the
were needed to work for a
Thames Water Challenge at London
multi-national firm.
South Bank University (LSBU). Their
The trip was one of a number of
task was to complete a ‘reservoir to tap’
planned visits and aims to give
project which involved planning,
learners a better understanding of
designing, building and testing a model
the world of employment.
water distribution network. College lecturer Andrew Mendy
The Level Two learners had to consider
costs and various constraints that were
TOUGH TASK: Engineering Higher Diploma learners plan, design, build and test
said learners found the visit
presented to them throughout the task.
a model water distribution network at London South Bank University
extremely useful and had seen
for themselves that workers in
Thames Water volunteers and student Ambrosio, is of a very rare breed - a young a lot to society and I want to be part of
industry were actually using the
ambassadors from LSBU supported them woman determined to make a name for that. I aim to become a civil engineer and
same skills gained at College.
at the event, which is a partnership herself in the world of engineering. design bridges and become involved in big
“The feedback was excellent.
between LSBU, the London Engineering The 16-year-old said: “I am interested projects.”
Learners asked employees lots of
Project, Thames Water and Lambeth in a career in engineering and it’s good to Another learner, 19-year-old Adeyorka
questions and found out exactly
Council to promote progression pathways get some practical experience with such a Olaloko, who wants to pursue a career in
what is required to work at a firm
into engineering. big company. I learned a lot from the day aeronautical engineering, found the visit
like Bloomberg.
The Engineering Higher Diploma is and hopefully I will be able to use very useful.
“I had one learner say to me:
designed to prepare young people either those experiences to help me in higher He said: “The event was very
for university or employment through education and ultimately in gaining challenging and I learnt a lot of new
‘Education is good. These people
a mixture of classroom and practical employment.” things. It was really good to take part in
are working in a nice place and
learning. The success of the course relies Shannen, who is a fine example of the practical tasks rather than just learn
doing a nice job’. My simple
on the involvement of local industries and equal opportunity and diversity that about them in the classroom. It has made
response was to say that they
the partnership with Thames Water is a Southwark College prides itself upon, me even more determined to work hard at
could work at a place like
great example of this. added: “I was motivated to follow this College and fulfil my aim to forge a
Bloomberg in the future if they
One of the participants, Shannen career path because engineers contribute successful career in engineering.”
work hard at College.”
safe surfing tips
sees any information about “Lots of us were
them,” she said. completely unaware that
“Following the event, most we could have been putting
learners said they would go ourselves at risk. Now we
back to their Facebook know what precautions to
profiles and start again, take and how to go about
limiting the amount of implementing those
information they give out. changes.”
“They also found out more Another learner, 17-year-
about how computers have old Kennedy O Abusomam,
evolved into the information added: “Some of the
highway they serve as information that came out
today.” of the event I was
Abu Dean Ngegba, aged 17, completely unaware of. I
who is studying for the IT now know how to use the
and Engineering BTEC internet properly and to
Entry Certificate, said: “The keep my profile private.
event was very important Hopefully, there will be
and beneficial to everyone more events like this in the
in attendance. future.”
SEE PAGE 9 FOR MORE DETAILS
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