Opening in September 2015 at the College’s Harrow on the Hill campus near the station and adjacent to the newly landscaped Lowlands Park, the Enterprise Centre will be a new flagship building for the College. Its imposing exterior design will enhance the regeneration of the town centre, and inside its high atrium will provide a sense of space and light creating an exceptional place for students to learn in. The centre will also be the location for Career Colleges, also lauching in September 2015.

The Enterprise Centre comprises circa 3,000 m² of space over four floors and will provide a mixture of classrooms and flexible work spaces on the upper floors together with an Employability hub on the ground floor providing a one stop shop of recruitment, careers and work placement services. It is envisioned that it will become a powerhouse of enterprise, and will also offer business incubation units for fledgling start-up companies run by students and others in the Harrow community.

The building will house all the College’s Business teaching activities, with the Employability hub being available to all students. The College is also in discussions with a local business to provide a state of the art digital communications workshop, for use by IT students and others.

The Enterprise Centre was designed by architects IBI Group and is being built by Morgan Sindall.  It will reflect the College’s commitment to sustainability, being built to a very high environmental standard (BREEAM Excellent) and incorporating many low carbon features including photovoltaic cells on the roof of the building.

On Monday 14th December, students of Harrow College visited the children’s unit at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH).

The Additional Learning Support department at Harrow College coordinated a food sale and raffle with prizes donated by Willows Activity Farm, Waitrose, Morrison’s, Sainsbury’s and Nandos. Students raised over £200 towards purchasing Christmas presents for the children.

A total of seven students from the College made the presentation of gifts to children aged 11-16 years old at the Stanmore-based hospital.

Greeted by staff at the hospital, the students were informed about the specialism of the ward before presenting the gifts to the staff on behalf of the children.

The Harrow College students were then split into groups and taken around the ward to learn about the different therapies available to children and the equipment used for treatment. They also had an opportunity to speak with staff about their experiences of working at the hospital and routes to a career in a similar environment.

Jane Gregory, Head of Foundation Learning and Support at Harrow College said: “We’re so pleased that our students embraced this valuable opportunity to not only commit to fundraising, but also to visit the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital and learn more about the children on the ward. Knowing that the gifts will be received by children during the festive season makes this a particularly rewarding experience and our students look forward to doing this again.”

The gifts will be handed out to children staying on the ward during the Christmas period on behalf of the students at Harrow College.

Special thanks to Harrow College students: Michael Fox, Harry Dumont, Ahmed Ali, Taslim Ahmed, Daniel Twomey, Anita Kivite and Rhianna McNeily.

It’s the season of goodwill and the theme has been embraced at Harrow College. This month has been a busy one to end the autumn term, from the end of year party hosted by our Student Union and attended by over 200 students, to various charitable and fundraising activities. Here’s the round up.

Level 2 Business Students kicked off the season with a festive stall to fundraise for Cancer Research. They raised more than £140 in just three hours at our Harrow on the Hill campus.

Supported by the Additional Learning Support team, Harrow College students also visited the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore. Following a previous fundraiser that raised more than £200, they presented gifts to staff on behalf of the children that will be staying at the hospital during the festive season. More details of the visit can be viewed here.

Students from the Next Steps Year 1 group organised a pop-up Christmas shop in the Reception area of the Harrow Weald campus. Here they sold a range of handmade gifts and treats for students, successfully raising £27 in just a couple of hours.

Hair and Beauty students (part of Image Salon) also coordinated their own fundraising initiative by enticing customers with a range of treatments including nail art and hairstyling. They succeeded in raising a huge £207 which will be donated to Cancer Research.

In addition to this, Harrow College’s Enterprise Society students (HaCoEnSo) have also raised a massive £120 for Save the Children charity through the sales of baklava, Christmas cards and more. Supported by business lecturer Jay Valand, student representatives used their entrepreneurial skills to encourage their peers to donate money in a bid to raise money for the children’s charity.

All students have worked incredibly hard to fundraise and to motivate the wider student body to contribute to a range of charitable causes.

As we approach 2016 it’s a great reminder of the many social aspects of student life at Harrow College.

The College will now be closed until the New Year and will reopen on Monday 4th January 2016. For all queries, please email enquiries@harrow.ac.uk. If you are interested in applying for a course, please use the online course finder to search and apply to #JoinHarrow today.

We look forward to seeing you in 2016.

Classrooms, flexible work spaces and an employability hub is all part of the new Enterprise Centre opening this month.

Teaching for all of Harrow College's business courses will take place at the centre. The employability hub will open to all students and will provide a one stop shop for recruitment, careers and work placements. The centre will also house Career Colleges - a new concept in learning.  

 The Enterprise Centre is one of two new builds at Harrow College and reflects the college's commitment towards students' investment and providing the latest infrastructure and modern facilities in order to ensure student success.

See the pictures below for some fantastic aerial views of this 3000m2 of space across four floors, right at the doorstep of Harrow on the Hill tube station. It can't get better than this.

Harrow College is now enrolling for September 2015 across all courses. Please view timings here.

Harrow College HND Students in Applied Chemistry have been applying their knowledge to test the water in our local streams and rivers – and their findings could benefit the local community for years to come.

It is known that waste from toilets and washing machines are polluting our local streams and rivers, creating a serious health risk. If this wasn't worrying enough, rivers have now been shown to harbour bacteria resistant to antibiotics.

Harrow College students recently teamed up with Thames 21 - the voice for London's waterways who work with communities to improve rivers and canals for people and wildlife. The team walked through Queensbury Park to check for evidence of pollution after an incident in the Kenton Brook. They took samples back to the laboratory for analysis where high levels of phosphate contamination were found, an important indicator of plumbing misconnections.

In mid-December our students were out again. This time they tested water samples from the Edgware Brook at Stanmore Marsh where work is currently being carried out to restore the historic marshlands and provide a better environment for more diverse wildlife. Students came prepared for on-site determination of dissolved oxygen, a useful first indicator of water quality, pH and conductivity. They checked for ammonia which often suggests raw sewage contamination and also collected samples of phosphate and nitrate for laboratory analysis. The results showed different levels of dissolved oxygen and higher than expected ammonia.

Students will be returning to Stanmore Marsh to confirm their findings and check for any seasonal variation. Should the levels of ammonia, phosphate and nitrate turn out to be consistently high, then the Environment Agency will be contacted as the contamination is likely to be caused by plumbing misconnections which will need to be investigated.

Michael Worgs, Curriculum Manager for Science at Harrow College said "Our students often work with industry experts to apply their skills and put their college laboratory theory into practice. This experience is great for our learners and with this particular project; their findings could well have long term benefits for the local community".

The eagerly anticipated Enterprise Centre at Harrow College has opened its doors.

The 3000m2 building project which commenced in late 2014 is now operational and welcomed its first classes last week. The contemporary building design brings a fresh, modern feel to the area.

The architect's design creates a strong contemporary frontage to complement the existing Grade II listed surrounding buildings. Its four story height makes it visible from the recently developed Lowlands Recreation Ground (home of Arc House, also managed by Harrow College) and also from the rear side which faces Harrow on the Hill underground station meaning rail passengers gets a full view of the building as they pass.

Traditional and more informal style classrooms, flexible work spaces and an employability hub are all part of the new Enterprise Centre. Teaching for all of Harrow College's business courses will take place at the centre and classes are now in full swing, occupying the upper two floors. The employability hub will be open to all students and will provide a one stop shop for recruitment, careers and work placements.

The centre will also house Career Colleges - a new concept in learning focusing on employer-led education. Among the first to launch in London, the Career Colleges will specialise in Business & Professional Services and Creative & Digital respectively for 15-17 year olds. The ground floor is occupied by various Harrow College departments including Apprenticeships, Business Base and Marketing.

Access to the entrance is through a glazed façade which leads into a multi-storey atrium. The central atrium is thus the key connection between essentially two wings of classrooms. In line with the low carbon design there will be air source heat pumps and photovoltaic cells on the roof of the sustainable building.

The Enterprise Centre is one of two new builds at Harrow College and reflects the college's commitment towards students' investment and providing the latest infrastructure and modern facilities in order to ensure student success.

Improving your health and keeping fit was the message at the annual Health Fair at Harrow College. The timing of the event ensured students kicked off 2016 with a positive attitude for the year ahead.

A wide range of external health providers and exhibitors attended the fair including:

Drugs and Alcohol advice from Compass, Sexual Health and Contraceptive advice and support from the NHS, Orchid Cancer Care, MIND advice for mental health issues and support, Sickle Cell Society, NHS Transplant and Blood Donation Service, Wilson and Jones catering with free fruit, Information about diabetes, meningitis and teenage cancer.

Various teams from within Harrow College were also on hand to provide help and information about lots of services available to students including the Student Union giving information about Healthy Eating with "free" delicious and easy recipes, the Harrow College Counselling Service, Harrow College Enrichment Sports information and sports students advertising the in-house Energise Gym and doing health checks including BMI and blood pressure.

The high turnout at both events was very encouraging with students asking lots of questions and collecting information as they walked around the fair. Barnaby Smith, from the National Citizen Service, was one of the exhibitors providing information about student experiences and programmes that develop skills for life. He commented "This event is great for youngsters to speak to professionals, broaden their knowledge and stay healthy".

Sandie Petrie, Student Enrichment Co-ordinator at Harrow College said: "This year's event has been a great success. Many exhibitors were keen to get involved and our students have taken full advantage of the expertise available. Lots of information has been taken away and can be shared with friends and family members too so hopefully the positive messages will spread even further".

Level 2 and 3 Business students from Harrow College delivered an Expo event yesterday (20 January) to present design ideas for their new classrooms.

During term time at Harrow College, Business classes take place within the new Enterprise Centre Building. With the building not long open, staff and students took this opportunity to plan and present ideas of how they would like their classroom spaces to look.

Ideas included wall designs, colour schemes, new furniture and table layouts. Designs were based on themes such as nature, space, famous business entrepreneurs, inspirational quotes, international harmony and international business. Not only did students present ideas and their reasons for choosing specific themes, they also went on to explain the logistics of how the designs would be implemented including a breakdown of costs, sources of funding, sponsorship ideas, potential business partners and time schedules to complete work.

Many of the ideas have progressed into the planning stages with a number of groups having already contacted local businesses to pitch their ideas and discuss potential partnerships. Having presented their ideas to guests today, a judging process will now take place with the winning design possibly going live later this year.

Alexandra Langhe, 18, was one of the students presenting her designs. She said "this project has been lots of fun as it has got us working as a team and being creative. It's a very innovative type of project and we have learnt lots of new things whilst really enjoying the challenge".

Sonny Peart, Curriculum Manager for Business and Professional Studies at Harrow College said "This group of students are the first to have used the new Enterprise Centre. We want them to feel at home here and so we brought this project into the curriculum to give students a project that they can closely relate to whilst applying their business skills. Today's Expo has been excellent with students presenting a very high standard of work".

The Business Expo was the last in a series of Expo events delivered by Harrow College students where each subject area has showcased work, assignments and in many cases, Expo specific projects to provide an insight into student life within specific subject areas.

A group of leading employers joined former Education Secretary Lord Baker at Harrow College on Friday 29 January, to officially open a new Enterprise Centre and launch two pioneering Career Colleges.

The new Career Colleges specialise in Professional & Business Services (the UK's first) and Digital & Creative. These are industries which are facing severe skills gaps over the next few years and as a result, offer exciting career opportunities for young people aged 16-18.

Representatives from top employers, including CapGemini and BT, joined Lord Baker and Chairman of the Career Colleges Trust, Luke Johnson, at the event.

The event celebrated the fantastic new development and highlighted the work done by Harrow College, with Career Colleges, to providing students with the best possible career opportunities. After listening to speeches from Lord Baker, Luke Johnson, the Mayor of Harrow, leading employers, business partners, and staff and students from Harrow College, guests were provided with a tour of the new Enterprise Centre.

The centre, in which the two Career Colleges are based, offers a mix of traditional and more informal style classrooms, flexible work spaces and business incubation spaces. The apprenticeship service will also provide a one stop shop for recruitment and work placements.

Opening and closing the event, Harrow College Principal and Chief Executive, Pat Carvalho, said:

"I am delighted that Harrow College has two Career Colleges in partnership with the Career Colleges Trust. This partnership with the Trust and employers will develop young people so that they are able to progress and gain employment in their chosen sector. Hand in hand with the formal launch of our two Career Colleges is the launch of the College's Enterprise Centre which enables both employers and young people to engage and flourish in a business-focused environment."

For more information on Career Colleges at Harrow College, click here

Health and Social Care students at Harrow College were networking against the clock this week with a host of professionals from the Health and Social Care sector.

The event was a quirky spin on the popular speed dating concept where groups of students have 10 minutes per professional to ask questions, learn more about their profession and get as much career advice as possible.

Health and Social Care professionals from across the sector were involved including the NHS, Social Services and Metropolitan Police, as well as various universities, nurseries and hospitals. As the 10 minute buzzer rang, the professionals rotated from group to group, taking quick fire questions from the eager Level 3 students.

Questions included how best to gain experience, which additional qualifications can help, what salaries can be expected as well as what the highs and lows of the job are. With students scribbling down notes and exchanging contact details, careers and curriculum staff at the college were thrilled by the passion and enthusiasm shown by the students to take full advantage of the opportunity.

Christopher Bartlett, Young Person's Substance Misuse Practitioner (Counsellor) from Compass was one of the professionals involved. He commented;

"Today's event was an innovative, interactive and a fun way to share career information. The students focused on what information they felt most useful and relevant to their progression. It also provided good opportunities for the professionals in attendance to network as well".

Rhianna McNeilly, 18, was one of the students who enjoyed the speed networking experience. She said "I've really enjoyed this event. I learnt a lot more about different job roles and career opportunities and how I can pursue them".

Errol Allen, Curriculum Manager for Health and Social Care at Harrow College added "career progression is a key priority and we look forward to engaging with even more employers and local business in the future to give our students first hand career support and opportunities".

For more on Health & Social Care at Harrow College, click here.

Harrow College welcomed a party of international visitors this week as part of a programme designed around sharing best practice and exchanging ideas.

Five academic professionals comprising of policy advisors, education managers, healthcare officers and public policy administrators were in London on a 5-day visit from the Master Management and Innovation in Public Organisations (MMI) based in the Netherlands.

During a busy schedule, the academics were keen to visit Harrow College to discuss social innovation within vocational education. Topics covered included key policy strategies that Harrow College plan to adopt over the next few years, how the college keep up with new developments in the labour market and key challenges faced by the London education sector.

Representations from across Harrow College met with the visitors including college Principal and Chief Executive Pat Carvalho.

Gerdy Hoornenborg was one of visitors really impressed by the work being done at Harrow College. She commented "Today has been an excellent opportunity for us to share ideas and learn more about how Harrow College. We have taken a lot of really useful information from today's visit and look forward to continuing with this great partnership that we have".

To find out more about the international provision at Harrow College, click here

Sports students from the Harrow College Football and Education Development Centre spent the day at White Hart Lane today, the home of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.

The Centre, a partnership between Harrow College and Tottenham Hotspurs Football Club, provides talented young sports people with the opportunity to develop their prospects of a career in the football industry while continuing with their BTEC sports education.

During today's visit, the students were taken into the home and away changing rooms where they were shown what happens on match day including how tactics are discussed. They sat in the very seats occupied by Premier League stars including Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Kyle Walker and had the chance to take lots of selfies.

The students then changed into their team kits and went pitch side to soak up the stadium atmosphere and take team photos with Tottenham and Harrow College staff. The tour continued with a look at the Tottenham trophy cabinet, roll of honour board and team kit displays from back in time. Sky Sports News cameras were also filming with students being interviewed for their thoughts on the Premier League this season and if they thought Spurs could win in.

Tony Tillbrook, Tottenham Hotspur Education and Football Development Programme Manager, hosted the visit and was full of praise. He said "The programme is now in year 2 and developing all the time. Our aim is to develop young students who have a passion for football into responsible, successful adults. The students today have been a credit to the college and we look forward to growing our relationship with Harrow.

For more about the Education and Football Development centre including attending a future trial (next trial is on Monday 15 Feb), click here

Last week the Duchess of Cambridge took the reins as Huffington Post's Guest Editor in a bid to raise awareness and understanding of children's mental health issues.

Kate Middleton’s first foray into journalism was a thoughtful and personal account of the discoveries she has made since she started working with charities that focus on addiction, family breakdowns and vulnerable children.

It was just four months ago when the Duke and Duchess were both here at Harrow College in a similar capacity (pictured above). On that occasion, the college was host to the Royal visitors who joined the mental health charity Mind to celebrate World Mental Health Day.

Harrow College continues to support its students with mental health services including mentoring and counselling. The services offer all students complimentary access to a team of qualified expert counsellors in a safe place. The counselling helps students who request support to look at problems they are experiencing in such a way that allows them begin to take control of their life and achieve their educational goals.

Speaking about the Duchess and her continued drive to promote health support services for young people, Rose Squire, Project Manager for Counselling and Mentoring services at Harrow College said;

“The efforts by the Duchess are very much in tune with our own counselling and mentoring project at Harrow College where we strive to Raise Expectations & Achievement of Learners (REAL). Since the Duke and Duchess visited Harrow College, the project has certainly grown in momentum. The continued interest and hard work of the Duchess is invaluable in putting the subject of Mental Health firmly on the agenda”.

Click here for more on mentoring and counselling services at Harrow College.

Employability skills were the focus for Business and IT students at Harrow College last week during a specially arranged event delivered by social enterprise education specialists Working Knowledge.

The day started with students listing the characteristic they considered the most important to employers. Key words including ‘motivation’, ‘creativity’ and ‘team-work’ were common choices amongst the young learners.

The students were then introduced to industry experts who had volunteered their time to be involved in the day’s activities. The full time business professionals represented a wide range of sectors including telecoms, investment banking, digital advertising, sales & recruitment and the energy market – key sectors in which the learners may pursue future employment.

The challenge for students was then set – to meet each business professional in a speed dating style and to pitch themselves as potential employment candidates based on the characteristics they felt were most important. The learners had two minutes per professional to make their pitch. The final activity required the students to review their skills list and to then present these as employability strengths to win over a panel of judges. The day ended with the professionals selecting their winners and awarding prizes.

Romi Patel (pictured), 19, was one of the students who won a prize for his entrepreneurial endeavour during the day. He said "It’s really good that we’re thinking about employment from now. Today has been a really useful day and I’ve made some really useful business contacts”.

Commenting on today's event, Lee Janaway, Director of Student Experience said “today has been another great session where a number of business professionals have come in to support our learners. Harrow College does a lot of work to boost student employability and we're looking forward to more innovative career sessions going forward”.

 Click here for more information about courses at Harrow College.

IT students got the chance to meet potential employers and other IT businesses and education providers at the Digital Careers Show in Camden this week.

As the largest digital skills and careers show in the UK, the event allows the future generation of the digital economy to see what the current tech industry leaders have to offer, from career opportunities and apprenticeship paths, to cutting-edge product demonstrations and 1-to-1 mentorship.

Students got the opportunity to mingle with over a hundred of the world's leading, digital and tech businesses and 3,000 of North London's top young digital leaders.

The enthusiastic students visited lots of exhibitors displaying their latest products and speaking about the services they offer. The young learners were able to ask questions and trial some of the new technology on show including 3D scanners, 3D printers and organic switch technology. The group also attended presentations delivered by the likes of Cisco and Barclays Bank Plc.

The event was also a great networking opportunity. Learners boosted their confidence and gained valuable interpersonal and communications skills when networking with professionals with many making valuable industry contacts. The IT staff from Harrow College also got an opportunity to network with a number of potential business partners, with many including Barclays, iBlock, KPMG and John Lewis all expressing an interest to build relations with the college.

Subhash Mepani, was one of the Harrow College IT tutors who attended the event. He thought it was a really good experience for the students and said “many have walked away with a very positive outlook into future options, feeling better prepared to make the best of new opportunities”.

Click here for more information about IT courses at Harrow College.

Harrow College are delighted to announce that they will be the official sponsor of British paratriathlete Faye McClelland on her road to Rio this summer.

Faye is a four-time World Paratriathlon Champion and three times European Champion and will be aiming to represent Great Britain at this summer’s Rio 2016 Paralympics Games taking place 7-18 September.

Born in Ruislip, Middlesex, Faye has fond memories of her time studying at Harrow College where she spent 2 years. It wasn’t until later in Faye’s career that her passion for athletics really took off. 

As a triathlete, Faye will be pushing herself to the limit in three disciplines – swimming, cycling and running. Faye competes in the woman’s PT4 category for athletes with less severe arm and leg impairments. She was born without her left hand. Up to the end of June 2016, Faye will compete in a series of international qualification races to recruit the points required to secure a place in the Great Britain Paralympic Team.

Speaking about the sponsorship by Harrow College, a delighted Faye said “Having the support of Harrow College is fantastic. As a former student, this support means a great deal and adds to my determination in securing a gold medal at Rio. Over the coming weeks and before I travel to Rio, I’m looking forward to supporting Harrow College on a number of exciting projects”.

Pat Carvalho, Principal and Chief Executive of Harrow College was equally delighted to be supporting Faye; “Harrow College is proud to continue its affiliation with Faye and her continued success. Faye’s journey has been very special and we’re backing Faye all the way to gold this summer. Before then, Faye will be working with us in a number of ways including visits to the college to speak with students, motivational blogs and updates on her preparation for Rio. She’ll also be involved in the opening of our brand new centre for students with learning difficulties and/or difficulties”.

Harrow College looks forward to sharing updates regarding forthcoming projects involving Faye as well as updates from Rio where we hope to see Faye proudly flying the flag for Great Britain.

Click here for more about Sports courses at Harrow College.

Photo source: British Triathlon

Science students from Harrow College have recently returned from a memorable visit to Iceland.

The five-day trip from 17 – 21 Feb saw students explore the science behind some of Iceland’s iconic natural wonders including waterfalls, rock formations and glaciers. The group also absorbed the country’s history and key landmarks as part of their eventful itinerary which included:

Day 1: Full Day Sightseeing tour or Rekjavik and surrounding area
Including the Presidential Residence at Bessastaðir, the Restaurant Perlan (the Pearl), and Höfði House where the all-important summit meeting between President Ronald Reagan and Secretary General Mikhail Gorbachev took place in 1986.

Day 2: Guided South Coast of Iceland Tour
The group had an opportunity to stand close to a plummeting waterfall, gaze at natural rock formations and stunning views of glaciers.

Day 3: Snæfellsnes peninsula
Included the National Park where there are many beautiful beaches and amazing bird life. This area includes many signs of ancient eruptions from glaciers and various lava formations and craters. The Snæfellsjökull glacier is a dormant volcano and attracts thousands of people each year.

Day 4: The Golden Circle Tour
Exploring many of the natural features the country is known for – waterfalls, geysers, and remarkable geology. The group also visited an active geothermal energy plant to learn more about the science behind harnessing the earth’s powerful heat.

Day 5: Blue Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon is a unique geothermal spa where the group enjoyed relaxing in warm seawater surrounded by a magical lava field and black sandy beaches.

Reflecting back on the trip, students were full of praise and thoroughly enjoyed their time away from the college classrooms and laboratories. One student commented “This has been an experience that I will never forget”. Another said “I learnt so much on the trip that I can take back to help me with my course”.

Michael Worgs, Curriculum Manager for Science at Harrow College, accompanied the students on the trip. He commented “It’s important that we broaden our student’s learning experiences as much as possible. This opportunity to visit Iceland as part of their curriculum studies has not only given students a first-hand experience of some of sciences greatest wanders, but has also provided an insight into the cultures and traditions of another country. The students have come back feeling very enthusiastic.”

Click here for more information about studying Science at Harrow College.

A team of teaching staff and football coaches from Tottenham Hotspur Foundation came to visit sports students at Harrow College recently to discuss Higher Education (HE) options.

The Foundation offers two foundation degrees for those keen to pursue a career in sport: FdA Applied Sport and Community Development and FdSc Applied Football Coaching and Performance. The courses are validated by Middlesex University and offer students access to a unique learning environment at White Hart Lane, work placement opportunities and a pathway to progress on to a BA or BSc degree at Middlesex University.

The timely visit comes when students are considering their options after they complete their studies at Harrow College this summer.

Anthony Atilola, 18, was one of the students in attendance. He has already applied for a HE course at Tottenham Hotspur Foundation and thinks it offers him a great opportunity; “The course is different to other universities as it’s a very specific opportunity which combines education with football. Being a Premier League Club is a bonus and adds a lot of kudos to the qualification and will help me in my career ambition of working within the football industry.”

Sophia Bowes, Head of Higher Education at Tottenham Hotspur Foundation, said: “By working closely with Harrow College, we are able to help those students with a keen interest in sport gain the right qualifications to build a career within the sports industry. The course at Harrow College leads very well onto our foundation degree programmes.”

Many of the Level 3 BTEC sports students in attendance are already enrolled on the Education and Football Development programme – a partnership between Harrow College and Tottenham Hotspur Foundation offering Academy-standard football coaching alongside BTEC and NVQ qualifications.

Click for more information on sports course at Harrow College.

Computing students at Harrow College were interviewed by leading representatives from the world of IT last week as part of a special mock interview careers event.

Employers from over twenty organisations including BT, BAE Systems, GlaxoSmithKline and Capgemini conducted fictional employment interviews, just as they would in a real life situation, to ensure students received the best understanding of a formal work related interview process. Many of the students will face interviews from IT employers in the future and career preparation like this is designed to give the young learners a head start on their career journeys.

The students faced a number of questions during their 30 minute interview including:

• What are some of the skills you have developed recently that would be useful for employment?
• What motivates you?
• Where do you see yourself in ten years’ time?

Students were then assessed on their responses but also other important competencies including their dress code, time keeping and body language. The employers were constructive with their feedback to ensure students took away key learning’s from the experience including what they could improve on for future interviews and how their overall CV’s could be developed.

Speaking after the event, Nisha Raithatha, Computing & IT lecturer at Harrow College commented “the mock interviews today have been really good. The experience has given students an opportunity to build their confidence and communication skills. Feedback has also helped them to understand what employers expect from applicants. Both employers and students really embraced the day and we look forward to our students engaging in similar career development initiatives in the future”.

The event was just one of a series of events taking place across the College to celebrate National Careers Week which is taking place all this week.

If you are interested in IT and computing courses at Harrow College, click here.

An IT student has represented Harrow College at a special event held at the head office of Burberry as part of last week’s International Women’s Day.

The event was a special gathering organised by Capgemini & Burberry to mark the iconic day. A personal invitation to the college was eagerly accepted by 17 year IT student Malina Patel who got to rub shoulders with a number of inspirational women during the intimate event near Westminster, London.

Guest speakers on the night included Capgemini Chairman Christine Hodgson and Fumbi Chima, CIO of Burberry. Fumbi is an inspiration woman in technology – she is a member of the 2014 Hall of Fame for STEM, a 2015 FACE List Awards Trailblazer and is responsible for delivering IT across five continents.

Following some passionate words from the speakers, the crowd of no more than 100 guests had the opportunity to meet one another and network with fellow professionals and students in attendance. For Malina, this was a great experience as she got to meet Capgemini graduate employees who were happy to share career progression advice. Malina left with a handful of business cards and very helpful contacts who she can call upon in the future.

Reflecting on the evening event, Malina said “I’ve had a really special experience today. Attending the Burberry head office and listening to such inspirational speakers was very insightful and has left me even more determined to succeed in my career ambitions”.

For more information about courses at Harrow Colleges, click here.