Setting up and participating in Create 2025 gave students a real-world platform to apply the skills they have developed as part of their courses, build confidence, and share their work with the wider college community. At the start of the event, there were sound issues and this only added to the continual learning process, offering students hands-on experience of dealing with technical issues and problem solving in real time.
Joshili Ramsaha, a Level 3 Music Performance and Production student, said: “Setting up and taking part in events like this really help me gain real life skills to possibly set up my own production one day.”
Vahap Can Dongel, Lecturer in Computing and IT, said: “We saw students take ownership and show real professionalism when it came to setting up a major event like this.”
During the event, students were able to showcase their work through live performances, film showreels, gaming, robotics demos, and interactive workshops such as Cricut keyring tutorials and print portrait photography sessions. There was also music from student DJ Omar Graham to add to the festive feel.
The event also included the annual awards presentation where a number of students were recognised for their outstanding achievements this year and received a certificate, award and voucher. The event
Creative media end of year ceremony
Nadiya Yusuf, a student on the Level 3 Creative Media Production course, said: “Being an award winner felt amazing, I would like to thank my teacher Scarlett who supported me throughout the year. Without her this wouldn’t be possible”
Tamara Lesniewska, Curriculum Manager for Creative Media, said: “Events like this bring classroom learning to life and boost student confidence.”
Students from Creative Media courses take an immersive look at one of TV’s most memorable sitcoms.
CCC media students on the iconic FRIENDS sofa
Capital City College (CCC) students from Creative Media courses enjoyed a visit to The FRIENDS™ Experience: The One in London at the ExCeL Centre, on 13 June. The attraction is based on the TV show Friends, which ran for ten seasons from 1994 to 2004 and consistently ranked within the top ten shows for ratings in the USA. With an enduring cultural impact, from Rachel’s haircut to character catchphrases, the show has a lasting legacy within popular culture.
During the visit, the group of 30 Creative Media students explored detailed recreations of the show’s most memorable sets, including Monica and Rachel’s apartment, Joey and Chandler’s living room, Central Perk café, and Phoebe’s famous yellow taxi.
CCC media students at Central Perk on the FRIENDs set
Media students explore the FRIENDs tv set
CCC media students on the iconic FRIENDS sofa
Visiting The FRIENDS™ Experience provided the students with a unique opportunity to explore many of the behind-the-scenes aspects of TV production. By spending time within a series of replica sets from the show, they were able to gain firsthand knowledge about how set design, props, and layout contribute to storytelling and help to engage the audience. The students were also able to reenact key character experiences from the show such as sitting on a replica of Central Perk’s orange couch and looking through the peephole of Monica and Rachel’s purple apartment door.
The Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 Creative Media students were enthusiastic about the visit and enjoyed their time at the attraction while also reflecting on its relevance to their studies. One student said: “Seeing the sets up close was amazing—and as media students, it gave us a real insight into how much work goes into creating something so iconic.”
Marek Morzuch, Lecturer in Creative Media at CCC, said: “It was a great experience. Our students loved visiting the sets and said this was their favourite trip of the year.”
The trip was funded by Into Film as part of their Film Making Grant. Into Film is a leading UK charity that supports the use of film and cinema to create inspiring learning experiences.
Are you interested in learning more about the world of Creative Media? Our excellent range of expert-led courses can take you through everything from Animation to Audio Production. Take a look at our Digital Media and Creative Computing Courses and apply now!
Over 150 athletes took part in a fun-filled day of sport and teamwork at the Finsbury Park athletic track, thanks to the leadership of Capital City College (CCC)’s Angel centre students.
Tug of war at the first-ever CCC sports day
The inaugural CCC Angel Sports Day was entirely organised by students as part of the AoC Sport Leadership Award. This event was designed and delivered by Rio and Mirvat, AoC Sport Ambassadors and BTEC Sport students in Year 12 and 13, who successfully secured £250 in funding from AoC Sport to bring their idea to life. They were supported by Shaun, a Year 12 Public Service student, who helped coordinate operations and recruit volunteers and participants.
The aim of the event was to give students the opportunity to enjoy sport in a fun, inclusive, and social environment, while also encouraging a healthy sense of competition. Students applied to take part and were randomly assigned to teams to help build new social connections.
Volunteers from CCC’s Public Service,Engineering, Sports Studies and A Level students helped run the event, while student volunteers Elizampet and Paantea from CCC’s Holloway centre acted as media liaisons, making the day a fully peer-led experience.
Having fun at the three-legged race at the CCC sports day
Students playing tug of war at the CCC sports day
The three legged race at the first-ever CCC sports day
A day of classic challenges
Participants competed in three traditional events:
Tug of War
Three-Legged Race
Two-Round Relay
Scores from each event were combined to determine the overall winners. Despite being a team of just four, Team A secured second place with support from Team D, who lent teammates during the Tug of War—earning them a Sportsmanship Award.
🏅 1st Place – Team D 🥈 2nd Place – Team A 🥉 3rd Place – Team B
“It was a great experience watching and taking part in the sports day. Everyone—even the volunteers—were excited to take part, myself included,” said Paantea.
Congratulations to all of our students for taking part in the day!
If you love team sports and want to combine that with your studies, why not study with us? Learn more about our vocational courses and Sports Academies online.
Accounting and finance students enjoy a visit to one of the UK’s leading banks to learn about professional life within the banking and finance industry.
After arriving at the iconic Barclays skyscraper in Canary Wharf, the students and staff received a warm welcome. The visit began with a series of four talks from professionals working across Barclays divisions – Mike Binning, Relationship Director in Corporate Banking, Elynn Goel, Business Relationship Manager in Retail Banking, George Browning, Relationship Manager in Real Estate, Business Banking and Arif Islam, Graduate Analyst on the Retail Banking Graduate Programme.
The speakers shared their individual stories and detailed their professional pathways to a career within the banking sector. The students were able to listen to valuable advice on personal development, relationship-building and the importance of interpersonal skills.
CCC students taking in the view at Barclays
The Barclays building
Barclays personnel giving talks to CCC students
CCC students attending talks at Barclays
Following the talks, the students were taken up to the 30th floor, where they took in the spectacular panoramic views of the city and the chance to view the Premier League Women’s trophies. This unique experience enabled students to get a sense of what it’s like to work within a top-tier corporate environment.
The visit had a clear impact on the students involved, with many commenting that the experience had made their career goals feel more achievable. The trip also provided them with the opportunity to gain in-person experience of the skills and behaviours expected in professional settings.
The group finished the day with a relaxed Q&A session, with students eagerly asking questions and speaking directly with members of the Barclays team.
The visit was organised in collaboration with Kristine Agraan, Barclays Local Specialist, and Angeli Lopes, Customer Care Leader, and the students and staff were very grateful to the Barclays team for their kind hospitality, care and attention to detail throughout the day.
Phebe has had a long and successful professional career in engineering, but is also keen to share her knowledge and insight through her work as Visiting Professor at Loughborough University, mentor at the University of Cambridge, STEM ambassador and Talent 2030 National Engineering Competition mentor.
In addition to her engineering qualifications, Phebe has taken on a number of courses at CCC to broaden her knowledge across Plumbing and Electrical Installation.
Tell us a bit about your background
I did A Levels then went to university. I did a Computer Science degree at Cambridge University and then got my Civil Engineering degree from Leicester University. My first job after university was working as a graduate engineer. I worked within transportation on projects such as motorway bridges and highway contracts. They were quite big projects at the time. I’ve also worked for both Westminster City Council and Cambridgeshire County council.
Currently, I’m an Upper Tribunal Specialist Member, in the transport jurisdiction. This means that I hear evidence relating to different cases and use my expertise as a transport engineer to make decisions with a Tribunal Judge.
What sparked your passion for engineering?
I’m pretty good with numbers and I also enjoy solving problems and using my analytical and strong communications skills – and these skills are very much needed in engineering.
What have been the highlights of your Engineering career?
Two years ago, I was elected as Chair of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Council for the London region. As a non-white female working in Engineering, it felt significant and good to be both nominated and voted in as the Chair for the London region – it felt like I’d been accepted.
[ICE is a global membership organisation, whose network of experts provides impartial advice for politicians and decision makers relating to building and adapting infrastructures to create a more sustainable world. The ICE Council represents the views of the membership to the Trustee Board and supports them in ensuring that ICE remains a global centre of excellence.]
Phebe Mann hard at work
What have been the challenges in your career?
There have been a lot of challenges for me as a non-white female working in the construction industry. On a number of occasions I’ve been on site as the lead engineer, accompanied by a male technician, and the client has automatically presumed that the technician was the lead engineer. Other times, I’ve been on site and the client has said to me ‘the surveyor hasn’t arrived’, and I’ve had to point out that I am, in fact, the surveyor.
Those are the kind of interesting challenges that I come across, but I don’t get upset by them. It is how some people see things and I have to accept that – but then I’m also working to change what they see, it just takes a few steps before we can actually get to that stage.
What brought you to Capital City College?
I had already qualified as a Chartered Civil Engineer and a Chartered Surveyor. I wanted to gain more practical knowledge of building services, electrical installations and plumbing so that I could improve my understanding of legal requirements and supervise and manage projects more effectively. I started with a Plumbing – Level 2 Diploma, followed by an Electrical Installation – Level 2 Diploma and a Electrical Installation – Level 3 Diploma, in which I achieved Distinction for my practical examination. The instructors were extremely helpful, and I learned how to find faults within a system and enjoyed using my analytical skills. Since then, I’ve completed the Level 3 Advanced Technical Diploma in Electrical installation.
How have your studies shaped your career?
The courses I’ve completed at the college have helped me with the practical aspects of my work. When I’m on site, I can assess the work of electricians and plumbers and ask them to do things in a different way – we can discuss what’s really feasible. Most of the time, when we train as engineers, we know all the theories and do the calculations, but we don’t always have a clear understanding of what’s feasible on site, and that’s really important.
What makes a good engineer?
Firstly, you have to be aware of the rules and legal requirements. Engineers need to be quite careful and make sure they comply with both the law and health and safety regulations. And there can be different ways of complying so you have to be able to find the best one and make them fit in with your design. Secondly, you have to have a head for problem-solving, because problems come in different shapes and sizes and you need to be able to use different methods to solve them. Thirdly, engineers need to deal with clients and be able to advise them. You have to have the integrity and professional conduct to give your clients the best advice, even if it’s not what they want to hear.
Phebe Mann, CCC student and engineer
Why do you think it is important to celebrate Women in Engineering day?
Women coming into the engineering industry still have to work hard in a different sense, even if they are very good at what they do. It’s not so much discrimination, but a perception that you can’t do it. Of course that perception isn’t true, and it may be a female engineer that leads a project or looks at electrical installations. Sometimes people subconsciously find that hard to accept. Some people still struggle to take instructions from a female engineer, and that’s not the way forward.
What’s your advice to anyone embarking on a career in engineering?
Firstly, you have to assess whether it’s the right path for you – if you’re not analytical and don’t like calculations, then engineering might not be for you. You should look into the range of careers and support available – you could become a civil engineer, a mechanical engineer, an electrical engineer and join an institution. If you’re a female engineer, you must have a sense of vision and confidence so that you don’t get upset when people underestimate your abilities. Don’t be afraid, just be confident in your abilities and remain determined to achieve your goals.
What’s next for you?
Because I’ve been working as an Upper Tribunal Specialist Member, I haven’t actually done any contract work for a while. What I am trying to promote now is sustainability and attaining net zero. We need to encourage the industry to observe climate change and take measures to face it.
Phebe aims to continue developing her practical construction skills and increase her awareness of the trades to enable her to better address the national shortage of skilled workers in the UK. She remains passionate about engineering and is keen to encourage more women to pursue engineering careers in construction.
At CCC, we have a range of courses designed to provide you with the skills and experience you’ll need to progress in engineering. Our courses offer a mix of practical work and essential theory to support you as you develop your understanding of the engineering environment. If you’re interested in pursuing a career in engineering, take a look at our Engineering Courses and apply now!
Students at Capital City College (CCC)’s Enfield centre were treated to an inspiring visit from Darren Lewis, Assistant Editor of the Daily Mirror, as part of a careers event co-hosted by CCC and Enfield Borough FC.
CCC students at Enfield with visiting guests Darren Lewis, Assistant Editor of the Daily Mirror and former Chelsea defender Michael Duberry
The session, held on Monday, 16 June, aimed to broaden students’ understanding of the wide-ranging opportunities in the sports industry beyond playing on the pitch.
Darren, who began his journalism career at the Enfield Gazette, shared his journey from local reporting to covering major national and international sporting events for one of the UK’s leading newspapers.
Students gained valuable insights into the world of sports journalism, learning about the power of storytelling in sport and the importance of resilience and determination in building a successful career. Darren talked about the number of stories the Daily Mirror might turn over in a single day, the potential impact of AI on journalism, and more.
It was a pleasure to invite Darren Lewis, Assistant Editor at the Daily Mirror, to speak to some of our students at the Enfield centre this week! 🙌 The talk was incredibly insightful, and our students gained a great deal from learning about Darren’s journey. They even took the opportunity to ask for advice on how to get started in their own careers. #darrenlewis#editor#journalist#college#london#sports#enfield
Marvin Walker, Chairman of Enfield Borough FC, said: “Having someone of Darren’s calibre speak to our students, especially with his roots in Enfield, was truly special. His message about hard work and dedication to achieve his chosen career resonated with everyone in the room.”
The event also featured a Q&A session hosted by former Chelsea defender Michael Duberry, giving students the chance to engage directly with Darren and ask questions about his experiences in the media industry.
Former Chelsea defender Michael Duberry in conversation with Darren Lewis, Assistant Editor of the Daily Mirror
This visit was part of an ongoing series of talks organised by Capital City College and Enfield Borough FC, designed to help students explore real-world opportunities in sport and related industries.
Emily Merricks, a lecturer at Capital City College’s School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts, has taken part in a Channel 4 programme which shines a light on potential FE educators.
Emily Merricks, a lecturer at Capital City College’s School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts
Capital City College (CCC) lecturer Emily Merricks recently starred in Undercover Education, a Channel 4 show presented by Konnie Hu. The series targets industry professionals who have the potential to teach in Further Education and shows them how their expertise and experience could benefit students. In order to highlight a fellow chef’s natural ability to inspire and guide less experienced team members, Emily posed as a novice and brought controlled chaos into the kitchen – with heartwarming results.
In the first episode of the series, Emily, who currently teaches first year Professional Chef students at CCC’s School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts, pretended to be completely inexperienced in the kitchen during a cooking lesson from seasoned professional Craige Floate.
Craig was invited into the kitchens at the college’s Westminster Centre to conduct a cooking session with a trainee that he thought was considering a career in the Culinary Arts.
Craig has been a chef for over 25 years and runs his own catering company. He said: “I kind of got the bug from watching my mum cook in the kitchen. We grew up on a council estate, didn’t have a lot of money, [I was] one of three boys so she was just making simple home-cooked food for us every day.”
During the episode, three of Emily’s own CCC students, Reanna, Aaron and Oscar, influenced her actions by secretly directing her to carry out a series of deliberate fails while preparing her dish. Despite Emily’s antics, which included complaining, making a mess, ignoring instructions and even dropping a finished dish, Craig remained unphased. He demonstrated his natural teaching talent by maintaining a calm, patient and good-humoured approach throughout, and even took responsibility for last-minute changes to the final dish which were caused by Emily dropping a plate of food.
During the show, Emily said: “He’s handling it really well. He’s being really nice and going over things with me more than once to make sure I get it right so he’s putting me at ease a lot.”
At the end of the show, presenter Konnie Huq revealed the ruse and asked Craig if he would consider a career in Further Education, Craig said: “I’ve had some really good teachers when I was a young chef. You get so much from someone that’s passionate, looking after you, pushing you forward, explaining the way to do things properly and do things properly – I’d definitely consider it.”
We spoke to CCC lecturer Emily after the show had aired to find out more about her experience on and off the screen.
How did you get involved in Culinary Arts?
I actually trained at Westminster myself, achieving the Professional Chef Diploma and graduating in 2007. I then went out into the industry, gained lots of experience and knowledge, and came back to the college in 2021 as a lecturer.
What inspired you to take part in the show?
When the idea was pitched to me, it sounded like a lot of fun, but, more importantly, it was a great way to highlight the importance of the Further Education sector.
What did you enjoy about taking part in the show?
It was a lot of fun being able to take the place of a student – there were so many funny moments. It was great to see how Craig reacted so calmly and professionally to anything I threw at him.
What do you enjoy most about teaching at CCC?
I love being able to see the incredible progress our students make throughout their time with us. When they start with me in the first year, everything is new to them, and it’s great to see them grow into confident chefs.
What do you think makes a good FE teacher?
Patience and understanding is key – also having a lot of industry experience under your belt.
What makes Capital City College a great place to study Culinary Arts?
CCC is a fantastic place to study as we have an excellent teaching team with a wealth of experience and passion for Culinary Arts. Our restaurant venue, The Vincent Rooms, allows the students to get real working environment training to set them up for a great career.
If you’re a budding chef or have an interest in hospitality, take a look at our wide variety of Hospitality and Culinary Arts Courses led by experienced industry experts.
Some of our students and teams share their thoughts on teaching, and express thanks for the teachers at Capital City College (CCC).
The National Thank a Teacher Day logo
Today marks National Thank a Teacher Day, a day of celebration and thanks for teachers and support staff across early years settings, schools and colleges. Organised by The Teaching Awards Trust, this is an annual campaign that recognises the impact of the education community in shaping the minds and futures of young people.
In celebration of thank a teacher day, we asked some of our teachers, teams and students about teachers at CCC.
What makes a great teacher?
Our performing arts team said: “…teaching begins with truly listening, guided by compassion and a deep understanding of each student. Passion fuels the lesson, character shapes the classroom, and personality brings it all to life.”
Alison Wall, Curriculum Manager for Animal Care at CCC, added that a great teacher must be “patient, compassion, enthusiastic for their subject, resilient, have a genuine interest in achievement for all, firm but fair and prepared to go the extra mile.”
What our students said – support and genuine care
Jane De Peroy Akinfiyev, studying for an Extended diploma animal management, said: “Thank you to all my teachers for showing relentless support and genuine care it doesn’t go unnoticed especially when needed the most. “
Leonardo Avati, a Level 2 Performing Arts student, added: “Thank you to all my amazing teachers for always being so friendly and supportive. You make performing arts so much fun and help us enjoy every moment. I’ve learned so much because of your help.”
Shereen McNeshie, studying Level 1 Media said, “I am so grateful for my media studies teacher Scarlett. Everything she has taught me and the dedication as well as the brilliant guidance have been a significant support.”
A thank you from Leonardo
A thank you from Ella
Ella Mansfield, studying for an Extended Diploma Animal Management, added: “I’d like to thank my teacher Alison for being so kind, supportive and helpful over the years. Her commitment to helping me and others on the course is so greatly appreciated. 🫶”
David Mackenzie, a Level 2 Media student, said: “I think Scarlett is wonderful, helpful, a pleasure to work with, efficient and delightful to be around. I enjoyed so many brilliant, interesting and fascinating ideas and projects on a day to day or daily basis from time to time through the level 1 and level 2 media in which I have learnt so much information, skills knowledge that I never thought I would learn at Capital city college in the past two academic years. The more I learn, the more I can get better at different things throughout the learning process in different environments and settings when at this wonderful college.”
From performing arts to animal care, we have exceptional teachers here at CCC who go above and beyond to support our students. Thank you to all of our amazing teachers!
The CCC college community recently celebrated multiculturalism with a series of Culture Day events.
Celebrating cultures at CCC
A series of vibrant Culture Days have taken place across Capital City College (CCC), bringing together the college community in a celebration of international heritage and multiculturalism.
Three Culture Days took place in May at CCC’s Angel centre, Holloway centre and Finsbury Park centre. The events were organised in collaboration with student representatives from the three college centres.
During the events, students and staff were invited to take part in a number of entertaining and informative activities including henna tattoos, flag face painting and a flag quiz. Visitors to the Culture Days were also encouraged to share their favourite cultural customs by writing them and attaching them to a hanging display. A world map also showed the diverse heritage of CCC’s student and staff population with participants placing stickers on their country or countries of heritage.
There was also an exciting array of food on offer, and a number of people brought in their favourite snacks to share. A variety of music was played throughout the various events, showcasing the broad range of cultures represented at the college, and a number of students delivered live performances to entertain the crowds.
We spoke to Ben Holdaway, Enrichment Officer at the CCC’s Finsbury Park centre to learn more about their Culture Day event, which took place on 13 May and involved over 100 students.
Who organised this year’s Culture Day event at the Finsbury Park Centre?
This year’s event was organised by myself, Kate Reed, who is the Learner Voice and Tutorial Manager, and Haneefah Ahmed, who is part of our Learner Services team.
What happened during the event?
Students celebrated their cultural heritage with an array of activities such as sharing cultural traditions, map marking and henna, as well as enjoying music, food and traditional clothing from across the world. Foundation Learning students Zak Sharvona and Kimi Haliche impressed everyone with their knowledge by correctly reeling off flag after flag after flag.
How did the event benefit the students and college community?
College events, particularly Culture Day, brings everyone together. As a result, there is a great community feel throughout the day.
Waving hello from CCC’s culture day celebration
Big smiles at CCC’s culture day celebration
Students celebrating cultures at CCC
Smiles for the camera at CCC’s culture day event
CCC students celebrating cultures
Taking a moment to celebrate CCC’s culture event
Lecturers at CCC’s culture day event
Student smiling at CCC culture event
Students celebrate diversity and culture at CCC
What were the highlights of the events?
The highlight is seeing learners feel represented and celebrated for who they are and where they come from.
Why is Culture Day important?
Culture Day is one of mine and learners’ favourite events of the year. It is a great celebration of culture, heritage and colour. Not only does everyone feel seen and celebrated, it is an opportunity to learn new things about countries and cultures you may never experience. The event simply would not have been possible without the passion and commitment towards diversity and equality our learners have.
Level 1 ESOL Student Shabana Zazai, who was part of the organising team and applied henna on the day, said: “I was proud to be part of the organising team for culture day. I supported participants and ensured everything ran smoothly. Helping celebrate different cultures was both fun and meaningful. Being part of culture day made me appreciate the value of diversity. Like a symphony of diversity, each performance added its unique note. Applying henna during culture day made me feel proud of my heritage and traditions. I was sharing something beautiful and deeply rooted in history like storytelling through art.”
Danielle Isaacs, who is currently studying Level 1 Functional Skills in English, also helped out at the event. Danielle said: “I enjoyed Culture Day and enjoyed looking at the different countries’ flags and I scanned students in. I was supporting Scotland because my Nan comes from Scotland and I really enjoyed dressing up in my Scottish clothes and enjoying myself.”
Shantel Fairweather, a Foundation Learning student, said: “I liked the photo booth and the music and different activities! I felt really proud supporting Italy during the event. My Mum, Nan and Uncle are Italian and it made me feel connected to them and my heritage.”
If you’re interested in becoming part of our vibrant and diverse college community, take a look at our wide range of expert-led courses and apply now!
Serin saw off competition from over 300 other entrants, making it through heats which consisted of a two-day competition in York, to earn a place as one of only six Back of House competitors in the Grand Finals. The Grand Finals Week for this year’s competition took place from 11-15 May, with both Back of House and Front of House finalists being challenged to a series of tasks which tested their creativity, skills and passion.
During Grand Finals Week, the finalists competed under the watchful eyes of esteemed judges which included Michelin-star chef Adam Handling, Nestlé’s global executive chef Emmanuel Lorieux and UK development chef Paul Hawkins. The finalists also received support from last year’s Toque d’Or champions, Front of House winner Jasmine Ferdinando and former CCC student and 2024 Back of House winner Geraldine Sierra Torres.
This year’s Toque d’Or competition saw the introduction of a new award, the Green Spatula Award, which represents a growing commitment within the industry to reduce environmental impact, promote sustainable sourcing and waste reduction, and carefully consider cooking methods. Serin was presented with the inaugural Green Spatula Award for Back of House for recognising the importance of sustainability in ingredient choices and cooking methods.
Every day was a different challenge. On the first day we started on a vineyard doing a masterclass with Pizza Pilgrims, who showed us how to make their classic pizzas. Then it was our turn and we had to go foraging in the herb garden to find seasonal ingredients to use and make our own pizzas.
The next day we went to St Bartholomew’s hospital and learnt about the hospitality industry in the NHS. Our challenge was to make a vegetable soup for the NHS workers from the range of vegetables they had put out for us to choose from.
The last challenge was to create a three-course fine dining menu. The starter had to be plant-based, the main could be whatever we wanted, and the dessert had to be free from refined-sugar.
What was your menu for the final challenge?
For my starter, I made gnocchi with confit leek and parsley sauce, served with sliced asparagus. My main course was pan-seared hake with poached langoustine, a wild rice mix and shellfish bisque topped with crispy kale. The dessert was rhubarb tart with coconut meringue, finished with raspberry and pistachio.
What was the most challenging thing about the Grand Finals?
I think, for me, it was the fine dining challenge – trying to fit all the prep in time for service and really pushing myself to get it all done.
What was the highlight of the competition experience for you?
For me, it was the farm day. I loved learning about it and the weather was beautiful.
How did it feel to win the Green Spatula Award?
Amazing! I’m so proud of myself and it means so much to me, not just as a chef but as someone who believes in the importance of sustainability in hospitality and I’m so happy they recognised that by giving me this prize.
How did the college support you during the competition?
I was supported by Chef Lecturer Vince Cottam. He helped me keep my head screwed on and my confidence up. I also want to say Thank You to the Westminster centre for all the growth and opportunities you have given me during my time there. I wouldn’t be where I am today without it and couldn’t have asked for a better experience .
Congratulations to Serin on winning the Green Spatula Award at the 2025 Nestlé Professional Toque d’Or!
Professional Chef student Serin Hassan
Nestlé Professional Toque d’Or Grand Final contestants
Serin Hassan behind the scenes at Nestlé Professional Toque d’Or Grand Final competition
A delegation of students and educators from Taiwan has visited CCC’s Angel centre for a unique collaborative workshop.
Visitors from the Taiwan Golden Hand Award working with CCC students
Capital City College (CCC) hosted a group of competition winners and visitors from Taiwan as part of the Taiwan Golden Hand Award.
On 20 May, a group of 18 visitors consisting of seven Taiwan Golden Hand Award-winning students, their mentors and local government officials took part in a collaborative workshop at the college’s Angel centre.
The Taiwan Golden Hand Award recognizes exceptional skills and achievements in vocational education across various fields including business, engineering, computer maintenance, and robotics. Each year the competition attracts thousands of students from around 150 vocational schools across Taiwan. Following this year’s awards, a delegation visited the UK between 20 and 31 May for an educational trip sponsored by the Taiwanese Ministry. During their stay, the students and educational representatives engaged in a number of academic exchanges and explored opportunities for collaboration at schools and colleges in London as well as at student unions in Oxford and Cambridge.
A robot racing toward the finish line at a collaborative workshop
CCC students and visitors from the Taiwan Golden Hand Award working together
An adorable robot from the collaborative workshops
CCC lecturers explaining a workshop to students and visitors
Robots at a workshop for CCC students and visitors
CCC students and visitors from Taiwan teaming up
CCC students and visitors from the Taiwan Golden Hand Award tackling a challenge
During the Taiwanese student visit to CCC, they were greeted by Saeesh Shirsat, Curriculum Leader in Engineering, along with a group of seven students from the college’s Engineering – Level 3 Diploma. Saeesh led an engaging workshop, during which the students watched a demonstration and collaborated on various tasks such as creating a solar powered charger and working with robots. The students demonstrated strong problem-solving skills, overcoming the language barrier to take on the challenge at hand with great enthusiasm.
Saeesh Shirsat, Curriculum Leader in Engineering, said: “It was a delight to welcome this delegation of students and teachers from Taiwan to our Angel Centre and provide an introduction to our Engineering provision. Observing our learners work together with their international peers to successfully complete workshop activities was a rewarding experience for my colleagues and me. We recognise the value of opportunities such as this in developing our learners’ international experience and preparing them for the global workplace.”
Yesterday, we had the pleasure of welcoming a delegation from Taiwan to our Angel Centre — 12 students and 8 accompanying staff members and government officials! 🇹🇼✨ The visiting students teamed up with our brilliant engineering students for a thrilling robot race challenge, competing to conquer an obstacle course in the shortest time. 🤖🏁 It was a fantastic showcase of teamwork, innovation, and international collaboration. #Taiwan#Engineering#RobotRace#STEM#CollegeLife#AngelCentre#GlobalLearning#Angel#London#college
Both the visit and the workshop provided a valuable opportunity for intercultural exchange and allowed the students to gain experience of collaborating with their international peers. The event showcased the college’s commitment to developing global connections that enable students to take part in a broad range of hands-on interactions within their subject.
If you’re interested in exploring a career in Engineering, take a look at our excellent range of Engineering courses and apply today!
Last month, business, IT and A Level students from Capital City College (CCC)’s Holloway and Sixth Form centres went on a workplace visit to the Financial Times (FT).
CCC students at the Financial Times
Organised by the FT and the social mobility charity Career Ready, this visit featured a full day of talks from experts.
Stefania Caria, Enterprise Employability and Careers Manager at CCC, shared details of the day:
“It was an exciting day in the iconic settings of the FT offices. After an introduction of the Financial Times as a business and its audience, the morning went ahead with an engaging and inspiring session on oracy skills presented by broadcast expert Laurence Lee and Debbie Newman, founder of the debate education organisation, Noisy Classroom.
“The afternoon session focused on a financial literacy workshop designed to help students understand how to budget, read a payslip and plan for financial security and success.”
“Teachers and careers teams were really proud to see that CCC students engaged well with all activities and were ready to participate in group exercises and role playing on stage to practice their communication and interview skills.
“As Laurence mentioned, in this this AI age, communication has become the most valuable asset, and wouldn’t be amazing if young people could learn how to broadcast themselves and confidently speak about their strengths in interviews, without worrying about sounding arrogant or feeling not good enough?
“ As an FE College our mission is to ensure that every CCC student has access to a multitude of opportunities that empower them to build a successful future. This was the essence and true meaning of the day at the Financial Times.”
CCC students participate in group activities at the Financial Times
CCC student reports back on interview skills exercise at Financial Times
What our students said
Yaseen Shakil commented: “It was an inspiring and exciting experience, so much valuable information relayed to us within a few hours! Would love to join the FT news school after hearing about it too!”
Zohal Uria added: “The visit was not just fun but really useful too, we even practiced interview questions which boosted my confidence and we talked to the other students it was really engaging and informative.”
Jonathan Osei-Bonsu said: “This FT visit was thrilling and enjoyable as I learnt many different things like to how to act in an interview as well as payslips and what needs are compared to wants, and how to prioritise.”
Ben Orcese, HE and Careers Adviser at CCC, said: “Our career ready students were able to further develop their interview skills by undertaking practical oracy sessions with peers and professionals. Students also benefited from a life skills session around financial literacy and learning about budgeting and payslips.”
Stefania concluded: “At this event, I saw something powerful: young people discovering that their voice matters. When we teach oracy and financial literacy, we’re not just giving them skills, we’re giving them the confidence to determine their own future. Because when you can speak with clarity and understand how money works, you stop reacting to the world and start leading in it.”
