Student Success Stories and Submissions

Your story

Everyone who completes a course of study has a unique story to tell and South Essex College wants to hear yours.

Did you achieve your qualification under difficult circumstances? Have you gone on to a career that uses your qualification or did you follow a different pathway? What are you doing now?

To share your story please complete the submission form below.

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Success stories

Georgia Nichols

Georgia Nichols

Course studied

My greatest achievement so far, is when I spent six months in the Royal Opera House

My name is Georgia Nichols ,I am 23 and in my second year of the Costume Construction BA course, and I am hoping to achieve a Level 3 Diploma in Garment Making.

I am currently doing an apprenticeship, working at the Royal Opera House in the ladies costume production workroom. My job requires making costumes for new opera and ballet productions at the Royal Opera House. I applied for the apprenticeship when I saw it online. At my interview, I did some simple sewing tasks and brought in a portfolio of a few things I had made. There's a wide variety of types of costumes that we make, some days we're all working on tutus and some days they are big ballgowns! 
 
Before my apprenticeship, I was working an unrelated administration job and taught myself how to sew for fun during lockdown. The apprenticeship gave me an opportunity to enter into my dream career, which I didn't think would be possible without doing a four-year university degree.
 
I chose to study at South Essex Colleges Group because the Costume Construction BA course is closely tied to the Royal Opera House, which is why it's the course the apprentices are put on so it gives you incredible opportunities you wouldn’t get elsewhere.
 
I've learned a lot of new techniques during my time at college. It's really useful to get as many different types of guidance as possible. It's really important to have multiple different methods of doing things, taught by a wide diversity of different people, both in the workroom and at college. I like to pick and choose which methods I want to use in my work, and it makes me a better maker.

The best thing about doing higher education is the space to experiment and ask questions to further my craft. Taking the time to really understand things is really important for my learning. I've learned a really wide array of technical sewing skills which have proved really valuable every day, both from college and my workplace. Working across both environments has also given me experience in adapting to different work places and styles, my teacher will do something different to my workroom manager, so I get to experience both sides of that and broaden my knowledge.
 
My greatest achievement so far, is when I spent six months in the Royal Opera House men's workroom, and just completed an 11-week tailoring unit in college, and I'm really proud of the advancements I've made in tailoring specifically since I started my apprenticeship. It's a tricky craft, and I really didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I do, but it's my favourite part of costume now!
 
I'm looking forward to freelancing after I graduate in August this year. I want to get as much experience as possible, and I'm excited to branch out into doing some film costume as well as continue my theatre journey.

Jordan Smee My Story

Jordan Smee My Story

Course studied

My greatest achievement so far has been my interview with Lv.80, it was an unexpected surprise as I wasn’t ready for the project I had released at that point to gain so much traction and gain their attention

My name is Jordan Smee, I am 25 years old, I studied Computer Games Development at University Centre South Essex from 2018 until 2020 and this is my story.

I was born and raised in Essex to a middle class family, in the countryside of the Dengie Area.

During my time at the college between 2015-2017 while I was doing my two years BTEC course, I was encouraged by the head of the games course at the time to consider staying on at the college to continue into the university course, and after reviewing a number of options within other universities I decided to heed that advice, as at the time the university offered a more broad course structure to some of the others which had more narrow and closely defined subjects. This was useful because at the time of choosing I had little real knowledge of the industry and didn’t know where I wanted to go within it.

During my time at the university, I had a genuinely great experience. From the moment I joined, to the moment I left, I was supported by both the tutors and by my peers, and although I ended my time at the university at home due to the pandemic. Before that time I learned plenty and grew both as a creative and as a person.

The course lead was phenomenal at ensuring we were as prepared as possible, and taking a technical minded focus enabled me, who granted was more artist focused, to broaden my skillset and give me a chance to learn and explore other avenues within game development that I wouldn’t have otherwise been able to learn or capitalise on. In tandem to this, the events and industry connection we had and used in our visit to Bossa Studio did a great job and keeping me invested and in tune with some of the expectations people were expecting from within the industry.

Within my time at the university I was given the chance to broaden my skillset and explore the various different ways in which games can be made and how to approach that. The course primarily takes a technical focus the game development and so coding, tools programming etc. take presidency but it doesn’t mean we were limited to these points, instead these were usually pathways to lead us to explore other options, coding could lead into shader creation and understanding the mix between technical and artistic pursuit, tools programming gave us faster pipelines which could be expanded to create generative tools in Blender or Maya.

These skills have given me a solid baseline upon which I can now specialise and focus in on the parts of my industry that I love, and with those other skills in toe it means I am a more capable developer and can aid in more cases than I can’t and I wouldn’t be able to do that without the time I had to gain those skills.

Since completing my course at the university I have gone on to publish an interview of my work and process in 80.lv a well-known game development website and organisation that help to share information around the industry from development logs to interviews. I have also gone on to work with Surgent Studios a transmedia company that is currently working in partnership with EA Originals on an unannounced video game project.

I also recently joined the Grads in Games organisation as an industry advocate, helping to get more up and coming graduates into the industry.

I am currently working with Surgent Studios. I am a technical artist which requires me to act as the bridge between both the programming/design teams and the art team. This means that I will be doing a variety of shader creation, tool generation for artists, optimisation of assets and materials alongside implementations and blueprint work to ensure visual consistency. I have also recently taken on a number of VFX pieces, and thus in that I also create new VFX for various aspects of our game.

I had previously worked freelance both at an indie company and a modding project, Black Clover Games and Beyond Skyrim. From there I did some minor contract work and during the spring of 2021 I was approached for the position of Technical Artist for Surgent and applied and was lucky enough to get into the company.

Doing higher education means you can gain a better understanding and a broaden your skills for the industry you want. Additionally, if your course is able and can get you to industry events, these events can enable you to make numerous connections within the fields you are aiming for. I’ve known a number of current and past students already in the short time I’ve been in the industry who know a number of my colleagues due to events they’ve been able to go to, and I know that this has enabled those students to progress further than those who have not made those connections.

I also think for those who do pursue further or higher education, the education itself should inspire you to do additional work on yourself at home or wherever you are. Courses can only teach so much and while that could be seen as a negative, it can also be an impetus for a student to go on and learn things that have been missed or get answers to questions that the subject just doesn’t or can’t answer yet.

My time at the university really helped my confidence, I have never been the most confident person in the world, but being able to chat with other people who shared my interests but could also be critical of my work and enable me to keep growing both as a creative and a person, it massively helped me figure out myself and where I wanted to be in the fields I was interested in.

I’d recommend the UCSE for those who want to gain a baseline skillset that could enable them to specialise in any field that then takes their interest. Having an overall understanding of your subject will let you more accurately decide what area you want to pursue.

My greatest achievement so far has been my interview with Lv.80, it was an unexpected surprise as I wasn’t ready for the project I had released at that point to gain so much traction and gain their attention. The interview was great and I’m very proud of the published work.

I’m looking forward to the eventual release of the project I’m working on now, and in the future I plan to continue to just make interesting and exciting games that will give people new experiences.

Will Thatcher

Will Thatcher

Course studied

Graphic Design & Illustration BA (Hons)

My greatest achievement so far has been breaking into the industry of my choice at an agency where I am able to work with dream clients.

My name is Will Thatcher, I am 28 years old and I studied BA Graphic Design and Illustration at South Essex College until July 2023 after graduating with a first class, and this is my story.

I wasn’t a big fan of school when I was younger, so I did a Business Admin apprenticeship in London. I then stayed at that company for another four years working in IT but decided it wasn’t for me. I have always been passionate about art and design, so I came to South Essex college to pursue a more creative career. I first enrolled on the Access to HE Art & Design course for a year, which helped me solidify my choice of graphic design.

I have just finished a six-month internship as a Graphic Designer at West Ham United FC organised through the college. It was part-time, so I was lucky enough to be able to do this alongside my studies and continued this a few months after graduation. Working at a Premier League club was an unforgettable experience, and I learnt so much from it. I am very grateful to those involved, and I still can’t believe it happened.

I have just landed a job as a Graphic Designer at IMG | Seven League. They are a consultancy and digital marketing agency working with major sports brands such as the NFL, Premier League and NBA to increase fan engagement and attract new audiences.

My job involves working within the design team to come up with creative concepts for both client and internal briefs, such as social media campaigns, and producing exciting graphics to be used by the clients. Sport is super visual, and I get to work with different clients, each with unique identities, so no job is the same.

Having to give up my job to study full-time meant I knew I had to make myself as employable as possible. The great thing about Graphic design is that you can combine it with any passion. I am obsessed with sports, so this became the focus of most of my work, leading me to be selected for my West Ham internship. I also reached out to various football clubs for freelance work and developed passion projects. It was great for my portfolio and ultimately secured my current job. My advice to anyone studying for a creative degree is to push yourself and focus on a specific area/industry you would like to work in. It will make you stand out from the crowd.

I chose to study at South Essex because they offer a variety of courses on my doorstep. It allowed me to study while living at home, close to my family and friends. I also loved how diverse the college is, and I have made friends from all different backgrounds and ages. Enrolling on the Access to HE Art & Design course enabled me to try many mediums before making my choice.

Studying on my course allowed me to gain insights into the industry from my experienced lecturers and guest speakers. I learned design principles and essential skills such as Adobe Illustrator and printing methods.

The best thing about doing higher education was that I had the freedom, time, and space necessary to develop my knowledge and skills while under the guidance of my lecturers. It also gave me a lot of focus, which I may have struggled with if I had self-taught myself outside of my job.

I had no graphic design or media option at school, so everything was new, such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. I now consider myself skilled in them, but like everyone, I am still learning new things every day. We also learned how to present more effectively in crits to my peers and open myself up to feedback. Responding to feedback is a crucial skill in the creative industry, and the course provides a supportive and encouraging environment to help develop this.

The college provides access to Apple Macs with an Adobe Creative Cloud, which I previously had never used before. Although they are not absolutely necessary, it was good to learn how to use this industry-standard equipment and software. There are also brilliant printing facilities.

I would recommend South Essex College because it is a good option for anyone living locally who wants a supportive environment to learn at their own pace. A smaller number of students on each course also allows more interaction with your lecturer. You would rarely get this at larger institutions, and I don't think I would be at the same level I am elsewhere.

Coming here has massively helped me with my confidence. Before I came here, I wasn’t sure where life was going, but I realised it was the best decision I've made. Like anyone, I still have days of self-doubt, but these are much rarer now due to the strides I'm making and the encouragement of others.

My greatest achievement so far has been breaking into the industry of my choice at an agency where I am able to work with dream clients. I always knew I wanted to work for major brands. I still have to pinch myself.

I want to continue working in sports and have ambitions to be a creative director one day, as I enjoy motivating others and hearing other perspectives and ideas.

Lisa D’Auria and Amy Cassen

Lisa D’Auria and Amy Cassen

Course studied

Early Years Care and Education BA (Hons)

I highly recommend early years. Knowing that you have changed that child’s life.

Lisa D’Auria, Owner of Rocking Horse Childcare (Mother) and Amy Cassen, Manager of Rocking Horse Childcare (Daughter).

My name is Lisa D’Auria, the Owner of Rocking Horse Childcare and my name is Amy Cassen, the Manager of Rocking Horse Childcare.

I chose to study at the college because my daughter, Amy had done her first year of university degree. After looking at her module, I thought that I could do that. I was unsure being a mature student, so I got in touch with Maria Cruikshank and spoke to her about the degree and then decided to give it a go.

It was close to where I lived at the time because I lived at home. I didn’t want to go away for university because I felt like I needed that extra support from home, and I had also been to the tour. I got to speak to the staff and the staff were so friendly.

I would highly recommend university. As a mature student, the support I was able to give other students. Knowledge and experiences I already had that maybe they hadn’t. There were also things they knew that I hadn’t, that combination was brilliant.

The tutors were everything there, Maria she was amazing. They made you think about why you’re doing it and that filtered down to the assignments. That carried on throughout my career, because that’s when I decided to do my PGCE and was successful in doing it. I understood my purpose. The tutors on my course were incredibly supportive.

I enjoyed the whole experience. Coming from early years for so many years and coming from different sectors within that, there was so much I missed and so much building-blocks there and I wanted the underpinning knowledge. That’s what I got from the course.

After I finished my degree, I left early years for a while and went into finance because we all know that the sector isn’t funded well. It was because I didn’t know directly what I wanted in early years at the time, so I had to take a step back and think about it. I didn’t last very long out of the sector, so I went straight back to it. I did my QTS in Teaching and that came from my Early Years degree because I loved the learning and development side, so I wanted to take that further. I did all of those, got into teaching and absolutely loved it, but I still have a passion for the early years side of it. In all honesty, that’s grown me as a person, because coming back to early years with all that knowledge has solidified my passion for it.

After I left the degree, I wasn’t sure where I wanted to go but maybe going into accessing. I had been a mentor for the students within the degree, and I liked that way of helping others. I looked into assessing for a while, but I loved being with the children. After going back into nursery, I then started up my own childcare business and Rocking Horse Childcare was born.

Now I’m managing our new setting at Rocking Horse Childcare, working alongside my Mum which is lovely. We took the decision from that we both always loved early years, that’s why I taught because of my Mum. She’s worked within that all her life, that’s all I’ve ever known, and it just worked out. The timing was right, and we wanted to do it together. We’ve both got ideas that we wanted to imbed. Where I said that university empowered us, we felt confident in putting these practises into place.

The early years needs a lot more support in recruiting staff. I love every aspect in being here at work. I love early years, I’m passionate about early years and I like helping little ones achieve. The slightest thing you see, a crawl, a first word, to threading to jumping, it’s all those things that you know that you’ve been part of that process for that child.

I highly recommend early years. Knowing that you have changed that child’s life. It doesn’t always seem like it, but you are. Everything you do in the way you talk to them and the way you’re supporting those families. The tiniest things can have a huge impact and you grow as a person, so I would highly recommend even just chatting to the tutors, just go.  

Sophie Wade My Story

Sophie Wade My Story

Course studied

Graphic Design & Illustration BA (Hons)

The best thing about completing a higher education course is the sense of accomplishment

My name is Sophie Wade, I am 24 years old, I studied BA (Hons) Graphic Design and Illustration at South Essex University from 2020 until 2023, and this is my story.

After finishing my A-Levels in 2017, I spent three years working in Local Government Administration roles. I wasn’t finding the work enjoyable or fulfilling, so in 2020 I decided that I would return to education and embark on a new creative career path.  

I liked the idea of studying local and being able to commute to and from the University every day. When I first expressed an interest in joining the course, I met with John, who was the course leader at the time, and he reassured me that despite not having any previous creative experience, with my proactive and conscientious approach, I would be able to succeed on the course. Having a tutor who believed in me from the get-go was amazing and just from these few conversations I had with John prior to joining and the amount of support and encouragement he provided, I knew that enrolling would be the right decision for me.

There were around twelve students in my class in total, which meant that I received a huge amount of one-to-one support, something which is not always possible at larger universities. The tutors were very responsive and were always there for me whenever I needed them, both in person and via Teams. I loved working with them as they are just as passionate about Graphic Design as I am! The overall environment is also very welcoming and inclusive.

The best thing about completing a higher education course is the sense of accomplishment which you feel when a hand-in day finally arrives, and you submit everything you’ve spent so much time working on. My tutors knew how much I wanted to do well and pushed me every step of the way to ensure that I achieved my goals.

My greatest achievement so far is being given the opportunity to work in partnership with the RSPB on my final major projects for both my second and my third year. It has been a pleasure to work with the Community Engagement Team and the young people who volunteer at Rainham Marshes, and I will be forever grateful to my tutors for facilitating this collaboration.

As a HE student I have been able to undertake extracurricular opportunities which alongside my degree programme itself, have significantly boosted my confidence. I was a HE Peer Mentor during both my second and third year, and throughout my final year, I have been part of the college’s board of governors. Being at the university provides you with so many amazing opportunities to grow, thrive, and develop both professionally and personally

Since completing my course in May, I have been busy job seeking, and I have also been preparing for the D&AD New Blood Festival – our final degree show. I am on track to receive a First-Class Honours degree which has been my goal since starting the course, so I feel immensely proud of the fact that my hard work and determination has paid off.

Within the next few months, I am hoping to secure a London-based role as a Junior Graphic Designer, where I can work on creating both print-based and digital solutions. From here, I would love to gradually progress into the position of Senior Designer, and eventually, I would love to work my way up to Management level and oversee my own team of creatives. In the future, I would love to set up my own.

Leah Horton My Story

Leah Horton My Story

Course studied

Early Years Care and Education BA (Hons)

My time at the university helped me gain confidence and persistence. With my greatest achievement being achieving a 2:1 in my dissertation. 

My name is Leah Horton, I am 21 years old, I studied Early Years Education at University Centre South Essex from 2020 until 2023 and this is my story.

Before starting at UCSE, I had just dropped out of Winchester University after a short period of time, as I felt homesick and was unsure of the course. I was then accepted into UCSE at the very last minute and have been grateful for having this opportunity. I chose to study at South Essex College as I was able to commute from home. When looking at the course, it was suited to the career I originally wanted to do, whilst also having brilliant reviews. 

My time at UCSE prepared me for the workplace as it made me understand that to achieve and succeed in life, you have to work hard for it. The best thing about doing higher education is the rewarding feeling you get once you have completed everything at the best standard you possibly could have. I have gained lots of confidence during my time at the university, whilst also gaining organisation skills, both in which I will use in the workplace. 

My favourite memory of being at the university is when my friends and I would walk down to the beach at lunchtime and eat the donuts! After finishing my degree, I applied for many jobs, and participated in online courses to ensure I got a job in the industry I wished to work in. I have been lucky enough to have been given a job in a Lloyd’s Syndicate in the City, at my dream company, Munich Re.

My official title will be a Claims Delegated Authority Assistant, where I will be assisting the claims team in various tasks including the day-to-day admin. I have had no experience in this industry, however, I was proactive in searching for jobs and completing free courses to gain a better understanding of the industry. 

My tutor at UCSE, Maria helped me to achieve the grades I have achieved in all of my assignments, whilst also helping me to understand what it was that I actually wanted to do as a career, and for that, I couldn’t recommend UCSE enough. Maria helped me grow as a person and gain lots of confidence. My time at the university helped me gain confidence and persistence. With my greatest achievement being achieving a 2:1 in my dissertation. 
I

n the future, I hope to progress through insurance and to gain my CII certification.
 

Chloe Wade

My confidence has boosted massively and my work is recognised here. Last year I won who wants to be an entrepreneur and student of the year in business and logistics

South Essex College Group student, Chloe Wade, has been accepted as an Apprentice Marketing Executive for the BBC in White City.

Chloe is currently studying Level 3 Interactive Digital Media. She previously studied business at the college before swapping over to the Digital Media course. Other colleges didn’t supply the course she was looking for, and she felt that South Essex College Group provided the perfect environment and location to suit her needs.

Chloe applied for the apprentice position on Boxing day in December 2022 after finding the advert on Indeed. The interview process took six months and there were six different stages of the interview. Originally, there was supposed to be only five stages, however towards the end on the interview process it was whittled down to Chloe and another candidate so the BBC added an extra interview on top. The role is for a Marketing Executive Level 4 for 18 months, as well as being full-time with one day-a-week apprentice study through the online external provider.

When asked about the support from tutors, Chloe said: “They were all so encouraging, as each stage went on I informed my tutors. Darren who teachers audience theory, was so interested and excited, he was helping me prepare for everything and teaching me certain areas such as core values to put me ahead of everyone. They were so supportive, and I don’t think I would of got this far without their help.”

Chloe enjoys the flexibility at the college and secured work experience at which she created content for a zen and holistic company. She said: “The college offers such a variety of courses and freedom. 

“The courses are structured, but you get freedom as well, for example for my final project I chose to rebrand a cosmetic palette, where as another student created a music video. You all have the same criteria but freedom too. If you are worried, try it and give it a shot, the opportunities here are so wide.” 

She added: “My confidence has boosted massively and my work is recognised here. Last year I won who wants to be an entrepreneur and student of the year in business and logistics. My work recognised given me a boost. I work really hard and I’m so proud of how far I have come. The college appreciates you as an individual and gives you praise when you do work really hard.”
Chloe hopes to have her own business one day, in marketing, doing social media and content creating. As well as hoping to study Level 5 and 6 at the BBC.
 

Zack Short My Story

Zack Short My Story

Course studied

Criminology & Forensic Investigation BSc (Hons)

I would say to anyone who has a disability and was thinking of studying at South Essex College Group ‘just go for it, take the shot even if you are nervous.

My name is Zack Short and I am studying BA (Hons) Criminology and Forensic Investigation at the University Centre South Essex.

I started at the college in 2017 and did a Level 2 Diploma in Applied Science course. It was a challenge at first with my visual impairment but eventually I was able to progress to the Level 3 Extended Diploma in Applied Science, which I did for the next two years. I had some fun in that class and met some really good people. 

I then chose to progress to a BSc (Hons) Criminology & Forensic Investigation which I thought could lead to an interesting career in the criminological field. My support staff are amazing, they have dealt with me for nearly seven years so we know each other pretty well.

My visual impairment isn’t related to the eyes, it is related to a skin condition called Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum (PXE),  which is extremely rare. At the time I was diagnosed back in 2010/2011 only about 250 people had it, that’s how rare it is. It has numerous different affects, but in my case it has affected my eyes quite badly and parts of my brain. In recent years I’ve gone colour blind due to over strangulation of nerve endings and blood loss in the eye so my eyes weren’t getting enough oxygen and couldn’t function correctly. I get severe headaches and eye strains if I push myself a bit too hard. 

As I mentioned earlier, I get amazing support from the communicators here at SECG. They are saints because they get the work done and even if they are under stress,  they get it out on time which is phenomenal. They have saved me more than once. I get help from scribes who take notes for me, I can get help setting up equipment and measurements or modified rulers. The communicators here provide tactile graphs, braille sheets etc.

I would say to anyone who has a disability and was thinking of studying at South Essex College Group ‘just go for it, take the shot even if you are nervous.’ In the future I want to go into a criminology field like crime analytics, theory or crime policies where you gather all the numbers and facts behind the crime scenarios.

Zack was supported by Debbie Gale (Educational Communicator) who has been at his side for the last six years, throughout his Level 2 Diploma in Applied Science, then Level 3 Extended Diploma in Applied Science, and finally throughout his Degree BSc (Hons) Criminology & Forensic Investigation. He also achieved his GCSE English whilst here at the college. Carmen Griffin (Educational Communicator) has supported Zack throughout secondary school and all through college and says that so to be able to see his final educational journey and progress here at the college over the last year and half has been fantastic. 
 

Ellise Collins

Ellise Collins

Course studied

Graphic Design & Illustration BA (Hons)

My time at South Essex College gave me invaluable experience within the field.

My name is Ellise Collins I am 27 years old, I studied BA (Hons) Graphic Design at South Essex College from 2014 – 2017 and this is my story.


I left school in 2012 and attended South Essex College of Further and Higher Education from 2012 - 2014 on the UAL Level 3 Ext Diploma course in Art & Design. I had always enjoyed art at school, so I thought a BTEC in that subject was the right path for me.

Once I completed my BTEC, I was then a little stuck with where to go next. I applied for lots of unis, but it was Lee who struck up a meeting with John Chandler to apply for the Graphic Design degree. I didn’t know which direction to take, fine art, graphic design or interior design. 
I chose to study at South Essex College because I initially felt that the lecturers were so understanding and approachable that it made me feel like it was the right decision to trust them. The graphic design courses sounded so diverse too. It ranged to lessons in fine art, to design, to animation, printmaking and photography so I thought by trying it all I’d hope to find one area that I would gravitate towards.

I was a fine artist at heart, but it was both Lee and John that suggested I give it a go, as they could see potential in me to go that way. I then studied on the BA (Hons) Graphic Design degree course from 2014-2017 where I learnt many skills sets and honed my craft as a graphic designer, but also printmaker. Looking back, I am so incredibly grateful of the three lecturers on that course because they all supported me and gave me the confidence as an aspiring graphic designer, Dave Welsh, John Chandler and Hannah Miller. You three are my shining stars. I received a first-class honours in graphic design.

My time at South Essex College gave me invaluable experience within the field. Having industry-led briefs in the third year gave me an understanding of what sort of work would be required of me and time frames. Deadlines! That was something that I thought was so difficult at university because I just wanted to spend my time learning, researching and creating and having a deadline was so difficult. Little did I know deadlines would be so much shorter in working life.
The best thing about doing further and higher education is learning your craft and honing your skillset. Exploring the endless opportunities that’s on offer. Spending hours on end researching and producing work that you then bounce ideas of other students and lecturers and push your ideas to the fullest. Also, the amount of time you have to try new techniques to know what you feel is most enjoyable.

During the Graphic Design degree we used software that I still use day-to-day now. Adobe Creative Suite is invaluable as a designer, that’s our go-tos. I learnt pure basics and university on Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign and it enabled me to take these fundamental skills into the industry and progress.

Since graduation, I have been fortunate enough to have worked consistently. Beginning as a junior designer at start-up companies, to print production companies to local agencies. Through doing this, I’ve gained so much valuable experience which has enabled me to where I am today. 
Also, in my spare time, I do freelance graphic design work and run my own Etsy shop selling my linocut prints. I also do signwriting and lettering jobs where I can and have exhibited my work in places such as Brick Lane’s Truman Brewery and Beecroft Art Gallery. I’ve attended local art fairs and pop-up shops around Essex selling my work too, which has been great networking with likeminded artistic local talent.

I’m currently working as a creative designer at Swan Creative, Leigh on Sea.
I am working on concept work for international theme parks such as Merlin Entertainment and Parques Reunidos. Designing concepts and Point of Sale for restaurants within their parks in Germany, USA and the UK. Every day is different at Swan, no day is the same. My work ranges from creating logos, to producing full-fledged brands and working with the team to create solid brand guidelines and marketing suites. Lots of print related work comes through Swan too and aiding the marketing team in producing social media graphics and email banners. I also help the Swan team produce work internally, so I work on producing mock-ups for our website and creating eye catching animations to go across our social platforms.
Through working at many different companies, I have gained experience to be the creative designer I am today. 

Before I would say I was primarily a fine art inspired graphic designer, but I create such diverse work now that blurs the lines of graphic design. From an animator, digital designer, interior designer, photographer, copywriting, social media creator and beyond. It’s being an all-rounded designer that matters.

My favourite memory of being at the college is for our final major project in year three of the degree, we needed to fundraise money to pay for our exhibition at DA&D New Blood in Truman Brewery Brick Lane. As a team, we decided to reach out to all our favourite artists, designers, illustrators, typographers that we admired and see if they would provide us with pieces of work that we could auction. It was honestly a long shot but as a year group we all worked together to compile a list. Incredibly, so many replied and helped support us. From the likes of Printmakers such as Alan Kitchener and Anthony Burrill to Illustrators Oliver Jeffers and Chris Riddell and the ultimate graphic design god to us, David Carson. I suppose our story resonated with each of them as being students, starting off in the world and trying to get out work out there.

They each sent us their work and we were able to auction off the artwork at an event  held in the 1st floor gallery of the college The money gained from this enabled us to put on our end of year show. It was great teamwork and the local newspaper also got involved.

I love working within this industry, yes every job has its ups and downs. But at the end of the day, I work every day to create. When people ask me what my job is and I say, ‘graphic designer’, most say ‘what’s that?’ and that’s true, what even is it? It’s purely whatever you want it to be. The work is so diverse, and I feel like I work on so many different projects and switch my hat to so many different job roles and it’s all under the bracket of being a graphic designer and that’s exciting to me.

So, I’d hope to continue working in agencies and working freelance on the side, doing my printmaking and hand lettering work that I enjoy. Perhaps in the future, I’d love to teach and become a lecturer to inspire students the way that John, Dave and Hannah did for me on the course, that would be perfect. I could only hope I could do half as good as what they did for me.
 

Ethan Khumalo

Ethan hopes to produce music in games production as a career and performs rap and hip hop as well as his studio work. His final message to anyone struggling with autism or any mental health issue is: “Remember it’s okay to be not okay.”

South Essex College student Ethan Khumalo, 20, from Southend on Sea has taken part in a BBC documentary series ‘Inside Our Autistic Minds’, which is presented by wildlife expert Chris Packham who himself lives with autism.

Ethan studies Games Design at the college’s Centre for Digital technologies in Basildon and has progressed from a Level 2 course through to currently studying for a degree. Ethan was asked to participate through his involvement in the Anna Kennedy Online charity which aims to raise autism awareness.

Ethan said that he enjoyed the whole filming process and that Chris Packham was really down-to-earth. He commented: “I learned a lot about how TV crews work and really got along with Chris. I am really excited about the show.”

 

Talking of his autism, Ethan explained that he prepared in advance before attempting his studies. He said: “With autism and other mental health issues preparation makes you feel more comfortable and you have to make the best of your abilities. You have good days and bad days the same as anyone but personally, If I have moments where it doesn’t go so well, music helps me.”

Ethan’s tutor, Rama Maccha said: Ethan is a dedicated and committed student who never misses a deadline. He is wonderful with sound and has helped younger students with their projects.”

Rathi Raman, the Head Basildon Town Centre Campus (BTC) would like to thank all the staff and students who volunteered to take part in this filming, and to the Estates team at Basildon Campus for providing hospitality to Chris Peckham and the BBC crew on the day of filming.

Ethan hopes to produce music in games production as a career and performs rap and hip hop as well as his studio work. His final message to anyone struggling with autism or any mental health issue is: “Remember it’s okay to be not okay.”

To watch the episode, follow the below link:

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001jgbw/inside-our-autistic-minds-series-1-episode-2

For more information on the Anna Kennedy charity, visit the below:

www.annakennedyonline.com

John Clark

John Clark

Course studied

My name is John Clark, I am 31 years old, I studied BND Moving Image from 2008– 2010, and BA (HONS) Television Production & Screen Media from 2010–2013 at South Essex College, and this is my story.

I was studying at secondary school and only decided I wished to pursue a career in filmmaking towards the final years whilst completing my GCSEs. The college course asked for four Cs and above, which I achieved in English, maths, ICT and science.

After working out what sort of career I wished to aspire to, I visited South Essex College with my mother and I was amazed at each dedicated department. It felt more open and free, as opposed to the restrictions of school, and felt like I was able to breathe, with the ability to immerse myself in one whole and sole subject.

I was residing in Basildon when I first enrolled, so the fact that the college is right outside Southend Central train station, was another reason I chose to study there.
As an autistic adult, the outside world can often be overwhelming, but the train journeys back and forth made my steps towards independence a lot easier.

The deadlines for coursework helped prepare me for timekeeping. Keeping regular correspondence with my tutors over email also helped my punctuality when communicating with executive producers, producers, project co-ordinators or film festival representatives.

The train commute (and eventual commute via my Moped), helped me towards journey planning.
The best thing about doing further and higher education for me, was having the ability to hone my focus to transform a growing hobby and passion into a career. The informal, and relaxed environment helped nurture that, as well as making life-long friends along the way.

I picked up many valuable skills such as research for film theory, scriptwriting and using scriptwriting software (Celtx and Final Draft), storyboarding, learning how to plan and setup shoots and using video editing software such as Adobe’s Creative Cloud Suite and Final Cut. All of which are continuing to prove valuable for each project I undertake.

Since leaving college I  have completed a candid, introspective short film called “Asperger’s: And What Of It?” which was an edited version of a previous short documentary I created called; “I Have Asperger’s: So What?”. This four-minute edit was entered into The National Autistic Society’s Autism Uncut Film Awards 2017, and received a finalist place in the Aspiring Filmmakers category.

From there, a BFI talent executive approached me, and introduced me to a producer who helped develop and gain funding for my professionally credited debut short film Snapshot. Funded by BFI Network and Film Hub North, Snapshot is a semi-autobiographical account of my struggles with unemployment and the job interview process as an autistic adult.

It has so far played at three film festivals, winning one award at its first festival selection at Wigan & Leigh in September 2022, for Best UK & International Short Film. I consider this as one of my greatest achievements and it was completely unexpected. I never underestimate each step it took to make this deeply personal short film or take it for granted.

My favourite memories of my time at college are the life-long friends that I made and being able to acquire the skills and knowledge that have enabled me to get to the point that I’m at.
The disability support and counselling I received whilst doing higher education  helped immensely with my well-being and moving forward. Being able to deal with my mental health issues whilst studying something I enjoy, proved a huge boost to my confidence and helped me to move towards achieving my career aspirations.

I am at present working on a short horror film and drafting my debut feature length script.
One day I hope to create an elongated version of Snapshot as my feature length debut, as a message of perseverance and hope for autistic adults that have or currently struggle with unemployment and the world around them.

From there, I’d love to continue developing my found film-making style and from that, explore various other genres. I want to engage with stories that have profound imagery and long-lasting messages.
 

James Mitchell Success Story

James Mitchell Success Story

Course studied

Film & Television Production BA (Hons)

My name is James Mitchell , I am 38 years old and I studied/at South Essex College from 2002-2007 and this is my story.

I studied MND Moving Image and then a degree BSC Television Production and Screen Theory. South Essex College was local to me, it had the course I wanted to study on and it allowed me to stay at home and work in a local theatre. Industry kit is evolving all the time but a basic understanding of the college kit was very helpful.

It was a great base unit to help you realise your career aspirations. My most memorable aspect of the college was the relationship with the lecturers. This gave me the confidence more than anything elseThe chance to prove myself. 

Since completing my course, I have worked in the West End in various theatres in Stratford Upon Avon for the Royal Shakespeare Company and in London at the National Theatre. I also worked at the college as a lecturer and technician for a couple of years, followed by working in Peterborough in shopping television and now work in Media City, Manchester for ITV News as a Lead Production Specialist.

My job entails looking after a team of fifteen production specialists and operating in television production roles. Which include head of lighting for ITV news, sound mixing, directing, floor managing, weather recordings etc. By working my way up, I was able to work as a trainee production specialist in 2013, to then being the Lead Production Specialist.

My proudest achievement so far, is winning two BAFTAs as part of a team, also winning Production Specialist of the year in 2017. I hope this will lead to my dream aspired role as an Operations Manager.

 

Are you an ex FE or HE student? Do you want your story to be told? Then contact us at marketing@southessex.ac.uk 

Tony Waghorne Success Story

Tony Waghorne Success Story

Course studied

Film & Television Production BA (Hons)

South Essex College was perfect for me, especially when it came to Further Education

My name is Tony Waghorne, I am 26 years old, I studied Digital Animation and TV and Television Production and Screen Media at South Essex College from 2012 until 2017 and this is my story.

Before coming to study at South Essex College my background was, ‘I don’t know what I want to do’. I always had a heavy involvement in sport but sadly we can’t all be Premier League footballers. I’ve always been creative and when picking GCSE subjects an art teacher convinced me to take it and I developed an interest. I knew I had the ability to tell a story and it wasn’t until an open day at the college I stumbled across animation. 

South Essex College was perfect for me, especially when it came to Further Education. I was a short 10 minute train journey away and to be honest I really didn’t want to move away to university. I knew I’d get distracted and not get the grade I was hoping for and eventually finish with.

The college prepared me for the workplace by putting me in real world situations. Strick deadlines, communicating with me like a colleague and not a pupil and not to mention the industry-level equipment.

I finished college with a Triple Distinction** and finished Further Education with a 1:1.

I was lucky enough to be accepted for an internship two weeks after completing further education at a digital sports agency in London. The company then employed me full-time and I stayed with them for a further 13 months. I then decided to try freelance work but I didn’t enjoy it. Luckily my previous employer took me back as senior videographer. Shortly after, a video agency in Westminster working for big fashion brands including Ted Baker and GHD employed me to be their sole videographer. My current employer contacted me regarding an opening and I’ve been with them for the best part of  three years now.

I currently work as a senior videographer for Nash Tackle Limited. Nash Tackle are one of Europe’s leading carp fishing brands and in the media department we make anything from studio-shot product videos to feature-length documentaries shot all over Europe.

I do everything you’d expect in terms of shooting and acting as a lead on these shoots, but I also do a lot pre and post-shoot. This can be anything from booking hotels, contacting venues, assigning shoots/edits, watching edits and providing feedback and am just a general point of contact to the other videographers in the team. My manager is hoping to develop me into head of video in the not too distant future.

I think I would have been lost if I just left secondary school and attempted to get into this industry on my own. The college guided me into employment that I wanted to do and a career that I can strive in. I was able to change course easily and therefore find the right path for me through great mentorship and available opportunities.

At South Essex College I gained all of the basic skills I need to do my job. When I started further education I didn’t even know what aperture was and just five years later I’m leading crews of six on European shoots and being considered for a head of video role.

One of my most recent achievements was being flown out to Thailand to shoot. One of the many reasons I wanted to do this career was because of the travelling aspect and an experience like that is one many don’t get in their career.

The equipment at the college, especially the editing software's and machines are identical to what I use and what I always have used in the industry.

My time at the college helped 100% with my confidence. I’m not a confident person and there’s many moments you don’t look forward to when studying, presenting in front of a class for example, but these are the things that really help develop you and confidence is something that has been key to my career development.

Celebrating Success 2022: Maison Lundrigan

Celebrating Success 2022: Maison Lundrigan

Course studied

Motor Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Level 3 Diploma

It’s a great college, especially for people with disabilities. The support I received from my tutor Charlie was brilliant. I really enjoyed the practical, hands-on aspect of the course.

Maison Lundrigan was named Motor Vehicle Student of the Year for his dedication and the consistent hard work he put into his studies.

The 18-year-old was praised for the high quality of his work and the fact that he was the first to pass his online exams. 

He has excelled during his time at the college, so much so, he is now embarking on a three-year apprenticeship programme at the college.

Maison has achieved all this despite living with additional needs.

He said it felt ‘brilliant’ to win the award and ‘it’s made me realise that I can achieve even with my disability.’

He added: “I chose the college because it offered the right course for me.

“It’s a great college, especially for people with disabilities. The support I received from my tutor Charlie was brilliant. I really enjoyed the practical, hands-on aspect of the course.”

Maison is now looking forward to his apprenticeship so he can pursue his dream of becoming a car mechanic.

His tutor said: “He is a pleasant and well-mannered young man that any college or employer would be pleased to have. Maison has a very bright future ahead of him.”

Celebrating Success 2022: Luke Lambert

Celebrating Success 2022: Luke Lambert

Course studied

Performing and Production Arts (Musical Theatre) Level 3 Extended Diploma

I have enjoyed receiving honest feedback and having the opportunity to grow as a performer. Tutors really encourage their students.

Performing Arts Student of the Year, Luke Lambert, has won his award because in every respect, his development and improvement has been outstanding.

Luke said that he feels extremely proud and grateful for the recognition. 

He said: “I chose to study at the college because I went to the open day with my parents. We were all really excited by the course and impressed by Richard and his ambition for his students.”

He added: “The course has been great for learning professional etiquette, as well as the actual training. I have enjoyed receiving honest feedback and having the opportunity to grow as a performer. Richard and Neil really encourage their students.” 

Luke’s tutor said: “Luke is an outstanding student. The development of his skills set during his time at this college is phenomenal which has been rewarded by casting him in the lead of the cohorts FMP production of ‘Spring Awakening’. As a result of his continuous diligence and want to improve, he has achieved offers from four top London Drama Schools to study Musical Theatre, Bird College, Arts Educational, Italia Conti and Guildford Conservatoire (GSA). This is far above what was expected at the beginning of his training. 

“He has demonstrated that he is highly motivated to succeed in this industry and aspires to always do his best. He is polite and well-mannered at all times to both his peers and his tutors. He is extremely well respected  by his cohort. He is always supportive of them and goes out of his way to help them. 

“He has become a very influential member of the group in so many positive ways. Behaviour, focus and attention to detail is impeccable and cannot be faulted. He has met every deadline for both practical and academic tasks. A faultless time at this college.”

Luke will be studying for a BA (Hons) in Musical Theatre at ArtsEd in London from September and his ultimate ambition is to be performing leading roles in the West End. 
 

Celebrating Success 2022: Zoe Souto

Celebrating Success 2022: Zoe Souto

Course studied

Animal Care Level 2 Diploma

Zoe Souto, 17, from Rayleigh, studied Level 2 Animal Care at the college’s Southend campus.

She was nominated for the award for her excellent attendance and attitude to college life and for completing work before deadlines to a very high standard.

Her tutor said: “Zoe is a very calming influence on the group. She keeps up-to-date with all work and goes above and beyond what is expected.

“Zoe may be hearing impaired but she never lets that act as a barrier to her learning and does everything to a great standard. I often have to set her work from level 3 to keep her ticking over.”

Zoe said: “I feel so proud of myself and surprised as I didn’t expect to be nominated, let alone win. I enjoyed all the support that was given during my course and have always been made to feel at home at the college.”

Zoe’s ambition for the future is to run her own pet services business or run her own cattery.
 

Celebrating Success 2022: Stefan Vijan

Celebrating Success 2022: Stefan Vijan

Course studied

IT Level 3 Extended Diploma

Students are given opportunities, staff are friendly and highly experienced and you receive the help you need

Stefan Vijan, 18, from Basildon, studied the Level 3 Information Creative Technology Diploma at the Centre for Digital Technologies Campus in Basildon.

He was nominated for the award for his commitment to his studies and for going out of his way to support other students in the group.

His tutor said: “Stefan is a very able student who consistently challenges himself and always strives to achieve the top grades. I know that his commitment to his studies will pay off and we look forward to hearing about his future successes.”

Stefan chose to study at South Essex College because of the new technologies and opportunities at the college as well as other important factors such as distance and course schedule. 

He said: “I have enjoyed the practical side of my course. I was able to develop practical knowledge within IT, and was able to use my creativity to make programs, devices, and websites. I believe this wouldn't have been possible in another college or a sixth form, thus making me choose this course.

“I would recommend South Essex College because it is a great college. Students are given opportunities, staff are friendly and highly experienced and you receive the help you need.”

Stefan’s ambition is to land a job within in the industry, and from there, work hard until he reaches his goal of working in management. 
 

Celebrating Success 2022: Sophie Peacock

Celebrating Success 2022: Sophie Peacock

Course studied

Creative Media Production (Television and Film Production) Level 3 Extended Diploma

I would definitely recommend South Essex College to those are who are looking for somewhere to be themselves and find their true passion.

Sophie Peacock, 17, from Billericay, studied the Level 3 Creative Media (Television and Film) Diploma at the college’s Southend campus.

She was nominated for the award for her good level of organisation and commitment to every task as well as being a mature, professional and articulate student. 

Her tutor said: “Sophie takes advantage of every opportunity available to her both in college and outside, as she understands the value and benefits it will provide her with, in terms of networking, communicating, professionalism and improving her knowledge and skills. She is an absolute pleasure to have in the classroom and I hope she goes on to achieve great success.”
Sophie chose to study at the college because she liked the facilities that were available for her course.

She has loved the amount of creative freedom that the course has offered and being able to create any ideas and turn them into a reality with the support of her tutors.

Sophie was really proud and a little bit overwhelmed about winning the award.

She said: “I would definitely recommend South Essex College to those are who are looking for somewhere to be themselves and find their true passion.”

Sophie’s ambition for the future is to become a producer on the set of a live entertainment program. 
 

Celebrating Success 2022: Reiss Willis

Celebrating Success 2022: Reiss Willis

Course studied

Art and Design (Graphic Design) Level 3 Extended Diploma

Coming to college gave me the opportunity to make a fresh start.

Reiss Willis, from South Ockenden, studied the Level 3 Art & Design (Graphic Design) Diploma at the college’s Southend campus.

He was nominated for his positive attitude, work ethic and for producing high quality work, using digital and non-traditional methods.

His tutor said: “Reiss is a very nice individual, who is popular with the rest of the group and always eager to help other students. He should be incredibly proud of himself and his achievements because if he continues with this positive attitude and work ethic, he will have a fantastic future.”

Reiss would recommend South Essex College because of its accessibility, its support in all fields and the quality of teaching.

His greatest achievement was making a change in himself, to become more dedicated and motivated and be the ‘best version’ of himself. 

He said: “I struggled a little in school with behaviour and staying focussed so I knew coming to college was a fresh start and I could make a new impression. By completing all work to the highest quality and always completing additional work, I was able to win this award which I am very proud of.”

His plan after college is to go to Loughborough University and continue pursuing his dreams. 

His long term ambition is in graphic design where he would like to have his own firm and become a creative director, taking on jobs and rebrands for big companies.
 

Celebrating Success 2022: Mia Riley

Celebrating Success 2022: Mia Riley

Course studied

Sport and Exercise Sciences Level 3 Extended Diploma

I am so glad I chose South Essex College as it has given me the independence I needed in preparation for university

Mia Riley, 17, from Southend, studied the Level 3 Sport and Exercise Science Diploma at the college’s Southend campus.

She was nominated for her award for taking on multiple extracurricular activities and qualifications through college and putting in all her effort to every academic situation.

Her tutor said: “Mia is on track to achieve the highest grade possible for her course and has improved greatly throughout her time on the course. She is an exemplary sports student and person with a great care for education and future. We wish her all the success for the future.”

Mia liked that the students were treated as adults compared to school and that she was given more independence across the two years.

She describes herself as a shy person and said it would have been easier to stay at school, however her current course sounded a lot more challenging and pushed her out of her comfort zone. 

She said: “I feel so pleased about winning the award and feel proud to receive it. I am so glad I chose South Essex College as it has given me the independence I needed in preparation for university.”

Mia will be going to Loughborough University to study sport science, physical education and coaching, with ambitions to eventually become a PE teacher. 

Celebrating Success 2022: Lubna Sahmoud

Celebrating Success 2022: Lubna Sahmoud

Course studied

I would recommend the college because it opens many doors to you, and a support that accompanies you

Gateway to Vocational Learning Student of the Year, Lubna Sahmoud, said winning this award was very unexpected.

She explained: “When things like this happen, you just don't know how to describe them because they are special, but I can say that I felt very fulfilled and satisfied with myself”

Lubna chose to study at South Essex College because she felt it offered her the course that most suited her.

She said: “The college makes all students feel welcome and looks after them both mentally and physically. I really like my teachers, who have been very understanding about my language situation, they have  supported me so much and I would like to send all of them a thank you from my heart.”

Lubna’s tutor said: “ Lubna is a dedicated learner who always attempts work given to her with as much energy as possible. Lubna works very hard, is always attentive and focused, and produces high quality work because of it.” 

Lubna added that 2022 has been full of success both from a personal, educational, and work point of view . 

She said: “It was full of challenges as I am living in a country with a new language, people, culture, and climate. But all this was worth it, and one of the results that proves it is precisely this award.

“I would recommend the college because it opens many doors to you, and a support that accompanies you.”

Lubna plans to start a Level 2 Health and Social Care course and also work in health or sales services. 

She said: “My ambitions for the future are many, but the concept lies in doing good for people so I would like to create a charity and become a positive influence to people .”
 

Celebrating Success 2022: Joe Carroll

Celebrating Success 2022: Joe Carroll

Course studied

Engineering Level 3 National Foundation Diploma

I would recommend South Essex College because the timetable is great for someone to get a part time job outside of college.

Engineering Student of the Year, Joe Carroll started the year as a shy student lacking confidence, however, his commitment to the course and excellent attitude towards learning has seen him start to develop into an excellent student, both in the academic areas and socially.

Joe said: “It was a good feeling to receive the award because it felt nice for my hard work to be recognised.

“The thing I like most about my course is that it's assignment based, there is a lot less stress because I know it all doesn't come down to one big exam.

“My biggest achievement so far has to be achieving a merit in my engineering principles exam.”

Joe’s tutor said: “Joe’s attitude towards learning is to be applauded and he always takes on board the feedback given to him. Joe is highly motivated and works well individually and as part  of a team within the class. Joe’s attendance and punctuality is exemplary. He achieved a well-earned merit in the external exam in January 2022 and all assignment work is submitted ahead of time and to a high standard. Joe has developed from a quiet student to a potentially skilled future engineer whose values and approach to his studies are an example to his fellow students.”

Joe said: “I would recommend South Essex College because the timetable is great for someone to get a part time job outside of college. My plan is to get an apprenticeship at British Rail as an engineer.”


Celebrating Success 2022: Sophie Wade

Celebrating Success 2022: Sophie Wade

Course studied

Graphic Design & Illustration BA (Hons)

The university centre has given me plenty of opportunities to speak with the tutors and seek feedback and support on a one-to-one basis and there is a real community feeling

Sophie Wade, from Stanford-le-Hope, is in her second year of the Graphic Design BA (Hons) course at University Centre South Essex.

She was nominated for the award for her professional manner and her proactive attitude to work. 

Sophie has many notable achievements at the university centre so far such as securing a web design work placement based in London, working at a Leigh-On-Sea based marketing agency and collaborating with the RSPB on her final second year project.

Her tutor said: “Sophie has approached her work placement unit in a professional manner since day one and her proactive manner has meant that she secured many work placement opportunities, including working with the RSPB on her own self-directed project. 

Sophie has been a really great peer mentor throughout the academic year and all her interactions with employers have helped prepare her for the professional world when she completes the course next year.”

Sophie returned to education after three years of working in local authority administration roles to embark on a new creative career path and was very nervous about starting her degree studies in 2020, but said the staff at the university could not have been more accommodating and helpful.

She said: “I feel privileged to have been selected to receive this award and I am extremely grateful to the staff across the UAL creative portfolio who have selected me as the winner.

The university centre has given me plenty of opportunities to speak with the tutors and seek feedback and support on a one-to-one basis and there is a real community feeling. I could not think of a better way to conclude my second year of study here at the university centre.”

Sophie’s ambition for the future is to embark on a career where she can combine her love for graphic design and digital technology and create solutions which make a positive difference to people's lives.
 

Celebrating Success 2022: Mark Ganyu

Celebrating Success 2022: Mark Ganyu

Course studied

General Engineering (HNC)

Learning is ageless and I’ve really enjoyed being a student again and pushing myself to reach my potential

Mark Ganyu, from Stanford-le-Hope, studied HNC General Engineering at University Centre South Essex.

He was nominated for being a motivated, punctual, well-mannered, hardworking individual and for consistently maintaining his high standard performance since in his level 3 part-time engineering course four years ago.

His tutor said: “Mark’s work and performance have been exemplary and has exceeded expectations in the last four years whilst tending to family commitments, changing jobs and overcoming a language barrier. He has been an asset to this programme and we wish him all the success.”

Mark would recommend University Centre South Essex as a mature student as it helped him in many scenarios and was very flexible and supportive. 

Mark commented on his nomination and said: “It was a complete surprise to be winning an award and makes me feel good. Learning is ageless and I’ve really enjoyed being a student again and pushing myself to reach my potential.”

“It’s a kind gesture from the awarding bodies and tutors to recognise my efforts and would like to thank them all for their dedication during my time at the university centre.”

Mark has aspirations of studying for a higher education degree course but may take his knowledge and skills to his current company, where he can continue accepting new challenges and opportunities. 
 

Celebrating Success 2022: Billy Gibbons

Celebrating Success 2022: Billy Gibbons

Course studied

Special Educational Needs and Disability Studies BA (Hons)

I would recommend people to look at University Centre South Essex, especially if you have a disability as there is good access and amazing support.

UEA Student of the Year, Billy Gibbons, won his award for his determination to succeed in spite of the challenges he faces.

Billy has significant speech and language delay, developmental delay and an auditory processing impairment. He communicates using ‘total communication’ which combines British Sign Language, lip reading, speaking and listening. He also has mild cerebral palsy affecting mainly his lower limbs.

His tutors have praised him for not letting barriers get in his way and for always striving to achieve his best.

Billy said he was ‘very proud’ to have won the award.

He said: “I knew I would be very committed and determined to do my very best this year and very thankful to be recognised by my tutors for this.”

Billy was quick to recognise and praise the ‘excellent’ support he is receiving, which was one of the reasons he chose to study at the university centre.

He added: “I wanted to study at University Centre South Essex because there was opportunity for me to keep the fantastic support I had had during my time on my Further Education course at the college.

“I would recommend people to look at University Centre South Essex, especially if you have a disability as there is good access and amazing support.

Billy’s ambition is to complete his degree, something he has been working towards and dreaming of since he was young.

He said he also wants to become a role model for other students who believe they can’t go to university when in fact they can. 

Celebrating Success 2022: Aniku-Rehman Gul

Celebrating Success 2022: Aniku-Rehman Gul

Course studied

General Engineering (HNC)

I would highly recommended the university centre for its variety of different courses, professional and expert tutors, it is extremely well organised and student orientated.”

Aniku has carried off  the HNC/HND Student of the Year award because of his excellent attitude towards learning.

He said: “It is an absolute honour to win this award and I'm humbled that my mentors/teachers think of me so highly.”

Aniku said he chose to study at University Centre South Essex because it is one of the only higher education institutions that offer the course he wanted study - electro-mechanical engineering. Being employed as a multi-disciplined engineer, this was the perfect course for him. 

His tutor commented: “Aniku is motivated, punctual, well-mannered, committed, hardworking, and an excellent collaborator. He is very thorough in implementing given feedback and is improving his work consistently. 

“Aniku’s distance travelled in such a brief time since he joined L4 HNC programme in September 2021 is remarkable. He has flourished from a quiet student to an accomplished confident team member not hesitating to offer his assistance to his peers and tutors. He is an asset to his programme of study.

Aniku added: “It is an extremely well organised course. Considering my course is part-time it can get intense. Having a course that’s organised so well just makes everything, especially the learning part, easier to digest.

“I like that the different aspects of engineering are covered well and taught in a professional and easily digestible manner.

“My greatest achievement so far has been gaining promotion from maintenance technician to regional reliability engineer. I would highly recommended the university centre for its variety of different courses, professional and expert tutors, it is extremely well organised and student orientated.”

Aniku said that he would really like to continue his education and get a degree in Electromechanical Engineering. His future ambition is to take up a Chartered Engineering role or become a senior consultant. 


 

Celebrating Success 2022: Amy Slade

Celebrating Success 2022: Amy Slade

Course studied

Hair and Makeup Design and Application for Production FdA

The university centre feels more like a family environment; you get the opportunity to collaborate with other students from other courses as well as work with people who are a part of the industry.

UAL Student of the Year, Amy Slade has won the award for overcoming severe anxiety and showing impeccable determination.

Amy said she chose the course because there are units in it that are not included in other universities and they focus on what is needed in the industry.

She said: “I am surprised but happy to get this award, I enjoyed the course because of the concept of studying with a smaller group of students. You also get more one-to-one time with your lecturers for when you need help with your work or somebody to talk to.
I had the creative freedom to explore the units independently and include my own personal interests in my assessments.”

Amy’s tutor said: “Amy suffered with severe anxiety before attending our course and her skills were of a low standard for industry. Since September, she has embraced all wellbeing sessions with confidence and success, she has picked up all hair techniques, including the advanced techniques within six weeks. She has embraced every challenge that has been thrown her way, so much so, she has completed five work experience placements where all other students have declined them.

“Her attitude and drive has to be commended, as her confidence has soared, we are all extremely proud and it is a joy to watch her truly blossom In this short amount of time. It’s like she is a new person – it’s truly amazing.”

Amy feels that completing her first year having had the opportunities to collaborate with other students for their own personal projects as well as industry work experience has been her greatest achievement.

She added: “The university centre feels more like a family environment; you get the opportunity to collaborate with other students from other courses as well as work with people who are a part of the industry. In the future I would like to travel and to try to find my way in the industry to secure a career as a hair and makeup artist; particularly for film, TV and music.”

Celebrating Success 2022: George Humphries

Celebrating Success 2022: George Humphries

Course studied

Foundation T level in Health

I would recommend South Essex College because it is a good college to go to and you get to make friends and learn about the different courses.

Health & Social Care Student of the Year, George Humphries has strived to remove barriers to learning and has worked towards achieving high standards despite finding assignments difficult.

George says he feels great about winning the award and that he chose to study at South Essex College because he had a choice of many different courses.

He said: “I like learning new things in my course and my greatest achievements have been starting the course and meeting new friends who I did not know before.”

His tutor said: “George is a kind and caring student, who also shows concern for his fellow peers and also tries to help with class activities and offering advice. George has overcome any barriers that have been thrown at him and has constantly succeeded in anything he does. He is an inspiration to us all and I cannot wait for him to succeed in the health and social care profession. 

George said he would recommend South Essex College because it is a good college to go to and you get to make friends and learn about the different courses.

He added: “My ambition when I finish my course is to stay on for another year of college and then to either get an apprenticeship, or to be able to work in a hospital as a porter or work in a school.”

His tutor said: “Overall George has made outstanding progress and I wish him every success for the future. Well done George!”

Celebrating Success 2022: Jamie Murphy

Celebrating Success 2022: Jamie Murphy

Course studied

Professional Cookery Level 2 Diploma

I was able to not only study the course that I love, but I also met other students who were just as passionate about the course

Jamie received the Hospitality & Catering Student of the Year award because she has proved to be an excellent student, progressing from level 2 to the level 3 qualification achieving high grades throughout.

Jamie said she chose to study at South Essex College because it not only widened what course she could choose but it offered the one course that she is in love with. 

She said: “I feel absolutely thrilled to be receiving this award. What I enjoyed most was that I was able to not only study the course that I love, but I also met other students who were just as passionate about the course. I was able to connect with them with the same level of passion for the hospitality industry and shared all the unique dishes that we made throughout the years together. 

Jamie’s tutor said: “In her final year she is the only student from her group selected to represent the college in a national competition, showing enthusiasm and flare in all aspects of her practice. Jamie works at the Roslin part-time where she is a valued member of staff.

She has shown commitment to the course and the competition she is about to take part in. Her attendance and punctuality are outstanding at 100%, her behaviour is excellent showing great respect to her peers. She is an aspirational student to all around her.”

Jamie added: “The greatest achievement I have so far has to be winning silver at the Junior Pasta Competition in March 2022. South Essex College not only give you the opportunity to find the perfect course for you and your passions, but they also help you to achieve many things and help you when it comes to getting into your chosen career. 

“When I finish my course this year, I am hoping to be enrolling onto a further course to help me get the qualifications to become a teacher because in the future I would love to not only be teaching students how to become chefs but also pass on my knowledge and skills from my experiences in the industry onto them.”

Celebrating Success 2022: Harry Wilson

Celebrating Success 2022: Harry Wilson

Course studied

Carpentry and Joinery (Site Joinery) Level 2 Diploma

I like my course because I get to use the high quality power tools and equipment in the workshop which give me a wide range of skills which will help to further my progress in this trade.

Construction Student of the Year, Harry Wilson won the award because he has proved to be a fantastic worker.
Harry chose to study at the college because he had an interest in carpentry and after looking on the college’s website he saw that there were good facilities and it was local to where he lives.

He said: “I was very surprised to hear that I had won Construction Student of the Year as I was unaware that I had even been put forward for such an award, however on hearing that I had won I felt very proud and overjoyed. I like my course because I get to use the high quality power tools and equipment in the workshop which give me a wide range of skills which will help to further my progress in this trade.”

Harry’s tutor said: “Harry has been outstanding in all areas. His work has gained him a distinction because he takes his time and enjoys his work. Harry is a fantastic worker.”

Harry commented: “From the theory side of the course we get to learn about a wide range of different topics including health & safety, principles of work and topics just specific to carpentry such as how to use different tools and different materials.  From the practical side we get to learn how to use said tools hands-on and how to use different types of materials for certain projects, which I find very interesting as I will need to know this for when I am on site.

“My greatest achievement so far has been building my frame as part of my end of year assessment, I was granted a distinction.”
Harry hopes to gain a Level 2 Apprenticeship and eventually become a fully qualified carpenter.

He said: “I would like to teach others the skills and knowledge that I have been taught.”

Celebrating Success 2022: Emma Groom

Celebrating Success 2022: Emma Groom

Course studied

Forensics and Criminal Investigation Level 3 Extended Diploma

I gained a lot of knowledge on how criminal cases are analysed and the process that it goes through when taken to court.

High-achieving and dedicated Science Student of the Year, Emma Groom, is on course to follow her dream after securing a place to study Forensic Anthropology at Dundee University.

The 18-year-old has excelled in her Forensic Investigation & Criminology studies, achieving distinction star in her first year of study and is expected to achieve triple distinction star at the end of her programme.

Emma said she chose to study at South Essex College as it was one of the only providers she was aware of that offered the course. Her course has enabled her to pursue her dream of becoming a Forensic Anthropologist and she said it has ‘heightened my enthusiasm about my career path’.

Her tutors were quick to praise Emma and nominate her as Science Student of the Year. Her citation read: “Emma has been an absolute pleasure to work with. She is a polite, kind and considerate individual who is highly regarded by both her peers and her tutors. 
“Emma is an ambitious and conscientious young person and we wish her all the success that she deserves.”

Emma said she was thrilled to have won the award and said her hard work over the past two years had paid off.

She said: “I gained a lot of knowledge on how criminal cases are analysed and the process that it goes through when taken to court.
“I wish to become a successful Forensic Anthropologist. It will bring joy to me when I can finally give those affected by unforeseen events their identity back and finally bring them justice.”
 

Celebrating Success 2022: Chloe Wade

Celebrating Success 2022: Chloe Wade

Course studied

Business Level 3 Extended Diploma

I would recommend South Essex College because I feel it is a judgement-free zone and you can express yourself through the freedom they give you. I enjoy the college environment and the accessibility to resources.

Business & Logistics student of the year, Chloe Wade, has not only used her time at South Essex College to boost her skills, but help others too.

The 17-year-old, from Stanford-le-Hope, helped raise more than £1,600 for Great Ormond Street Hospital at a charity event she organised alongside fellow classmates. She was also crowned joint winner of the college’s ‘Who Wants to be an Entrepreneur’ competition, where she presented her idea for a sustainable, 100% biodegradable wheat straw phone case.

She was nominated by her tutors for the award for ‘really making the most of every opportunity presented to her this year.’

Her nomination citation read: “She is excelling in all aspects of her study programme and is reliable, committed and a pure delight to have in the class.  She is supportive of her peers and is intrinsically motivated to improve her attainment and employability to give herself the best opportunity of being successful in her future career.”

Chloe said she was delighted to win the award.

She said: “I am very grateful for all of the advice and help that my tutors have given me. I am happy with the work I produce and always make sure everything is up to a high standard.

“I would recommend South Essex College because I feel it is a judgement-free zone and you can express yourself through the freedom they give you. I enjoy the college environment and the accessibility to resources.”

Chloe is now progressing on to an apprenticeship in digital marketing for an events and festival company and continues to pursue her dream of becoming an entrepreneur and work in digital marketing.
 

Celebrating Success 2022: Angel Hara

Celebrating Success 2022: Angel Hara

Course studied

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Full Time for School Leavers

Teachers at the college are very friendly and helpful. I would recommend South Essex College because it offers many courses and choices

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Student of the Year, Angel Hara, was praised for the progression she has made in her studies.

Tutors of the 19-year-old from Westcliff said ‘everything from her behaviour, her commitment to the course and her level of English have all come on leaps and bounds and she has matured into a dedicated and hardworking young woman.’

They added: “She aspires to become a writer and she is very proactive in achieving her goal. In the recent story writing competition we had for national storytelling week her story absolutely blew us away with her imagination.”

Angel said she did not expect to win the award but is ‘happy and excited.’

She said: “Teachers at the college are very friendly and helpful. I would recommend South Essex College because it offers many courses and choices.”
 

Celebrating Success 2022: Andy Amoako

Celebrating Success 2022: Andy Amoako

Course studied

Electrical Installations Level 3 Diploma (2365)

The environment is quite serene and calming. The college gives the opportunity to fully explore your academic visions.

Building Services Student of the Year, Andy Amoako, was nominated for his enthusiasm to learn and progress while pursuing his aspiration of becoming an electrical engineer.

The 20-year-old from Grays studied Electrical Instillation at the college’s Thurrock Campus and is described by his tutors as a ‘model student’.

His tutor added: “It is truly a pleasure to have Andy in my class, he is a credit both to himself and the college.’
Andy said it was amazing to win the award.

He said: “It felt so good to receive an academic recognition, I have never been really recognized for anything like this, so it felt so great to be seen like that!

“I chose to study at the college because among all the available choices, South Essex College stood out more. The environment is quite serene and calming. The college gives the opportunity to fully explore your academic visions.

Andy is now looking to progress onto university to further his skills. As for the future he said: “I want to reach a height so high, I can't see the ground.”


 

Celebrating Success 2022: Aimee Glaze

Celebrating Success 2022: Aimee Glaze

Course studied

Public Services Level 2 Diploma

The support at the college has been second-to-none. The staff here always go above and beyond especially the wellbeing team. They have helped me so much throughout my time here.

Despite facing the challenges of ill health, Aimee Glaze has excelled in her studies and has been named Public Services Student of the Year.

The 18-year-old from Basildon has stood out in her studies for her behaviour, standard of achievement and motivation to succeed.

Her tutors have recognised how much Aimee has progressed over the course of her two year programme. After her first year of study, it was unclear whether she would be able to progress on to the second year of her course, however, Aimee was determined to succeed and went above and beyond to accomplish her goals and is achieving distinction level grades in her assignments.

Her nomination citation noted: “Aimee is an outstanding student who uses her mature reflective skills to complete all assignments before deadlines to an outstanding level. 

“Aimee also supports other members of her class and discusses class issues with her personal tutor in a mature and balanced manner in order to achieve the best outcome.

“Seeing Aimee develop academically and personally into a mature, committed and outstanding student should be something to be rewarded.”

Aimee said she was ‘incredibly proud’ of her achievements.

She said: “This year I have faced a lot of challenges but I put endless amounts of effort into my college life and my assignments. I put all my energy into this year so I could come out with the best possible outcomes. 

“The support at the college has been second-to-none. The staff here always go above and beyond especially the wellbeing team. They have helped me so much throughout my time here, they helped me gain my confidence and walked me through my hard days when my illness was getting too much to handle. 

My lecturers are always working hard to accommodate for all of their students and you can easily see how passionate they are about their job which makes learning so much more enjoyable.”

Aimee is now pursing her dream of becoming a prison officer. 


 

Success story: Ben Strata

Success story: Ben Strata

Course studied

Access to Higher Education (Business Management) Level 3 Diploma

The course gives you a fantastic foundation, not just in terms of preparing you for the type of work at university and the work load but also the actual subject.

My name is Ben, I am 25-years-old, I studied Access to Business Management at South Essex College and this is my story.

Before attending South Essex College, I worked part-time mainly as a cashier at KFC. I tried multiple online A level courses but found them to be too intense and not interactive enough. The courses I tried didn’t even have online courses, they just offered you the material and the facilities to sit your exams. I worked for almost two years at KFC while trying to do Psychology and Business A levels online. 

Since completing my Access to Business Management course I’ve gone on to study Business Management at Kent University. I achieved a first-class honours in my first year and am currently in my second-year specialising in operations management, project management and entrepreneurship. I will be doing a year in industry placement around June/July to gain experience and increase my prospects after I finish my degree. 

I was informed by a co-worker about the Access course and he also studied Access to Business Management course. This was the first time hearing about the course and I was quite interested because it applied to me, there aren’t much options for mature students looking to go to university. Having attempted online classes and failing I wanted to attend actual classes, with online learning you really have to teach yourself and that can be quite overwhelming having been out of education for so long, because you have to take on the role of both teacher and student.  

The course gives you a fantastic foundation, not just in terms of preparing you for the type of work at university and the work load but also the actual subject. You cover the general fundamentals and a lot of the material I learned on the course is still applicable to what I’m doing in my second year. 

South Essex College has a ton of facilities and equipment you can use. What was especially helpful was the access I had to journals and academic databases. I’ve noticed that the college actually has more permissions for scientific journals and databases such as emerald insight and science direct compared to Kent university. 

I can mainly speak to and about the Access course I did but it is a fantastic course for mature students. Prior to the course I was lacking in confidence academically, I wasn’t happy with my job but had with very few GCSEs. The course, in my eyes, was like another chance, you only need English and maths and even then, there were people on the course without English and maths but they had the opportunity to do them again. Of course, you need to apply yourself and be very diligent and willing to learn but the course is aimed and catered for people that have been out of education for a while or are almost at a base level starting point. The facilities and teachers at South Essex College are what brought all of it together and created a motivating and encouraging environment to progress and start my academic journey again. 

I am still unsure of what I’d like to do as a career but I am definitely in a much better position now. I’d like to do something in management consulting or project management and I’m hoping my placement this year will narrow down and give me a clearer insight into what I want to do. I have applied and in the process of being accepted for a managerial position at a charity helping adults who are illiterate. I became interested in the charity because I can relate to coming from a position of a very basic level of education and I understand the importance of education. I have an interview with the pioneer for the area I’m in and the district manager and hopefully, once I’m accepted, I can help the organisation while developing myself further. 

The course absolutely helped me with my confidence academically and generally. There’s nothing wrong with working in a low-skill minimum wage job, especially if you have ambitions to work your way up. However, I never planned to work at KFC forever or to become team leader or manager. Fundamentally, having qualifications gives you more opportunities. I don’t have to work a business-related job for example. My business management degree will give me a lot of flexibility. I think that’s why I have gained confidence, I feel proud of what I have accomplished with greater prospects and opportunities ahead.

For more information on the Access to Business Management course, visit: www.southessex.ac.uk/course/access-to-higher-education-business-management-level-3-diploma 
 

Success story: Jon Day

I would strongly recommend anyone interested in studying in the local area to attend South Essex College, this is due to many reasons such as the brilliant standard of teaching, the high quality of the classes

My name is Jon I am 28-years-old,  I studied Access to Business at South Essex College from September 2020 until May 2021 and this is my story.

Before I started the course I had spent my career working in banking and estate agency. I am now in my second semester at University of Essex studying Business Administration.
I chose to study at South Essex College as I had studied there a decade ago and offered a convenient location with great facilities to aid in my studies.

My time at South Essex College was great preparation for my future career as it is a professional environment offering ample opportunity to gain and improve my skills relevant to the workplace.

The best thing about doing further education is that it has given me an opportunity to improve. It is challenging but rewarding and has improved my future prospects.

I would strongly recommend anyone interested in studying in the local area to attend South Essex College, this is due to many reasons such as the brilliant standard of teaching, the high quality of the classes, the great facilities and the superb approach to facilitating students of all abilities. 

I found I gained confidence in all aspects of my life and found the discipline instilled during my study at South Essex College has been useful at university.

My ambitions is to go into teaching myself, and potentially one day to teach at South Essex College.

For more information on the Access to HE Business Management course, visit: www.southessex.ac.uk/course/access-to-higher-education-business-management-level-3-diploma
 

Access Success Story: Amanda Rowney

Access Success Story: Amanda Rowney

Course studied

Access to Higher Education (Business Management) Level 3 Diploma

The best thing about education is that it’s always good to be learning, meeting new people and having new experiences. Education offers more opportunities, career wise and socially and you get to meet people you might not otherwise.

My name is Amanda, I am 35 years old, I studied Access to HE Business Management at South Essex College from September 2020 until July 2021 and this is my story.

I studied Access to HE Business Management and received a QAA recognised Access to HE Diploma in Business Management.

After school I went to SEEVIC College to study AVCE Business studies and achieved a C/D. Fed up of learning and wanting to earn some money, I went to work for a construction company in London. I left London in 2016 when I had a young family and needed to be nearer to home. I then started working for a housing developer in Southend.

I completed the Access to HE course because I wanted to do a BSc Building Surveying degree but did not have enough previous experience or qualifications. Since finishing the Access course I have started my degree and work part-time with the same employer.

The best thing about education is that it’s always good to be learning, meeting new people and having new experiences. Education offers more opportunities, career wise and socially and you get to meet people you might not otherwise.

I would definitely recommend South Essex College as the course was easy to access/join, the college is easy to get to, tutors are friendly and helpful and information and resources that are available are excellent.

The course gave me confidence in knowing that I can still learn at my age and that it is not too late to start something new.

For more information on the Access to HE Business courses visit: www.southessex.ac.uk/course/access-to-higher-education-business-management-level-3-diploma 
 

Success story: Taylor Skevington

Success story: Taylor Skevington

Course studied

Criminology & Forensic Investigation BSc (Hons)

The course was very interesting and unlike other courses I had seen at other universities. Also, the centre was close to home and had multiple options for travel.



My name is Taylor Skevington, I am 23 years old, I studied Criminology & Forensic Investigation BSc (Hons) at University Centre South Essex from October 2017 to June 2020 and this is my story.

I took my A-Levels at Seevic College in English Language and Literature, Anthropology, Sociology and Psychology and applied for the degree straight after.

I have gone on to do a MA Criminology degree at the University of Essex and achieved a Distinction. I am now a 1st year PhD student in Criminology at Essex.

I have recently finished a part-time position as a research officer on the Understanding Domestic Abuse Perpetrators Project for the Home Office.

I was entrusted to do research for and write the literature review of the project and was also given administrative tasks for the overall project.

My PhD supervisor gave me the position as they were one of the researchers involved in the project and thought the topic was close to my own research.

The course was very interesting and unlike other courses I had seen at other universities. Also, the centre was close to home and had multiple options for travel.

The module on Personal Development was extremely helpful as it gave us tips on important skills such as writing your CV and job interviews. The work placements during the third (and last) year were also good experience for careers in the discipline. 
Higher education gives you the opportunity to learn more about a subject you are passionate in and to further your personal development.

I gained valuable timekeeping and presentation skills because of the multiple types of assignments that were assigned. It also taught me skills in writing and research, especially important in further education. 
My favourite memory of doing my degree was being in lectures with my peers as it was always a welcoming and fun atmosphere.

Not only was my degree interesting but my lecturers were extremely supportive and constructive in their criticisms.

My aim is to become a researcher/academic in criminology/sociology.

My time at the college helped me build my confidence in my work and in communicating with others.

For more information on the Criminology and Forensic Investigation: www.southessex.ac.uk/course//criminology-and-forensic-investigation-bsc-hons-1

Success story: Phil Steed

Success story: Phil Steed

Course studied

Graphic Design & Illustration BA (Hons)

It was a privilege to go back to university and now realise at 17 I just wasn’t ready to truly apply myself. Going back as a mature student I absolutely loved being back in education and using the grey matter.



My name is Phil Steed, I am 54-years-old and I studied a degree at University Centre South Essex in Graphic Design BA Hons from/until 2010-2013 and this is my story.

I had worked in the design industry for a number of years but wanted to attain my degree. I have continued to work in industry, but have also now been involved every year working with the second year degree students, including crits and portfolio clinics.

I have just left the Sequel Group as head of creative (which I did three days a week) to go back to being an entirely self-employed design consultant.
I currently run a number of corporate accounts, working closely with a self-employed communications consultant, as well as design, where I cover the full project management for all requirements.

I have been in industry since approximately 1990 and worked my way up the ladder in a number of internal comms agencies before going self-employed.
Primarily I chose University Centre South Essex due to the location. I have a young family so not having a long commute to university was high on the agenda. I also liked the facilities and had a friend who had recently completed the course. Their final show was superb – largely due to the huge diversity of medium used. It was really attractive to be on a course that was not restrictive.

It was a privilege to go back to university and now realise at 17 I just wasn’t ready to truly apply myself. Going back as a mature student I absolutely loved being back in education and using the grey matter. I enjoyed the essays and especially the dissertation (which wasn’t universally loved by the younger participants) and trying different skills – the 3D studio was such a great environment to work with a variety of interesting materials.

My favourite memories was the comradery with my fellow students and teachers. I was blessed with a cracking group of classmates, and the staff across the course were knowledgeable and really fun to work with. 

I don’t have any experience of other universities, but I felt the quality of the centre, and what we produced, would sit up there with any in the country. The building is modern, the facilities are great, and who wouldn’t want to study by the seaside.

I had been self-employed for 10 years before going on the course but what it did was highlight the importance of collaboration. I also undertook for one of the briefs a willow sculpturing course – something I’d like to further pursue. 

In the future, it would be great to have further opportunities to work with the students – even ideally as a part time associate. I am also looking at various MA courses.

I do want to highlight that not only going back, but getting a first, was a huge achievement. For years it had played on my mind that I didn’t get my degree so to complete it.

To learn more about the Graphic Design provision, visit: www.southessex.ac.uk/course/graphic-design-ba-hons
 

Success story: Jess Fleming

Success story: Jess Fleming

Course studied

Early Years Care and Education BA (Hons)

The support you get is the best possible and they really get to understand you as a student, how you learn and how they can best support you.

My name is Jess Fleming, I am 26 years old and I studied Early Years Education at University Centre South Essex from October 2018 until May 2021 and this is my story.

I have just finished my Early Years Education Degree and I am moving on start my PGCE in Further Education in September. My overall aim is to gain a 2:2 in Early Years but obviously part of me is hoping for that 2:1.

I have a level 3 diploma in Childcare and Education that I achieved through an apprenticeship in 2013 after dropping out of college due to a poor experience. I worked in Nurseries and also as a Ride Host at Adventure island. In 2015 I gave birth to my little girl who has just turned 6 and I wanted to do something in my career for the long-term and I’ve always wanted to teach. 

It wasn’t so much I chose the University Centre South Essex but that it chose me if that makes any sense? University was not in my plan and was not even a consideration. I spoke to South Essex College about careers advice on what I can do with my current level 3 qualification and they invited me in to speak to the lead of the Early Years programme to see if they had any insight. After speaking with Maria Cruickshank about where I wanted to go in life and her suggesting this course, I felt ready to jump into the deep end and get my degree. 

There are many opportunities that are available for both personal and professional growth. During this course I have been a student rep, a uni-buddy and spoke to students from other courses to share experiences and knowledge. Also, with the CPD courses we have done alongside the degree, I have had a career change while studying and went from ride-host to security guard which is an amazing experience in itself. 

Being in higher education gives you the motivation to work hard to achieve what you set out to do. It helps you time manage, but the best thing is self-confidence. ‘Knowing your stuff’, seeing how much you have grown and developed over the time period and having the confidence to have an opinion and know your worth.
 
In my first year I was diagnosed as dyslexic and with dyspraxia. It was overwhelming but the university has supported me not only academically but emotionally too. It has not been an easy three years outside of my studies but they were still there to support and guide me in any way possible. You can ask for help and they will find every possible way they are able to support, even if it’s just to listen. 

As a student that is also a parent, the university centre have been great when it has come to child care and would never mind if I had to leave to pick the children up or look after them if they were ill. My daughter adored my lecturers and when we were online would often sit next to me on her tablet and she would wave and it was nice not to feel like a burden. 

Some people may be put off by the University Centre South Essex being a small centre but in fact I believe that it is their biggest asset. By having smaller classes then some larger traditional universities it makes it a much more personal leaning experience. You feel noticed and recognised, where as you may get lost in the large crowds of students elsewhere. They make you feel as though you matter, and you are important which in itself is a reason so many push through the tougher parts of studying in order to have the end results.

The support you get is the best possible and they really get to understand you as a student, how you learn and how they can best support you. Not only that but they also help you in decisions after completing your degree and show you the many options are available and help you understand what they are and where you go. I think if I had studied anywhere else, I would have given up before I finished. 

There are so many things I have achieved, personally and also academically but my best moment was submitting my dissertation. Researching something I had keen interest in, gather the information and then create this document that was my work was an extremely proud moment and never in my life before did I think I would get to this moment. 

Originally, I wanted to teach primary education however within the last year of this course it has changed. Through the opportunities I have been given within the University Centre I have realised that I have a real passion for supporting older students so have decided to change my teacher training to one that is specific to Further Education. I plan to stay within F.E for a couple of years and learn, experience, and take opportunities within that before completing my Masters degree and moving forward to teach Higher Education. You could say I plan to do a full circle which is strange for a girl who four years ago never thought she would go back in education, who was shy and who thought very little of her own self-worth. I am now a woman who is confident, who can fight for what she wants and has a passion for knowledge and students.

For more information on the Early Years programme, visit: www.southessex.ac.uk/course/early-years-education-ba-hons

Success story: Deborah Wingfield

Success story: Deborah Wingfield

Course studied

Costume Construction BA (Hons)

If it wasn’t for this course, I wouldn’t have come so far as I have today and hope to keep growing with experience and gaining work in future productions.

My name is Deborah Wingfield, I am 40 years old, I studied Costume Construction at University Centre South Essex from 2018 until 2021 and this is my story.

I am a mum of four children and I was taking on the odd alteration job here and there whilst running my family. Sewing is a life-long skill I have had since I was eight years old! 

I did a fashion design course when I left school. I had many jobs before having children but none were what I really wanted to do. Although I had my family to raise and this was a full-time job for a period of my life, I managed to make time to be creative and was inspired by children’s costumes. I made costumes for my children and created a side-line of little tutus. 

I came across the course by chance at a time when I wasn’t even thinking about returning to study. I discovered that the course was located only 12 minutes from my house and was in collaboration with the Royal Opera House. I was immediately excited as I could really see myself doing it but I was so nervous. 

I attended the open day and then applied for the foundation pathway course. The course was a challenge to manage around running my family but as it was so near and lots of the elements were practical, I managed to make it work.

I learned historical pattern design and construction, classical tutu making taught by the Royal Opera House makers, conservation techniques, research skills, drawing skills, how to design professionally - making sure to include all relevant information within a presentation. How to work within a group, time management, improved writing skills, how to invoice for the appropriate industries and I even learned how to build a website for my portfolio of work which proved valuable when applying for work. 

During the course I managed to set up an alterations business. I found this a good way to learn how things are put together by taking them apart and putting them back together again. My aim was to finish the course not just with a qualification but with real first-hand experience. 

Having a business and qualifications really did help with finding jobs in the costume Industry. Being a qualified experienced seamstress people seem to trust your knowledge and skills. Having an eye-catching portfolio and website really helped sell my skills. I have designed for the Digby Fairweather’s Jazz centre in Southend for their ‘How Fashion shaped Jazz’ project whilst being on the course and the project is now a feature on their website. Also for one of our last university projects our costumes were entered in to a design challenge competition with The Royal Opera House. This meant that all work up to a high standard could be entered and would be displayed at the theatre in Covent Garden and would be displayed on the ROH website. 

Since completing my course I have continued to work within my own bridal alterations business.

I have worked for Sevenoaks Panto for just over a month as wardrobe supervisor. I was running costumes for a total cast of 20 people, this included four band members, eight dancers and eight principles. I spent the first week arranging fittings with the cast and adapting/altering their costumes. When the show began I was managing the maintenance and up keep of the costumes. I had also created a costume track/plot and was responsible for overseeing back stage quick change/dressing roles. This was my biggest achievement yet as the show continued to go on during a risky time as covid19 was a big threat and other theatres were closing.

I took on some work experience with Britain’s Got Talent’s La Voix (a contact made through the course) on her UK tour. I gained experience in assistant stage management duties as well as learning a dressing track and how to prepare for a show and relevant technical information.

 My current position is one of four designers for a low budget film. I was quite nervous about the interview as I aimed for the highest position. But once I had showcased my previous designs and explained my journey so far – my experience in different areas of costume, how I had managed to run my business between jobs and that now I would really like get my teeth into designing professionally, this really helped with my confidence.

If it wasn’t for this course, I wouldn’t have come so far as I have today and hope to keep growing with experience and gaining work in future productions. I gained so much confidence in my work and developed my skill set with professional industry guidance. In the future I would like to design/make for TV and film.

The best thing about doing further or higher education is reaching the finish line and having a huge sense of achievement and being able to own having completed a degree programme and that is yours forever.

The staff at University Centre South Essex were very supportive especially through the pandemic. It’s a great place to study with everything you need to help you progress through the course. 

My time at the University Centre help me with  professionalism- how to write, email and speak more professionally in presentations and interviews. I suffer with on-going anxiety so these skills are just as highly valuable as my practical skills also built on throughout the course. I have been able to turn a hobby into a successful profession.
 

Success story: Gemma Rose

Success story: Gemma Rose

Course studied

Graphic Design & Illustration BA (Hons)

I would recommend University Centre South Essex as I feel you have more time with your tutors compared to others I know who went to universities elsewhere.

My name is Gemma Rose, I am 25-years-old, I studied Graphic Design BA (Hons) at University Centre South Essex from 2015 to 2018 and this is my story.

I finished secondary school and attended South Essex college to study Fine Art. I’ve always been into illustration and felt this was the next step for me. I knew I wanted to go to university, but I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do. I then completed a Level 4 Foundation course in photography as photography was something I also had interest in. Here I experimented with mixing photography and illustration.

My photography tutor at the time suggested I check out the Graphic Design course, one thing led to another and I found myself on the BA Graphic Design course. In total I was at the college and university for six years.

Since completing the course I’ve met and worked with some great people. I’ve worked with rapper Slowthai to produce album merchandise, illustrated a series of children’s books, produced hundreds of illustrations to be used alongside school learning resources and had a lot of fun.

I’m currently working as a freelance illustrator and designer at a co-working space just outside of Southend with other creatives. It’s a big studio with other creatives doing their own thing. Freelancing can get a bit lonely, so it’s nice to be around other creatives.

That’s one of the great things about being a freelancer, you can really be doing dramatically different projects every time. One week you might be designing a logo for a small company, the next you’re working with Slowthai’s design team. At the moment, I’m currently designing and illustrating a series of books for a client, which is something I thoroughly enjoy. It’s all about bringing people’s ideas to life.

I was a remote-working design lead for a company producing school resources for nearly three years, then COVID-19 happened and I ended up losing my job. But one door closes and another opens. I found other projects to keep me busy and embraced working as a freelance illustrator and designer.
University Centre South Essex was such a good experience and every tutor I had was passionate about what they taught and really wanted you to succeed. It was also convenient location with great travel links to London and cheaper tuition fees.

I learnt a lot of new skills from the course and my peers which definitely helped shape me into the creative I am now. I found that the course helped me think more conceptually and ‘out of the box’ when approaching projects and clients. It’s also helped boost my confidence when presenting work and ideas.

What I enjoyed most was the amount of freedom you have and the good feeling of progressing towards your future aims and goals. Also I enjoyed meeting new people, getting new perspectives and bouncing off ideas and knowledge to each other.

When you’re a freelancer you have to supply your own equipment unfortunately, but I took full advantage of using the equipment available at the university, whether that be the full access to the Adobe software or raiding the cupboards for ink and paint brushes. You’d often find me in the screen-printing room or being experimental with new and unusual materials. 

I would recommend University Centre South Essex as I feel you have more time with your tutors compared to others I know who went to universities elsewhere. It’s also a nice environment, the people are friendly and the tutors and staff will help you in any way that they can.
My ambitions would be to revisit one of my old projects, a book I wrote and illustrated as part of a final project during my Graphic Design course. I’d love to redo it and get it published.

University definitely helped me build my confidence when presenting my project outcomes in front of a group and made me confident in my own abilities. 

For more information on the Graphic Design programme, visit: www.southessex.ac.uk/course/graphic-design-ba-hons

Success story: Carrie Ann Stein

Success story: Carrie Ann Stein

Course studied

Costume Construction BA (Hons)

The course set me up very well for a career in the theatre industry because of its remarkable combination of practical training, collaboration and direct theatre experience.

My name is Carrie-Ann Stein, I am 46-years-old, I studied at Costume Construction BA (Hons) at University Centre South Essex from 2016 until 2019 and this is my story.

I trained in law and then changed my career to study BA (Hons) Fashion Design with Knit at Central Saint Martins.

Before the pandemic closed the theatre industry, I was working as a set and costume designer but now I am studying fine art at the Royal College of Art. It is a pre-master's course in fine art in preparation for a Master’s degree.

I was able to undertake two internships with the Royal Opera House during my degree and my tutors were instrumental in organising additional placements at Grange Park Opera and the National Theatre.

Learning how to make a garment to a professional standard was the most valuable skill because it not only taught me practical employable skills but also how to collaborate and work with a wide range of people from performers  to production directors.

The equipment in the university studio reflected the industry standard, namely the sewing machines, overlockers, industrial irons, draping  stands, enormous pattern cutting tables and great stock of bolts of fabric and  haberdashery.

I found that during my time, the tutors and students were especially generous with their knowledge, and they were fun and inspiring to be around.

The course set me up very well for a career in the theatre industry because of its remarkable combination of practical training, collaboration and direct theatre experience.

2019 was a very good year for me professionally. I won the Costume Society Award; the Royal Opera House Design Prize; and I was a finalist of the Linbury  Prize for Stage Design which led to a bursary to work on the set design of a production at the Royal Opera House (although this was later cancelled due to  the pandemic.)

My time at the university has been instrumental in building narrative skills and helping to compose a scene of characters in a setting. The practical garment- making component of the course has become a unique part of my fine art methodology influencing how I construct an image.

All of this has led to me to an offer to study a Master's in fine art print at the Royal College of Art, which I will be starting in September 2022.

For more information on the Costume Construction course, visit: www.southessex.ac.uk/course/costume-construction-ba-hons

Success story: Gemma Salter

Success story: Gemma Salter

Course studied

Costume Construction BA (Hons)

University Centre South Essex has been the biggest and most important part of my life, the whole Costume Construction team are one of a kind. They will support you and give you all the advice in the world and back you every step of the way.

My name is Gemma Salter, I am 25-years-old and I studied Costume Construction BA Hons at University Centre South Essex from 2016 until 2020 and this is my story.

Before coming to University Centre South Essex, I had completed my A-levels and unfortunately wasn’t able to get into university straight away. From this point, I did a foundation diploma, which allowed me to gain a broader perspective of what the creative industry includes. Once I finished, I was able to apply to university successfully.

Since finishing my Costume Construction degree during the middle of the pandemic, I have been lucky enough to have completed a Christmas season at LaplandUK which was an amazing experience. I have also been accepted into the Royal Opera House costume pool.

I’m currently waiting to start my first dresser role at the Royal Opera House in a new production starting in March.

I will be helping cast members get changed into their costumes as well as assisting with any quick changes that may occur during the production. I will also be setting the costumes for the next performance as well as many other things.

I chose to study the Costume Construction course at University Centre South Essex because of the amazing connection that it has with the Royal Opera House and for the tutors, who are still working within industry whilst teaching students. 

The course has helped me know what to expect in all the different areas of the costume department, which is a lot more than people realise. I was able to talk to people who are in the industry and ask them questions that my tutors might not have specific answers for. Being able to ask them these questions, I was able to find out how they got to where they are now and what I need to do to get there.

The best thing about higher education, in all honesty is everything. Don’t get me wrong there are hard times but the whole experience was the best thing I have ever done. Gaining my degree and being able to do a job I love is a rare thing.

Throughout my course I was constantly learning new skills such as creative pattern cutting, making a tutu with head costumer from the Royal Opera House, learning how to take measurements correctly and learning how to insert a zip into a range of fabrics and costumes.

All the equipment in both the studios is what you would use in most making studios. It only differs if you were in a wardrobe department as there wouldn’t be any industrial machine, however both studios do have domestic machines that would more than likely be in every wardrobe/costume department. Everything that I used and saw in the studios I have seen in the industry.

I don’t think I have just one favourite memory from my time at university. Looking back on my time now, just being surrounded by my best friends every day and tutors that you can just have a chat with is incredible.

University Centre South Essex has been the biggest and most important part of my life, the whole Costume Construction team are one of a kind. They will support you and give you all the advice in the world and back you every step of the way. Every person that works at University Centre South Essex will always have your best interest at heart (even if it doesn’t seem like it at the time) 

While being here my confidence has grown so much. I have always been a confident person with people, but when it came to talking about my work or having confidence in my work, that was always at the bottom of the scale. Since having my work on show in the Linbury Theatre at the Royal Opera House, I have become a lot more confident with the work I produce and the way I talk about my work to others.

My ambitions for the future is to become a costume supervisor/wardrobe manager on the west end for major shows.

If you were to tell me ten years ago that I would have a degree in Costume Construction and come out of it with a job at the Royal Opera House, I wouldn’t have believed you no matter what you said.

For more information on the Costume Construction course, visit: www.southessex.ac.uk/course/costume-construction-ba-hons 

Success Story: Gus Nweke

Success Story: Gus Nweke

Course studied

Fine Art BA (Hons)

My time at the centre improved my self-confidence and made me believe in myself and my ability. It helped me to become focused and enabled me to set goals.

My name is Augustus Nweke, I am 51 years old, I studied Fine Art at University Centre South Essex from 2016 until 2020 and this is my story.

I first studied Access to Higher Education and went on to do my Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts. Before studying I worked as a security officer.

I chose to study at University Centre South Essex because it was the closest to me and I could identify with their adult education program easily.

My foundation course prepared me for the next level. It wasn’t a difficult decision to make when I decided to further my studies because I received world-class preparation. I would like to thank Dr Cherry, Andy, Matt and a host of other very supportive staff who helped me. I gained valuable collaborative, organisational and leadership skills whilst studying. At the University Centre you get all the support you need to succeed.

The university centre provided me with the basic equipment and studio assistance in printing, wood work and the sculpture studios. My method of painting now involves both printing and painting which I developed interest in during my Access course year. Now my painting style is deeply rooted in printing.

After leaving the University Centre I did my Master’s degree in Art specialising in painting and my works have been exhibited in some high profile group exhibitions.
I  now work at Stansted airport while pursuing my career in the arts.

As an artist I organise and curate exhibitions, I am interested in critical practice and I paint. 

At Stansted I work to protect civil aviation against unwanted treats and acts of terrorism including protecting the airport facility against illegal and unlawful entry or destruction of property. 

In the future I want to do my practice-based Doctorate research starting in 2023.

I would recommend studying at University Centre South Essex because it understands the needs of adult students. They are flexible, supportive and welcoming. All the staff are interested to see you succeed.

My time at the centre improved my self-confidence and made me believe in myself and my ability. It helped me to become focused and enabled me to set goals.

For more information on the Fine Art programme, visit: www.southessex.ac.uk/course/fine-art-ba-hons