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studentMET November 2010
student newsletter
A Royal Performance – Recycled and Recomposed passionate they were about the environment by staging a catwalk show featuring clothing made from recycled materials. Second year, Graphic Design student Jasmine Matthews explained to HRH, The Prince of Wales the ideas behind their poster campaign. “He was really impressed when I told him that we had spent around three weeks working on this project. I felt proud to be representing the College and showing how committed we are about using our resources efficiently. “As an artist, I try to print my work on recycled paper and limit the amount of time I spend on my Mac. I also recycle at home and rely on public transport as much as I can so that I’m more in control of my carbon footprint.” ‘Recomposing and refashioning’ was the green message that Creative and Performing Arts students presented to HRH, The Prince of Wales at an event to promote sustainable living and working. Prince Charles met students from the College’s FEED Studios and the PIN Fashion Lab based at Millennium Point as part of a smarter living and working event organised by Sustainability West Midlands.
Message from the Principal Welcome to the latest edition of the studentMET. There are lots of successful stories about our students in this issue. I know that many of you will now be planning for next year by making applications through UCAS for your university places. You should take a lot of care with your personal statement – it is vital to get it right so that it makes a positive impression. The economy has been in recession, so it is more important than ever that you have the right skills and qualifications in order to take advantage of new opportunities as they arise,
Graphic Design students produced campaign posters and messages promoting ways in which people can change their lifestyle in order to reduce the negative impact on the environment.
Ethen Carlin who also met The Prince of Wales had prepared the screen animation that accompanied the poetry performance. “I explained to him the concepts behind our work and found him really easy to talk to.
Performing Arts students caught the imagination of the event’s delegates by reciting poetry from a number of classic and contemporary literary sources while playing music on recycled instruments. Fashion students also showed how
“This has been a great project to work on because we are spreading an important message about changing our behaviour in order to support future generations and the natural world.”
and continuing your training is more important than ever.
you all. Our Estates team have refurbished large parts of the Sutton Coldfield Campus. Our students at James Watt Campus will be enjoying much improved learning spaces and recreational areas after half-term. The opening of the Baxi Innovation Academy has allowed us to offer an even wider choice of courses in the green technologies areas. Our aim is to provide you with buildings and classrooms that allow you to be successful in all of your studies.
You will have heard we are planning on offering 3,000 apprentice jobs as part of our partnership with Birmingham Chamber Group. If any of your friends would like to apply for an Apprenticeship, ask them to telephone 0845 155 0101. During this term, we have been short-listed for four AOC Beacon Awards and for the Midlands Excellence Category Award for Innovation. Our students have also been showcased many times in the local press. Recently one of our Childcare students, on a work-placement at a local school, demonstrated excellent leadership skills when an incident took place during a swimming lesson. His actions were praised by both the school and the members of the public, which made him an excellent ambassador for the College. You will have seen that we have been improving the learning spaces at all of our Campuses to provide first class facilities for
There has been a tremendous range of student enrichment activities taking place since the beginning of the academic year. I have been greatly impressed with the commitment and enthusiasm of you all. Many of you have received accolades, both inside and out of the College, for the professional and enthusiastic way you have represented the College. With best wishes
Dr Christine Braddock CBE Principal and Chief Executive
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3,000 Opportunities
education learners being classed as a graduates. It is hoped that degree courses may then be more accessible to these learners, as Apprenticeship programmes will be awarded points by UCAS that will count towards a place at a higher education institution or university. “Having met Mr Willets and spoken to other apprentices at the College, I’ve realised how much Apprenticeships are valued,” said Latarah Kellyman, a cleaning apprentice at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. “I’m not sure if I will go to university, but it is good to know that if I do apply for a full-time degree course that my qualifications and work experience will be recognised in the same way that A levels and other vocational courses are. “I would like to become a trainer for the cleaning industry in the future, so starting out as an apprentice and then working my way up to this level will give me the chance to try out different roles and then share my experiences with other people.”
After praising the College for our involvement in a new Apprenticeship initiative, Minister of State for Universities and Science, David Willets MP took time out from the Conservative Party Conference to see for himself how effectively Apprenticeship programmes are delivered. His visit took place on the same day that a joint initiative between
Birmingham Chamber of Commerce Group (BCCG) and the College to create 3,000 new apprenticeships in the Midlands was launched. Mr Willets also announced to a group of apprentices the coalition government’s plan for apprentices in key sectors that have completed their Level 3 programmes to be referred to as ‘technicians’, in a similar vein to higher
James Rubes, an IT apprentice at Service Birmingham agreed. “I think it’s great that there will be more Apprenticeships available to school leavers and people starting out in their careers. Apprenticeships offer excellent training opportunities and work experience, so these new opportunities are going to make a real difference to people’s career prospects.”
The World’s Biggest Scientific Periodic Table Students also had the chance to become the teachers during two College Science fairs that were also held as part of the Festival. Budding scientists demonstrated to their fellow-students a series of forensic investigative procedures that promoted the value of scientific knowledge and theory. Students were encouraged to discover how blood types were identified and take fingerprint tests. They were also shown how to identify an unknown substance, discover bacteria and study blood patterns left at crime scenes.
Students have successfully attempted to create the world’s largest scientific Periodic Table as part of the recent Birmingham Science Festival. The Periodic Table which is the first of its kind to contain all 118 elements was produced on the front windows of the eight-storey Matthew Boulton Campus. The elements, recreated on a grand scale, consist of a chemical symbol and atomic number printed on coloured banners
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that match the organisation of the Periodic Table. The actinide element, Uranium, was the final one to be added to the table by A Level Chemistry student, Zoe Mayne. “The Periodic Table is the most accurate and concise record of how chemical components work together. “It’s fantastic that the College has been able to show the entire city how much we value this scientific understanding of the world.” The Periodic Table is a tabular arrangement of the chemical elements according to atomic number as based on periodic law.
Forensic Science student, Emma Stanley who acted as an anthropologist at the event, explained to students how bones could be examined and measured in order to deduce the gender, age, height and race of a person, as well as how they might have died. “Everyone I spoke to was impressed by how much science can tell us about the past, present and future,” she said. The events also promoted Birmingham Metropolitan College’s new status as the West Midlands Centre for STEM; the government programme for those involved in the teaching and learning of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
studentMET
Jessica’s Against Fur
The most controversial issue at the heart of fashion was the subject of a highly-commended campaign poster competition entry produced by a talented fashion student from the College. Jessica Butcher’s provocative image featuring skinned and un-skinned rabbits was chosen by judges in the Design Against Fur competition as the UK and Ireland region’s highly commended entry. The annual competition invited design students from all over the world to produce a creative, compelling poster or animation that demonstrated the use of rabbits in the fur trade. “I spent a lot of time thinking about the brief before I came up with the idea of photographing a model covered in both skinned and un-skinned
rabbits which were manipulated to look like a fur coat,” explained 18-year-old Jessica. “The result was quite graphic and shocking, but it proved that glamour can be achieved without the use of animal fur and that beautiful garments can be made without sacrificing a life.” As a result of being on the competition shortlist and then being named a highly commended winner, Jessica and fellow-student, Emily Wakerley, who was the model featured in the poster, attended a prize presentation by Design Against Fur in London. Her poster may also appear in a number of forthcoming exhibitions, as well as the Respect for Animals website. “I’m really excited about my work being featured at so many high-profile exhibitions, especially when it is sending out such a positive message,” added Jessica who has returned to the College to study a Foundation Diploma in Fashion and Clothing. “Being a highly commended competition winner is also a fantastic achievement to include in my portfolio and has given me the determination to pursue my dream of becoming a women’s fashion designer.”
think it’s OK to travel at the expense of fellow passengers. We know it infuriates our customers and annoys our drivers so we’re taking massive steps to tighten our ticketing systems and make sure these travel cheats pay up or start walking.”
Just the Ticket
“We wanted to put these travel cheats under the spotlight so we approached students at Birmingham Metropolitan College to create a dress from the tickets. The standard of designs was very high, but Elizabeth’s dress really showcased the UV features. When the final dress is placed under a UV reader it will light up to reveal the intricate security pattern underneath.”
Budding fashion designers at the College are helping to clamp down on frauds that cheat their way into free bus travel. National Express West Midlands asked our fashion students to design a dress which showcased innovative new security measures recently introduced on their bus tickets, including UV ink and new logos. 37 young designers who are studying on the first year of the BTEC Level 3 Diploma/Extended Diploma in Fashion and Clothing submitted A3 design and sample boards to the PIN Fashion Lab at Millennium Point. The winner was selected by a panel of judges including course leader Emily Ford-Halliday, and two
representatives from National Express; Engineering Project Manager Chris Gatheridge and PR Manager Carly O’Donnell. 19-year-old Elizabeth Cox from Sutton Coldfield won the competition and will now bring her design to life with a team of assistants from the course. The dress made soley out of blue and red bus tickets will then feature in marketing campaigns to highlight the new UV tickets. Elizabeth has also won a year’s free bus travel across the region, while runners up Cara Swift and Rebecca Atherley won free coach travel. Commenting on the scheme Chris Gatheridge said, “There are a minority of people who still
Elizabeth who intends studying fashion at university once she has completed her course at the College explained the inspiration behind her design. “I wanted my dress to have a romantic feel about it, rather like a wedding dress. I took three pictures of nature which included trees where the trunks twisted around at the base, and flowers carpeted the floor. I incorporated the twist element into my final design and covered the dress with flowers.” Emily Ford-Halliday, Curriculum Manager for Fashion and Textiles, said, “The brief asked for the dress to represent the key words elaborate, romantic and whimsical - everything a bus is not! She continues, “I decided the first year students should enter the competition as I wanted them to start thinking about working to a clients brief and to a deadline early on in the year, just as they would in industry. You definitely need to think about the client’s needs if you are going to do well in design.”
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Eco Adventurers Four students from the College have just returned from the trip of a lifetime after taking part in an exciting scientific project in a remote part of Central America. The students, Amie Beth Sabin, Cassandra diMascio, Adrian Miller and James Heywood, spent 10 days in Honduras where they assisted with a biological and a conservation research project as part of the Operation Wallacea programme. During the first week of the expedition they trekked through the terrestrial ecosystem of a tropical rainforest, where they were trained in jungle survival skills, learnt how to apply forest measurements in a ‘cloud forest’ (including aerial surveying) and participated in biodiversity monitoring. Their base camp was located in the Cusuco National Park, which is considered a biodiversity hotspot because of the large number of plant and animal species that can be found there. Rare mammals including jaguars and pumas can often be spotted roaming the park, whilst new species of frogs, bats and snakes are often discovered. After a week the students moved onto the marine phase of the expedition, where they lived in a hostel on the Caribbean Island of Cayo Menor. Here they studied coral reef ecosystems and learnt how to dive. The students were accompanied by Biology and Environmental Science Lecturer Angus Mauchlen-Dobson, who has a wealth of experience in this area. Angus a former infantry soldier has already undertaken three previous ‘long-haul’ expeditions of a similar nature. As you would expect, the group took plenty of photographs of their trip and had some amazing experiences. Here, they share some of the memories of their exciting trip with us. Day 1 Adrian: Here we are at our base camp in the Cusuco National Park with our Environmental Science lecturer, Angus Mauchlen-Dobson. There are around 100 other students here, mainly from the UK and USA. The project organisers run through our itinerary with us and give us lots of information about health and safety. We spend the night in tents and get ready for the busy day ahead of us.
Day 2 James: We are given the chance to help a group of PHD students with a biodiversity monitoring project that involves studying some of the rare birds and mammals based on the island. I help some students check the weight and length of some mice. To make sure we aren’t examining the same two mice, I also have to put a clip mark on the ear of each mouse so we know that they have already been studied. This is a bit tricky at first, but I soon get the hang of it. Day 3 Cassie: We embark on an 8 kilometre trek through the terrestrial ecosystem of a tropical rainforest and arrive at a satellite camp in the mountains. It’s great being outdoors, but the track is so muddy that I keep slipping over and my trousers end up being covered in mud. We spend the night sleeping in hammocks under canopy cover. It’s quite warm here, but there’s usually thunder and rain every night so we’re getting an allweather experience! Day 4 Amie Beth: Today we conduct habit surveys on the local surroundings. We learn how to apply forest measurements in a ‘cloud forest’, which involves measuring the height of trees and doing some aerial surveying. Day 5 Adrian: Back at our camp, where we spend the day attending a series of different lectures based about bird and mammal life, and also about the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. We spend quite a few of our evenings in the
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nearby town where there are restaurants that serve Mexican-style meals with lots of beans and nachos. Day 6 James: We take part in a DNA exercise where we extract the DNA from a series of things like leaves and other objects found in the park. We also take part in another 50 kilometre mountain climb which is a bit of a challenge, but also lots of fun. We go on a night time walk where we look out for some species of frogs, spiders and coral snakes. We’re amazed by some of the things we see.
Day 7 Cassie: Today we go off to Utila, a nearby bay island and have an awesome time studying coral reef ecosystems and learning how to dive in open water. We all do really well at this and have lots of fun competing with each other in the water. Days 8 and 9 Amie Beth: We dive from different locations so that we can achieve the PADI (Professional Association of Diving instructors) Open Water qualification. With this, you can then progress to deeper water surveying. I’ve really loved diving so will carry on doing this when I’m back in the UK. Day 10 Cassie: We say goodbye to the students we’ve made friends with and take one last trip into the town to buy souvenirs. We’ve all had the most amazing time at Operation Wallacea and would definitely come back again.
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Battlefields trip October 2010 The History department recently took 18 students to Belgium on a two-day trip to visit the battlefields of the First World War. The students got a chance to see re-creations of the trenches and gained a valuable insight into the experiences of the soldiers who fought there. Particularly moving was the visit to the Menin Gate Memorial ceremony in the town of Ypres, where the local fire brigade play the Last Post every evening in homage to those that fell. The students also visited the British and German war cemeteries, which both stand in their different ways as monuments to the loss of wasted life caused by the First World War. The students visited two museums, one which focused on the experiences of the soldiers during the war by giving the students a soldier’s identity which they could use to interact with in the museum to gain an understanding of what the soldiers went through. They also visited the Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917 which brought home to students the horror of launching offensives in the all consuming mud and the sheer devastation brought about by the war. History lecturer, David Edwards said, “Particularly impressive was the insightful and thoughtful attitude of the students during the visit and the many interesting questions they raised about the conflict. Such trips can only serve to motivate and interest the students about events which are just beginning to fade from living memory.
Hospital thrills, 2010!
During August 2010 three students, Hannah Gill, Aisha Begum and Mariam Nissa, carried out work placements at Heartlands Hospital and Queen Elizabeth Hospital where they impressed the supporting staff tremendously by their commitment and skills in Biomedical Science and Medical Imaging. Hannah and Mariam both undertook work at Heartlands Hospital. The programme was devised by the Senior Biomedical Scientist, Melanie Whitesmith and covered work in the main areas of Haematology, Biochemistry and Cytology. Their work was supervised; however the students were still given the chance to display their own prowess. Hannah’s work impressed the laboratory staff so much that she has been offered paid laboratory work at the hospital during summer 2011.
Lecturer, Adrian Walters explains the thinking behind these placements. “They were to give the students direct experience of biomedical work and medical imaging to discover a latent passion and put meat onto the skeleton of their studies. When competition for places at university is quite fierce, good grades and good experience make for a winning combination.” Mariam and Aisha spent a week at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and were greatly impressed by the facilities and the state-of-the-art equipment.
“Much of their experiences can be used in writing their assignments on Science in the World of Work, the personal experience giving a tremendous vantage point from which to view this subject,” commented Adrian.
Studio work experience
“There was also the opportunity to purchase Belgium chocolate which was not wasted by the students!”
Mentoring Awareness Quiz The 1st prize winners will all receive a £30 gift voucher and the runners up will all receive a £15 gift voucher. Thanks to all who took part in the quiz at the student fairs. Sutton Campus The 1st prize winners are Jamie Tait and Lauren Breslin. The runners up are Kyle Pinkney, Tahree Samuels and William Rogers. James Watt Campus The 1st prize winners are James Eaton and Matthew Thomas. The runners up are Chloe Drieling, Counsellor Mensah and Kavita Banger. Matthew Boulton Campus The 1st prize winners are Hayley Edwards and Segan Kifle. The runners up are Raziq Mohammed, Sarah Walton and Habib Saleen. If you are one of the lucky winners, please contact a Mentor at your campus.
When the College agreed to let the BBC use the FEED studios at Millennium Point to film one of their dramas, there was a condition attached – our students had to be given some work experience.
bag a walk-on part in one of the scenes. “Even if I don’t make the final cut, at least I know what’s involved in putting a scene together from start to finish.”
As a result, the graphic design studios were turned into the office of a football agent as part of a storyline for the popular TV show, Hustle. 14 Media and Communications students then spent two days assisting the film crew with a variety of different roles.
Fellow-student, Adam Butlin also enjoyed his time with the crew. “This is exactly the type of career I hope to pursue in the future, so everything I saw and heard over the two days was incredibly useful for me. It was also good to share the opportunity with classmates so that we could all take something from the experience.”
HND student, Leah Brown also managed to
The episode will be broadcast in Spring 2011.
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Pilot Scheme
would offer long-term personal development,” the 21-year-old explained. “I didn’t know a lot about Apprenticeships before I applied for the role, but now that I’ve found out what I’ll be doing over the next 12 months, I know I’m building the right foundations for my future career.” 19-year-old Adam O’ Reilly’s Apprenticeship application was driven by a desire to gain office experience to support his qualifications in Business and ICT and his interest in the financial services sector.
Five apprentices are the first to start work at financial organisation, Wesleyan Assurance Society, as part of a new pilot scheme they are running in partnership with the College and the National Skills Academy for Financial Services. As part of the scheme, Wesleyan has created three positions in its Customer Services division for Emma Stenson, Elyce Davies and Martin Potter. Two positions have also been created within the General Insurance team for Steven
Jones and Adam O’Reilly. The scheme will give the Apprentices a thorough understanding of how the financial services industry works and equip them with the necessary skills to forge a career in the sector. Former retail and catering employee, Elyce Davies, is looking forward to utilising her existing skills and seeing another side to customer service. “I wanted to find a role that
“Of the six Apprenticeships I applied for over the summer, this was the one I wanted most of all because of Wesleyan Assurance’s fantastic reputation,” he stated. “I really wanted to gain some substantial work experience and spend time with professionals outside of my age group. My Apprenticeship will give me the chance to do this. I’ll also learn more about myself and what I can achieve over the course of the year.” Wesleyan will also be supporting the NSAFS Pre-Apprenticeship Scheme, which will offer BTEC students from the College a two-week work placement at the company. These placements will give students an insight into the workings of the financial services industry and working life in general.
First Class Five Celebrations have been rife in the School of Podiatry as five students were awarded firstclass honours in Podiatry. The five students have completed the threeyear BSc Hons degree in Podiatry and are now able to register as a podiatrist with the Health Professions Council (HPC). They are also eligible for membership of the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists. “I’m over the moon to have gained a first,” said student, Lisa Pitt who embarked on the course as a career change after working as a senior manager in a building society. “Studying here at the College has been a great experience; this final year in particular was great as we all worked really well together and our lecturers gave us all the support we needed. I can’t wait to start working as a professional practitioner.” Lisa is now planning to pursue a career in private practice as well as offering her services to the Lindsay Leg Club Foundation in Birmingham. Ester Sabin also achieved a first and has begun
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her search for employment. “I wanted to study a degree that would put me straight into a profession and had always been interested in healthcare,” said the former bank worker and civilian police officer. “The course was hard work at times, but it’s all been worth it.” 19 Birmingham Metropolitan College third-year Podiatry students will be graduating this year with full honours.
“I’m absolutely delighted with the excellent results gained by our final year students who have all successfully demonstrated their skills in the field of podiatric care,” commented Marian Williams, Curriculum Manager for Podiatry at the College. “Last year there was a 100% employment success rate within 3-4 months of Podiatry students graduating, so I’m confident that our graduates are set to pursue some excellent career opportunities, both in the public and private healthcare sector.”
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Their Sporting Lives
Having Their Say
Conservative Party MPs weren’t the only ones expressing their views during their recent Conference - College students also had their say when they participated in a broadcast of BBC Radio Five Live’s morning debate show with Victoria Derbyshire. The A Level students studying at the Sutton Coldfield and Matthew Boulton Campuses commented on child benefit cuts, the nuclear weapons trident system and social equality during the broadcast from Birmingham’s Symphony Hall. “To be given the opportunity to share their opinions and describe their personal
circumstances at a time when the government are making major policy changes was a valuable experience for the students,” stated Lecturer, Simon Foster. “As part of their Government and Politics course, they will need to assess the impact these policy changes will have on the way people live, work and study, so to hear from both the policy-makers and those affected gave them plenty of information to absorb.” Guest MPs on the live broadcast programme included International Development Secretary and Sutton Coldfield MP, Andrew Mitchell, Defence Secretary, Liam Fox and Housing Minister, Grant Shapps.
International Induction
know exactly how to make the most of their time in the city. Many of these students are continuing to improve their Englishcommunication skills, so they were encouraged to attend classes at the College’s Language Centre, Magnolia House. Students were invited to provide suggestions for social gatherings and outings they could undertake within Birmingham and around the UK.
Hundreds of the College’s overseas learners attended an induction event that ensured they were able to settle into the College and
They were also encouraged to attend one of the regular surgeries available within the International Offices at each campus.
Exercise and Fitness Instructing students, Yvette McKay and David Robotham, only expected to spend 12 weeks completing work placements at LA Fitness in Erdington, Birmingham, but halfway through they were offered employment and five months later are enjoying their roles as key time workers and coaches. “We were really lucky that halfway through our placements the vacancies came up and our applications were successful,” said former payroll and account worker, Yvette. “Although I’ve always played netball and coached others, the NVQ course helped me put my skills into the right context for becoming a professional trainer and gaining employment.” Former mechanics student, David agrees. “As we made our way through the course it was easy to identify what would be expected of us as fitness instructors for a variety of sports and for people with different needs. “The job is going really well. We’ve been given the opportunity to teach spin classes and circuit training, as well as performing initial inductions to new clients, which means each day here is different. “We’ll both have to complete more training so we can progress in our roles, but are looking forward to trying new things and seeing where they will take us in the future.” Student, Laura Bond also managed to gain employment at David Lloyd in Great Barr after completing her work placement there.
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studentMET
Campus News
James Watt Campus
First Days at Sutton Campus……..
Sutton Coldfield Campus
What an incredibly busy ‘day one’ we had! It was really good to see hundreds of students flooding into the campus again after a quiet summer break. This was the first ‘real’ day for many students, in particular those who had not been able to attend Induction because of Eid celebrations. It is excellent to see the corridors of all our buildings alive with students and the classrooms full. To see the library full at 8.20 am most mornings is impressive!
By the time you read this, we will have completed Phase 1 of the summer works programme, which has centred around bringing Engineering across from Sutton, and upgrading student facilities such as the canteen and Student Services, and of course the car park. I hope you are all now beginning to reap the benefit. Thank you for your support and understanding during the first few weeks of term. Timetables should now be settled.
Phase 2 involves taking down the old gas and plumbing workshops, creating a student area - including a coffee shop, and building an Eco House to support our Sustainable Energy Curriculum and an atrium - rather than that rather damp walkway you have had to experience in the early part of term. Phase 2 should be starting round about now with a completion date of around Easter. We will of course do our very best to ensure minimum disruption to your studies, but I am sure you will agree that our Estates team have made a tremendous difference.
We have enrolled nearly 6,000 learners at the Sutton campus. Over the summer the new Art and Design facility had been shaped to replace the old Art and Design centre in Sutton. The new ‘Outline’ centre in the main block is now the new home for 450 art and design students, whilst another 80 dance students are housed in the Old Art School.
Matthew Boulton Campus The first day of term at the Matthew Boulton Campus was buzzing with energy with all the new students arriving – over 7000 students have enrolled (5000 studying on the 16-19 programmes and over 2000 adult learners). The students at the MB Campus quickly settled in, enjoying campus life in the city centre. One of our main attractions so far this term has been the giant periodic table. Two of our learners unveiled the giant periodic table at the front of the MB campus. As far as we have been able to establish, no other organisation has put up a periodic table as large as this on a building that shows all the 118 elements. In fact, the last element (117) was only discovered/made in a nuclear reactor last year! The last 5 or 6 are left off most tables as they are so very new. As part of raising the profile of science at Birmingham Metropolitan College, this project proved to be very successful, as we have had many entries for the competition to find the missing elements on the sheet that we distributed to students. The project has had the effect of getting people talking about the meaning of this aspect of science and its relevance to all our lives - thus fitting in
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very well with the Science Fair organised with Aston University. We had a lot of visitors to our stand at the recent Science Fair and many of them were clearly fascinated by our periodic table. We have pointed out that this is one of the greatest achievements in the history of science as it underpins so much else including DNA, and as such the elements can be regarded as the ‘essence of life itself!’ The work is still ongoing and the knowledge about the new elements will contribute to the big bang theory and the development of nuclear fusion, which could provide almost endless clean energy! The buzz all this has created is helping us to engage our science learners even more fully this term, and fast became the talking point of everyone at the Matthew Boulton Campus. Well done to the science team! We actively encourage students to become involved in Campus events – watch out for news in future editions of the StudentMET. In the very near future Karen Manuel, Anna Green and Karen Roberts will be inviting student representatives to the first Campus Committee – please make sure your views are heard at the Campus Committee by passing on your ideas to your course representative.
Students are now experiencing the benefits of the new learning zones, with opportunities to use practical resources in their respective curriculum areas. The Student Fair was visited by 1800 students who were fully engaged in the key themes, ‘being healthy’ and ‘contributing to the community’. Students chatted to representatives from sports organisations, voluntary organizations, banks and the teams available on campus including the mentoring and counselling services. We have held our first student campus committee meeting and were overwhelmed by the numbers of students who came to represent every curriculum area on campus, from all age groups. We look forward to working with the group. They had excellent ideas and suggestions to improve life on campus for all students.
studentMET
New name for the Student Portal
The Student Portal was launched last May as an electronic means to improve the communications between the College and you, our students. “Great idea,” said the students, “but… boring name!’” So the task was set for the Campus Committees to find a new name. Several were suggested, however after a preliminary vote it came down to the top three: MySpace, MetLive, MyMet. Since September, all students have had the chance to vote via the Student Portal on the new name and the winner is…. MyMet. So, after half-term the changes will be made to call the portal MyMet. Thanks to all who took part in the vote. If you missed the vote then keep an eye on the MyMet front page. There is a new questionnaire asking for your views every month. They usually only take a few minutes to complete and it is a way of getting your viewpoint across. The results are published at the end of every month in the Student Voice section of MyMet.
Induction
Some of the AS students joining the College in September were amazed at some of the activities that had been lined up for them during induction. David Edwards and Charlotte Carrington, two of the personal tutors based at Sutton Campus, asked their groups to design a structure to protect a raw egg from breaking when dropped from height. All they had were straws, bits of cardboard, newspaper and elastic bands. Each group then had to present their design to the others in a Dragon’s Den type hard sell.
Sports News James Westley is our new studentMET sports reporter. In each edition of the studentMET he will provide you with a round up of all the latest match results, plus news and events from the Sports Academy.
them. There was some quality passing from both teams as the game went straight down to the wire, and there were periods of play where they couldn’t stop scoring goals, which made the game very exciting to watch. Towards the end of the game Birmingham Met were dominating the game, intercepting passes made by the Hartpury and scoring crucial goals. Both teams should be proud of the way they played, which bodes well for the rest of the season.
Birmingham Met vs Cirencester College Birmingham Met faced off with Cirencester College in the first round of the National Volleyball Championships. It was a best of five games match, so the college that would win three games, would win the match and go through to the next round of the competition. This was also the first time that Birmingham Met played as a team. It didn’t take very long for the team to gel as they set up each other extremely well. There was also some excellent serving from Birmingham Met, which instantly put pressure on Cirencester. Birmingham Met won the first game 25-18, in the second game Birmingham Met won 25-16, and in the third and final game, which was Birmingham Met’s best game of the match, they won 25-10 to end the match. This was a very comfortable game for Birmingham Met which will see them through to the next round of the competition, where they will face a much harder opposition. It’s a good start for Birmingham Met, one which they should take confidence from. Birmingham Met 43 Hartpury College 44 On the opening day of the season, Birmingham Met played Hartpury in a thrilling game of netball that ended with one point separating The designs’ structural performances were then tested out to destruction! Each group had to drop their egg, protected by their design, down the stairs. The eggs that survived were then dropped from increasing heights until eventually only one design survived. One of the students was overheard to comment, “I thought today would just be getting lots of information about the course, but this has been really good fun. I have talked to loads of people and feel like I have made some friends.” The winning design was developed by Marium Tasadaq, Michael Phillips and Dale Harwood. Meanwhile, at James Watt Campus, some of the Level 1 Hair and Beauty students were enjoying their induction making natural hair and body products including bath bombs, sea salt body scrubs and banana and avocado hair conditioning masks. The two tutors, Kevin Bryce
Birmingham Met 44 Windsor School 16 A dominant performance from Birmingham Met saw them win the game very comfortably in a thrilling game of netball. Birmingham Met never looked like losing this game in which they passed the ball very well, got in great positions to score goals and defended very well. Overall this was a great performance by Birmingham Met which should lift them near the top of the table. If they can maintain this performance, it should definitely be a good season for them. Birmingham Met Girls 1 Reading Academy Girls 7 Women’s football result
and Karen Ashmore, then used demonstrations to encourage the students to design their own products from fresh ingredients. At the Matthew Boulton Campus, the Music Technology team had designed a ‘circus’ of different activities for the students to enjoy. James Bateman, Matt Parkin and Rob Chapman, got their students to rotate through a number of different activities including discussion groups on the music used for Tomb Raider. Students found the induction generally informative and found the atmosphere relaxed. They appreciated that the relationship with their teachers was more on an equal level than they experienced at school. There is currently a survey available on the Student Portal that asks for your views of induction, so please help us to improve your first few days at College by giving us some feedback.
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Student Fairs
commented Adrian Humphries, Assistant Principal of Sports, Public Services and Childcare. “We are really pleased with how much support we received from local companies and agencies. There was a great atmosphere at all the campuses and we handed out in the region of 2,400 goody bags.
Nearly 4,000 students flocked to the first ever Student Fairs at Matthew Boulton, Sutton Coldfield and James Watt campuses that were held over three days at the end of September. A number of local business and community organisations were invited into the College to provide students with information on the theme of ‘being healthy and making a positive contribution’, alongside a selection of College services. Students had the opportunity to sign up to a number of extracurricular activities and schemes, as well as taking away free gifts, passes and goody bags. Nurses from the Birmingham East and North PCT were there providing free Chlamydia testing, Members of the League of Friends of the John Taylor Hospice explained the work of Hospices and encouraged students to take part in volunteering activities, and the College counsellors were there to promote their services. “The Student Fairs are a great opportunity for our new students to settle into the College and see what services we have on offer,”
“I would like to say a huge thank you to the following guests who attended the three-day event and provided our students with useful guidance and informative awareness about their work.”
Over 11,500 students have enrolled onto courses during the September period. Each year the College asks students to comment on enrolment: what went well and what could be done to improve the experience. Last year, the enrolment process was well received. The only criticism being that the queues for some of the areas made the process a little slow. With that in mind a group of staff consulted with some students and re-designed enrolment to ensure a smooth flow from start to finish, greatly speeding up the process. The results from this year’s survey showed that this made a big difference to how long it took for a student to enrol. 90% of students felt that they did not have to wait too long compared to 79% last year. Comments included: “The enrolment process was quick and straight forward I didn’t have to wait around it was very good” “Much quicker, easier and less stressful than last year.” The full results of this year’s and last year’s survey can be seen on the Student Portal in the ‘Have your say....’ section.
Sutton Campus Committee External organisations • John Taylor Hospice Trust– League of Friends • Fairbridge - West Midlands • WM Police • Aston Villa Football Club • NHS • BRMB – Street Stars • Nat West Bank • Circle Light opera • Virgin Active •Redcliffe Catering •V-Inspired • Fitness First • St. Basils Internal services • Sports Academies • Learner Committees • Mentoring • V Talent • Enrichment • Careers • HE • Counselling
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Enrolment How Was It For You?
The Sutton Campus Committee held their first meeting of the year on 13th October 2010 led by Umar Haider (Student Chair) and Hilary Rimmer (Head of Campus). Over 40 students were in attendance on behalf of their particular Directorate in the most equal form of College representation to date. The Campus Committee bridges the gap between students and staff from all areas of the College in pursuit of maximum welfare and positivity by addressing key issues and concerns. Diverse points were raised including an enhanced Enrichment programme (Umar Haider will meet with the Enrichment team to work on this), storage and lockers. Students also mentioned that they would like clearer rules and guidelines in the Library and I.T areas (action groups have been set up to obtain this). The next Campus Committee meeting is scheduled for November 15th 2010.
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Higher Education Planning to go to University Fairs
September 2011? If you are planning to go to university next year you should be very busy at the moment writing your personal statement and completing your UCAS form. This should not be a time for panic as many staff can help you including your personal tutor and the Careers team. Don’t forget that last year there were 700,000 applications to university for only 465,000 places. In order to stand the best chance of getting the course and university of your choice it is important to be realistic about the grades you are going to achieve. Your tutor will be able to help you estimate your final grades.
Congratulations to all the students who attended the College Higher Education Fairs on Friday 1st October at Sutton Coldfield campus and Monday 4th October at Matthew Boulton campus. Over 40 universities attended and were very impressed with your intelligent questions and general level of interest. This should shine through in your university applications. Well done! For further help and guidance on your UCAS applications talk to your tutors and watch the plasma screens to see when the Careers team are offering drop-in sessions at your campus for your UCAS queries.
The Careers team have put lots of helpful UCAS information on the Student Portal to help with your applications. Just click on Careers for help and see tips on how to apply to university using UCAS, personal statements and choosing your courses. Careers have also produced a practical guide called Where Next, which you can download from the Careers pages of the Student Portal. If you didn’t find the time to attend the Higher Education Fairs then go to www.opendays. com to see when the next open day for your chosen university is taking place.
The aim of the activities is to enable you to understand how to stay safe and will include staying safe during the party season – this includes a few sensible precautions that you should put in place to make sure you and all your friends have a really great time – and a really safe one too. Other topics that will be covered are drug and alcohol awareness, sexual health issues, a practical approach to staying safe at home in our being handy, staying safe workshops - and you will also have the opportunity to undertake first aid qualifications in other workshops. Input will be provided by experts in each area so remember to keep up-to-date with your Student Portal and book online for workshops, or contact adrian.humphreys@ bmetc.ac.uk when they become available. Don’t forget that we are still looking for volunteers to be involved in helping with the programme, so please sign up and get involved. We look forward to seeing you.
Staying safe is all about following a few common sense guidelines. Read the following tips, they could make all the difference
Travel Vouchers for 19+ Travel vouchers for students who have successfully applied to the Discretionary Learner Support Fund for assistance with travel can be collected from student services.
Counselling Service For You We hope you have settled into College and your course and life are going well. This is just a reminder to say if you have any concerns, queries or worries, then we are here to listen and help. We deal with many of life’s difficulties with students and if we do not deal with a particular issue, we can usually signpost you to the appropriate source of help. You can find further information about the Counselling Service on the Student portal or drop in and speak to one of us, you will be most welcome.
After the success of our first themed fair on ‘making a positive contribution and being healthy’, the theme for the next round of enrichment activities and the next fair is ‘staying safe.’ These activities will take place during November and December.
Personal Safety - Stay Safe
The earlier you have your UCAS application sent off, the better your chance of getting the place you want!
Did you know the College has a Counselling Service and it is free and friendly?
‘Staying safe’
Enrolment For Next Year Do you have any siblings or friends interested in coming to College next year? If so, pick up an application form from Student Services, or phone 0845 155 0101 to request one. Even better, get them to go to our website at www.bmetc.ac.uk and complete an online application. Interviews start in November 2010.
• Don’t be an easy target - walk in groups at night, travel by taxi or stay over with friends, your safety is worth more than the cab fare home! • Plan ahead. Find out before going out the times of buses and trains to avoid waiting around. Pre-book a minicab or take the number of a licensed cab company with you. • Don’t leave drinks unattended. • Be vigilant when using your mobile phone if your phone is stolen, call your network or 08701 123 123 to immobilize it. • When walking, stick to busy, well-lit streets whenever possible. Avoid danger spots like badly lit alleyways, subways or isolated car parks. • If you think you are being followed, cross the road and look to see who is behind you. If you are still being followed, head towards a busy area and tell people what is happening. • Try to keep both hands free and don’t walk with your hands in your pockets. • Stay alert. If you are wearing headphones or chatting on a mobile phone you will not hear anyone approaching. • If possible, use cash machines during the day - put your card and cash away and be vigilant - never write down your PIN.
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Open Events
Health and Social Care (Matthew Boulton Campus) 8 February 2011 Early Years and Childcare (Matthew Boulton Campus) 15 February 2011 IT and Computing (Sutton Campus) 8 March 2011
Open Event dates
Public Services (James Watt Campus) 15 March 2011
10am - 2pm Saturday 20 November
Engineering (James Watt Campus) 22 March 2011
9am - 1pm Saturday 15 January
Business (Matthew Boulton Campus) 29 March 2011
10am - 2pm Saturday 19 March
Hair and Beauty (James Watt Campus) 10 May 2011
10am - 2pm Saturday 18 June
Construction (James Watt Campus) 17 May 2011
Career Events Accounting (Matthew Boulton Campus) 30 November 2010 Sports/Outdoor (Sutton Campus) 7 December 2010
7pm start at campus indicated. There will be lots to see so please feel free to bring along your parents and friends. Please ensure you make your application as early as possible, as demand for places is high. To reserve or book places at the Careers Events either telephone 0121 503 8528 or email marketing@bmetc.ac.uk or book online at www.bmetc.ac.uk
Travel and Tourism (Sutton Campus) 25 January 2011 Media (James Watt Campus) 1 February 2011
Students at Birmingham Metropolitan College! You are invited to support Birmingham Children’s Hospital (Intensive Care Ward) Every year, over 225,000 sick children from across the UK are treated at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Many face incredibly difficult circumstances. Their stories of courage, determination and hope are inspiring. Their medical and nursing teams provide the best possible treatment and the very highest standards of care, but they want to do so much more for the children who rely on them.
Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charities is an independent registered charity established under s51 of the NHS Act 2006 and registered with the Charity Commission (registered number 1074850) to raise and receive legacies and donations for Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Contact the Marketing Department – we will help you with your events. Bridgett.Byrne@bmetc.ac.uk 0121 503 8528
We would like to invite our learners to plan events to raise money for this outstanding hospital.
You can make a difference to the children at Birmingham’s Childrens Hospital
W/C
Teaching Week No.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
29/11/10
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AS/Yr1 Voc Science AS/Yr1 Voc Science World Aids Day Parents Evening (SC) Parents Evening (SC) HE Awards
06/12/10
12
Sports/Outdoor Careers Event (SC)
Thursday
Friday
HE Awards 19+ Interviews (SC/ MB)
19+ Interviews (JW) 13/12/10
13
CPA Star Reviews
Interviews (JW) CPA Star Reviews
20/12/10
Xmas
27/12/10
Xmas
12
CPA Star Reviews
Interviews (SC/MB) CPA Star Reviews
Christmas Holidays
CPA Star Reviews
Saturday