technology Archives - Capital City College Group

Drive forward your skills on engineering work experience

Posted on April 11, 2023June 1, 2023 by Paul Cassell

Want to gain work experience in the engineering sector? Here’s our top tips for success.

Engineering work experience is an excellent opportunity for students to gain hands-on experience in their chosen field and develop practical skills that are essential for future careers.

In recent years, the demand for engineering jobs in the UK has been steadily increasing. According to Engineering UK, there is a yearly demand for around 124,000 engineers and technicians in the UK.

Many of our Engineering diploma students at Capital City College Group go on to university to specialise in civil, mechanical, electrical, technological and chemical engineering.

During their studies they have the opportunity to undertake work placements with industry employers including Siemens, McLaren, Ardmore, Morgan Sindall and SCS Railways.

If you are considering a career in engineering, here are our top tips on how to gain work experience and make the most of your time on placement.

Research the Industry

Before applying for any work experience placement, it’s essential to research the industry to understand the types of engineering roles and the skills required. This research will help you to determine the area of engineering that best fits your interests and career aspirations. Look for information on the latest trends, challenges and job opportunities within the sector.

Network with Professionals

Networking with professionals in the industry is an excellent way to gain insights and learn about the various job roles and opportunities within the field. Attend industry events, conferences and join online communities to connect with professionals. Make sure to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve from these interactions and prepare relevant questions beforehand.

Apply Early

Engineering work experience placements can be competitive with limited places. To increase your chances of securing a placement, apply early. Research and identify companies that interest you, and then apply well in advance to increase your chances of success. Many companies have a fixed application period, so make sure to check their websites for specific dates.

Be Flexible

When applying for engineering work experience, be open to different roles and companies. It’s essential to gain experience in different areas to understand which career path suits you best. Also, many companies offer placements in different locations, which could offer different experiences and opportunities. Be flexible and open-minded to make the most of your work experience.

Prepare for the Placement

Before starting your work experience placement, take the time to prepare. Research the company, their values, culture and the work they do. Look for information on the projects you will be working on and try to understand how they fit into the broader context of the company. Also, make sure you are aware of any safety protocols and procedures you need to follow.

Show Initiative

During your work experience placement, it’s essential to show initiative and take on responsibility where possible. Demonstrate your interest in the work, ask questions and seek feedback. This proactive approach will show your commitment to the placement and the industry and could lead to further opportunities in the future.

Build Relationships

Building positive relationships with colleagues and supervisors during your work experience placement is crucial. These relationships could lead to valuable industry connections, future work opportunities and references. Make sure to take the time to get to know your colleagues, attend social events and show a positive attitude.

Apply now for CCCG courses and apprenticeships in Engineering here and Rail Engineering here.

Female students inspire girls to take STEM subjects on International Women’s Day

Posted on March 8, 2023March 10, 2023 by Paul Cassell

To mark International Women’s Day on 8 March, three female students from across Capital City College Group (CCCG) shared their passion for studying Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects and how employers can attract more women and girls into these careers.

More women are enrolling on STEM courses at university, yet they make up less than a third of the workforce in these careers in the UK.

According to GOV.UK the number of women accepted onto undergraduate courses in these subjects increased by 50.1 per cent from 2011 to 2020. However, in 2020 women only made up 29.4 per cent of the STEM workforce in the UK.

CCCG offers a wide range of academic and technical courses in STEM including A Levels, T Levels, BTEC diplomas and GCSEs, with female students making up 43.5 per cent of those taking these courses over the past four years.

Here’s what female students on our STEM courses had to say:

‘If there were more female role models in IT, that would inspire more girls to think it’s not just a man’s world’

“My dad runs his own IT company, so I’ve been surrounded by tech all my life. I’ve been interested in it since I was eight when I started reading about basic coding. I used to think IT was all about programming, but now I’ve found out there is so much more to it, such as databases, animation and social media.

“The course and teaching at CANDI has been really good and I’ve been able to pick things up easily. I have a couple of female teachers on the course. It’s great to have role models like them in class for someone like me looking to get into IT.

“I think tech companies still accept more men into IT jobs, it’s like they underestimate the skills women can bring to these careers. They need to start encouraging more women to get into roles so they can see that they are capable of doing the same jobs as men, and maybe even do them better.

“You often hear about people like Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerburg, but you never hear about the women in tech. If there were more female role models seen in IT, that would inspire more girls to think it’s not just a man’s world and something they could do as a career.”

Jaina Torres, IT student at CANDI

‘More female engineers giving talks in schools and colleges will mean girls see it as a valid career option’

“From a young age I was fascinated by how things work and liked physics and maths at school. When the pandemic hit, I started to get into technology and began thinking about my future career and saw there was a demand for more engineers.

“I absolutely loved the first year of my engineering course at WestKing and learnt so much. There are so many facets to engineering. I’ve learnt about coding and microcontrollers and have been able to apply knowledge I have gained on work experience to my course. I enjoy the challenge of creating innovative solutions to different problems. The teachers are really encouraging and are always available if I need any help. They want the best for all their students.

“Engineering is a good career for women. We need to show it is not just men who are capable of doing these careers but women as well, and it should no longer seen as a male-dominated career. It’s about changing peoples’ perceptions.

“You don’t tend to hear about women in engineering and more need to be done to make their voices heard. Having more female engineers giving talks in schools and colleges like they do at WestKing, will mean girls see it as a valid career option. More images of women doing these jobs would also inspire girls into engineering.”

Tianen Ho-Nyirabu, Engineering student at WestKing

‘Companies need to do more to promote internships and give more opportunities to women’

“Science was the first type of career that came to mind. I really enjoyed it at school and learning about chemistry, biology and physics. I’ve always had pets – a parrot, a dog and now a cat – and have applied to study veterinary nursing at university.

“The teachers at CONEL are really nice and present the subject well and give you videos to watch to help you understand. I like doing the practical experiments and following a method, doing some procedures, measurement and calculations and understanding why things happen and how you can change things. It’s a fascinating subject and there are so many pathways you can take.

“You see a lot of male doctors and scientists. Sometimes women are not considered for roles because they are seen as too sensitive and men are thought to be better at handling pressure. That needs to change if we are going to attract more women into science. If you have got the skills and ability there shouldn’t be anything to stop you.”

“Companies need to do more to promote internships and give more opportunities for women. They need to show more women doing these jobs and tell them more about the opportunities that are open to them. I know that would build my confidence and motivate me to do well at college if I saw someone to aspire to in the future.”

Alexandrina Pinzari, Applied Science student at CONEL

Find out more about all our courses at CCCG and apply here.

Tech savvy students volunteer at PC Pals community project

Posted on January 9, 2023January 9, 2023 by Hannah Fenton

IT students from City and Islington College (CANDI) have been volunteering at a community project helping people learn and develop their digital skills.

A group of nine students have been sharing their tech knowledge at PC Pals sessions held at St Luke’s Community Centre in Central Street in south Islington.

The project started in 2009 and provides free weekly access to PCs and wi-fi and offers support and advice on using computers, tablets and mobile phones.

Students have been helping people to use Windows, Microsoft applications, social media, email, online shopping, mobile phone apps and other technical support.

Their voluntary work will form part of the work experience they are required to complete on their IT Level 2 Certificate and IT Level 3 Diploma courses.

John Garces, Business Engagement Manager at St Luke’s Community Centre, said: “The involvement and support from City and Islington College’s students has been amazing and so valuable.

“We have seen tangible changes in people who have come to us. After a few classes with the students, they feel more confident and are not afraid of using a computer. It’s learning basic things many of us take for granted that can make a huge difference to someone’s life.”

PC Pals runs every Wednesday from noon to 1pm.

Find out more about Computing and IT courses at CANDI and apply here.

Students get ahead of the game with esports at CONEL

Posted on October 21, 2022January 23, 2023 by Hannah Fenton

Competitive computer gaming, known as esports, is one of the fastest growing sports globally. At the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (CONEL) we run esports courses and an Esports Enrichment Programme at our Enfield Centre. Here, our newly appointed esports coach Finlay Stewart shares his passion for gaming and how it can help students’ education.

Tell us about your esports journey.

I graduated from university in 2015 and went straight into esports. Since then, I’ve worked many different jobs in the industry from sales executive to managing and coaching teams. I’ve worked as an esports coach for the past seven years with some of the best players and teams from around the globe and also at grassroots level. I’m very excited about our project here at CONEL.

What was your first game console and the first game you played?

I had a Nintendo Game Boy when I was around six years old. My first game was Pokémon Yellow – a classic! Soon after that I got into PlayStation and PC gaming.

What do you enjoy most about playing esports?

I enjoy the social aspect. Playing videogames is great fun on your own but even better with friends or family, especially when you’re all working together towards a goal. These days I rarely play online games on my own.

Tell us about the Esports Enrichment Programme at CONEL.

The Esports Enrichment Programme brings gamers together to play, train and have fun. At the college’s Enfield centre, students have access to 20 powerful gaming rigs and compete against gamers from other schools and colleges in the British Esports Student Champs competition each week. Games include Valorant, League of Legends, FIFA and Rocket League. For the past three years the college team, CONEL Cyphers, have been consistently placed in the top four teams in the country.

What skills can you gain playing esports that will benefit your education and career?

Playing in an esports team teaches you many things. First off, it develops your leadership and teamworking skills. It also improves your hand-eye coordination, ability to multitask and your IT, communication and problem-solving skills, to name just a few.

How do you coach someone to be a better gamer?

The way to coach people to be better gamers is the same way you would teach or coach them to do anything really. You find their current level and from there identify their strengths and weaknesses. Teach them to focus on their strengths and work on minimising where they are weak. Show them what they are doing wrong and give them additional areas to work on. The get them to watch back their mistakes and analyse them.

Is gaming still very much a male domain?

It depends on the game in question. Different games have different demographics. For example, mobile gaming is pretty much 50-50 between male and females. Console and PC games are still very male dominated, but some games like Valorant have a huge female player base.

Tell us about the esports courses available at CONEL!

CONEL offers one and two-year esports diploma courses at Level 2 and Level 3, the equivalent of three A Levels, endorsed by the British Esports Association. The courses cover streaming games, tournaments, event planning, game design, video production, coaching and entrepreneurship.

What job opportunities are out there if you become a competent gamer?

The esports industry is expanding at a huge rate and there are many different jobs and roles within the industry. On professional teams you have the pro-players, managers, analysts and coaches, but there are also backroom roles in marketing, sales, HR, merchandising, IT and media.

What do you think of the decision not to include esports in the Commonwealth Games?

It’s disappointing as it had the potential to really raise the profile of esports. I’d like to see it recognised in the Olympic or Commonwealth Games as an actual medal sport. Like any other supports it requires skill, training and commitment to be the best.

What are the side effects of too much gaming and how do you prevent them?

Too much excess of anything is never good. In gaming it can lead to back, neck and wrist problems. The other issues such as headaches are more short term and easier to fix. In general, just don’t overdo it. Take breaks, drink lots of water and eat healthily.

What is a healthy amount of time to spend gaming each week?

I wouldn’t say that there’s a hard limit to the amount of time you spend gaming as long as you are able to meet all your other commitments, get a good eight hours’ sleep, eat well and stay healthy. When it starts to take precedence over everything else, I’d say that’s when it becomes an issue.

What is your best advice on how to become a top esports player?

Play the game. Watch professional players and learn from what they do. At the end of the day, it just comes down to playing more and having the right attitude. Look at your own mistakes and don’t make excuses or blame others. And enrol at CONEL of course!

Find out more about esports courses at CONEL here.

Follow the CONEL Cyphers on Twitter @CONELesports here.

CANDI students feature in STEAM special in Islington Tribune

Posted on July 18, 2022January 23, 2023 by Hannah Fenton

CANDI students feature in STEAM special in Islington Tribune

Students from City and Islington College (CANDI) have shared their views on education in science and engineering in the Islington Tribune and Camden New Journal.

Cheyanne Kusi, Nikolas Vasilev and Ali Girgin appeared in an eight-page special focused on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) this summer.

They featured in two articles in the pull-out, which was sponsored by MSD, Google, SOAS, SOAS University of London. Camden Council, Camden Learning and Camden STEAM.

Both articles also appeared on the Islington Tribune and Camden New Journal websites.

Cheyanne, 16, who is studying A Level Physics, responded to recent parliamentary debate on why there has been a decline in female students taking the subject.

She said: “I imagine girls are put off the subject because they mostly see white middle-class men as the figureheads of the subject. If you only see people like them doing the subject and not people that look like you, you’re probably less likely to want to do it.”

Her comments were taken from an earlier article on the CANDI website after similar concerns were highlighted to MPs here: ‘We need to be spreading awareness of more female scientists’

Read the Islington Tribune article here: STEAM: Don’t ‘fancy’ science? I’m afraid you couldn’t be any more wrong

Nikolas and Ali, both 18, have just completed an Engineering Level 3 Diploma and are heading to university this September.

They explained why they chose a vocational course as an alternative to A Levels.

Nikolas said: “In a way A Levels are considered more difficult because they are exam-based. With BTECs you have assignments that you can improve on and resubmit them after two weeks. So you can end up with higher grades and still go to the same university as someone who did A Levels.”

Read the Islington Tribune article here: STEAM: BTECs aren’t what you think – they got us on the path to university

Whether you are more suited to A Levels or vocational qualifications or unsure which pathway to take, at CANDI we’ll help you make the right decision to have the best chance of success at university and your chosen career.

Want to gain work experience in the engineering sector? Here’s our top tips for success.

Engineering work experience is an excellent opportunity for students to gain hands-on experience in their chosen field and develop practical skills that are essential for future careers.

Apply now for CCCG courses and apprenticeships in Engineering here and Rail Engineering here.

To mark International Women’s Day on 8 March, three female students from across Capital City College Group (CCCG) shared their passion for studying Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects and how employers can attract more women and girls into these careers.

More women are enrolling on STEM courses at university, yet they make up less than a third of the workforce in these careers in the UK.

‘If there were more female role models in IT, that would inspire more girls to think it’s not just a man’s world’

‘More female engineers giving talks in schools and colleges will mean girls see it as a valid career option’

‘Companies need to do more to promote internships and give more opportunities to women’

Find out more about all our courses at CCCG and apply here.

IT students from City and Islington College (CANDI) have been volunteering at a community project helping people learn and develop their digital skills.

Find out more about Computing and IT courses at CANDI and apply here.

Tell us about your esports journey.

What was your first game console and the first game you played?

What do you enjoy most about playing esports?

Tell us about the Esports Enrichment Programme at CONEL.

What skills can you gain playing esports that will benefit your education and career?

How do you coach someone to be a better gamer?

Is gaming still very much a male domain?

Tell us about the esports courses available at CONEL!

What job opportunities are out there if you become a competent gamer?

What do you think of the decision not to include esports in the Commonwealth Games?

What are the side effects of too much gaming and how do you prevent them?

What is a healthy amount of time to spend gaming each week?

What is your best advice on how to become a top esports player?

CANDI students feature in STEAM special in Islington Tribune

Read the Islington Tribune article here: STEAM: Don’t ‘fancy’ science? I’m afraid you couldn’t be any more wrong

Read the Islington Tribune article here: STEAM: BTECs aren’t what you think – they got us on the path to university

Apply now for A Levels here and Engineering courses here.