School pupils performing well on
This year S4 , S5 and S6 pupils from across Ayrshire are able to enhance their employability and progression pathways by attending a College course that complements their school subjects .
St Matthew ’ s Academy pupil , 16 year old Jacob Adamson , attends the Skills Centre of Excellence in Irvine to study a Performing Engineering Operations course . This qualification underpins the new Engineering Foundation Apprenticeship available from August 2016 .
Jacob chose the course because he had an interest in engineering . We asked him to tell us a bit about his experience . He said “ We ’ re in two afternoons a week .
On Thursdays it ’ s mainly electrical work and then on Fridays it ’ s a lot of metalwork and computing , which is when we plan the technical parts of the course and also work on our CVs .
“ For the electronic tasks we ’ re learning how to wire up sockets , plugs and switches , and learning how they work . It ’ s very interesting and useful to know – even just for using in your own house . I ’ m also meeting new people and having that extra responsibility . It ’ s great – I love everything about it really .”
We asked Jacob how College compares to school ?
College courses
“ In College you ’ ve got a lot more responsibility and you need to take care of your own learning . I don ’ t think there ’ s much pressure at school , but here you ’ ve got to ensure you ’ re doing a good job and you ’ ve got that extra responsibility – which I enjoy .
“ The lecturers have a different approach too . I want an apprenticeship once I ’ ve finished this year . I ’ ve been looking everywhere to find out what my options are – like Hunterston B Power Station , the Merchant Navy , oil rigs or with a local company . I ’ m just looking
into everything .”
For more information on college courses for school pupils , contact Yvonne Adamson on 01294 559 000 ext 3317 or email yvonne . adamson @ ayrshire . ac . uk
TO READ JACOB ’ S BLOG AND THE FULL INTERVIEW VISIT : ayrshirecollegeblog . wordpress . com
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SPORT profiles
Ayrshire College student , Natalie Mackinnon , 18 from Kilwinning , plays with the Scotland Under 18 ’ s hockey team and has been busy representing Scotland ahead of crucial involvement in European Championship competition .
Natalie is studying HND Applied Sports and Exercise Science at the College ’ s Skills Centre of Excellence in Irvine and is gearing up to the European Championships in Glasgow this July . She said “ It ’ s a home Euros this year so we don ’ t need to go through the heat chamber and training abroad . I go over to Ireland next week for a three match test series .
“ To put on your country ’ s strip and walk out with the girls you train beside is a great honour . It ’ s something I never thought I ’ d get to do when I first started playing ! Now I play for Kelburn , it ’ s my second year with them after playing with Ardrossan for a season and a half .”
Natalie hopes to make it at a senior level and is open to the idea of playing abroad . She is also hoping to become a physiotherapist after gaining her HND at Ayrshire College .
CoderDojo in North Ayrshire
CODERDOJO AYRSHIRE IS HOSTED BY AYRSHIRE COLLEGE AND IS RUN BY DEDICATED STAFF FROM THE BUSINESS AND IT DEPARTMENT . CODERDOJO CLUBS PROMOTE COMPUTER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN A FUN , THOUGHT- PROVOKING AND INSPIRING WAY , AND ENCOURAGES SEVEN TO SEVENTEEN YEAR OLDS TO CONSIDER STUDYING COMPUTING AT SCHOOL , COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY . THE CLUBS RAISE AWARENESS OF THE REWARDING OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE IN THE RAPIDLY EXPANDING ICT AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES SECTOR .
In partnership with CoderDojo Scotland at the Glasgow Science Centre , the College launched CoderDojo Ayrshire in November 2014 . CoderDojo Ayrshire is now the most active in Scotland , with over 500 young people attending clubs since then .
We hold CoderDojos at our Kilwinning Campus and places like the Maritime Museum in Irvine .
CoderDojo champion , Loraine Johnston , Curriculum Manager for Business and IT at the College , took charge of setting up , running and maintaining the Dojos . Loraine said “ It ’ s a great way to help get young people interested in coding and bridge the skills gap in the computing industry in Scotland , the UK and Europe .”
The club helps young people across Ayrshire fulfil their aspirations of developing apps , writing programmes or building a website .
Upcoming CoderDojo clubs will be held in May at the Maritime Museum in Irvine and the Kilwinning campus club in June . Keep an eye on our website or www . coderdojoscotland . com for dates .
HNC Coaching student , and former pupil of Garnock Academy , Lauren Gilbert helped to deliver a four week block of handball to Primary 6 and 7 children at Dalry Primary School and St Palladius Primary School . The coaching sessions were in collaboration with Active Schools North Ayrshire , as part of the Citizenship through Volunteering unit .
Facilities at both the Irvine and Kilmarnock campus include modern and fully equipped gyms and sports halls , providing excellent games and training facilities . Both campuses offer facilities for fitness and programme testing , coaching skills , sports mechanics and the teaching of anatomy and physiology .
Apply for sport courses starting August 2016
RAISING ASPIRATIONS INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES INSPIRING ACHIEVEMENT www . ayrshire . ac . uk