Crossing continents, building futures: South Korean students thrive through CCC’s exchange programmes

The arrival of a South Korean delegation marked the start of a series of international exchange programmes, where Capital City College (CCC) hosted visitors from Pohang University and Hansung University.

This January, students arrived in London as part of a three-week Global Training Programme. Specialising in engineering, hospitality as well as nursing and physiotherapy, students were treated to activities to help increase their confidence in speaking English while gaining practical insight into education, employment and professional life in the UK.

Their schedule included city tours and cultural visits to museums and exhibitions alongside industry field trips and specialist workshops based on their area of study, including to the Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, the Tower Bridge Engine Rooms, and the Royal College of Nursing.

Exploring skills, building confidence

Students from Pohang University took part in internal workshops tailored to their fields of study. While the hospitality group explored baking skills at Westminster, and the nursing and physiotherapy students attended a workshop at our Tottenham campus, the engineering group carried out a practical activity to experience how engineering is run in the UK further education sector. They were paired up with Level 3 Year 2 students to guide them with the practical activity and answer their questions about life and education in the UK.

Keen to show the students the value of their course and skills in the real world, our Enterprise, Employability and Careers team delivered interactive, discussion‑led, classroom‑based workshops as part of the wider three‑week exchange and the college’s broader workplace skills provision.

The sessions focused on career development, understanding global labour markets, exploring career journeys and job sectors, and using LinkedIn. This careers‑focused element gave students opportunities to gain confidence speaking English by describing their skills, interests and future aspirations while developing professional connections for long‑term career development.

Philippa Cooke, Employability and Careers Manager at CCC, said, “It was a pleasure to work with such a thoughtful and engaged group of students. The sessions were about giving them space to reflect on their direction, build confidence in using professional English, and see their future careers as something that can grow and change over time.”

The success of this visit in supporting international visitors, strengthening global partnerships, and equipping students with transferable skills follows on from the Global Startup Programme, delivered in partnership with CCC’s Visionnaires team, convened in two phases.

Pitching business ideas

The initial online project saw 50 students from Hansung University pitch a potential business idea, and the 17 shortlisted visitors arrived in London for a two-week scheme which included face-to-face sessions with Visionnaires tutors, an internal market test and a networking experience in a co-working space to give them a better idea of how start-ups and businesses operate in the UK. 

The course concluded with a pitching presentation, which saw the students present their business ideas to a team of four judges and receive valuable feedback to prepare them for real-life product pitching.

The judges included representatives from Grow London Local, each of whom had a virtual £50,000 to invest in any projects they saw potential in, but there could only be one winner – congratulations go to Eo Yunmi, who won an impressive £52,000 in virtual investments.

The positive feedback from students showed the impact of the exchange, with student Sangha Im calling it “the best programme”, and “a great opportunity to broaden my global perspective.”

Student Hanjun Lee said “The Visionnaires mentoring sessions helped me realise how important it is to build strong English conversation skills and communicate clearly. I also learned that having a well-structured presentation and a deep understanding of the topic makes a big difference. Overall, the feedback was practical and improved my confidence and direction during the CCC programme.”

The resounding successes of these visits were keenly felt by participants and teaching staff, who valued the opportunities they offered for strengthening their business acumen, improving their English skills, and bolstering their confidence – transferable skills that will support their future careers, both in South Korea and in an increasingly global world.

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