Hartlepool College of Further Education offers a range of opportunities to gain work experience within the European Union and China.

We currently have strong partnerships with training centres in Lyon, France and Borken in Germany and are committed to European experiences as a way of broadening horizons and raising aspirations, opening doors for you to work in Europe in the future. As a student of the college we hope you will embrace these opportunities to travel and enjoy hosting students from our partner colleges here in Hartlepool.

CHINA

We have established a strong link with a college in China situated about 150 miles north west of Shanghai. The college is called The Changzhou Institute of Engineering Technology and has five colleges and one university building on site.

They have a student population of 76,000 and have many of the specialist areas that we have at Hartlepool College. Our staff have been on two visits to their college and we hosted a senior delegation from their college in May which was very successful. The first group of students leave for China at the end of October for a preparatory visit and we aim to start recruitment from Changzhou later this year.

RELEVANT LINKS:

Changzhou Institute of Engineering Technology Website

FRANCE

Plumbers make French Connections

A GROUP of young plumbers have made great connections with their continental counterparts after a successful exchange trip to France.Eleven students from Hartlepool College of Further Education spent two weeks in the south of France on a work exchange programme where they sampled European work practices.

The students all received European certificates and tutor Jason Emmerson believes it has opened their minds to the possibilities of working abroad in the future. He said: "It was a fantastic success and the students all really enjoyed themselves as well as gaining an insight into another country's working culture. The students were paired up with French students and went on work placements, as well as spending a few days in the classroom. We spent six weeks beforehand learning French and I think that really boosted their confidence."

The students attended Les Compagnons Du Devoir, a training centre in Lyon, and plan to welcome their hosts to Hartlepool later this year. Graham McPhail, Head of Division for Construction and Building Services at Hartlepool College, said: "It was great for them to get an understanding of new techniques and has also opened their minds to new opportunities. We are part of the European Union and hopefully some of them will have the confidence to go and work in a different country one day."

As well as learning about French plumbing practices, the students enjoyed their leisure time with their hosts, playing football (pictured), going bowling and even wine tasting.

Building up European Relations in Lille

David Appleton and Andrew Hetherington who are bricklaying lecturers at Hartlepool College of Further Education took part in a student exchange to Llile France earlier this year.

Ten students participated in this exchange: Jon McPartlin, Scott Anderson, Lee Groom, Anthony Skinner, Michael Vickers, Thomas Whiley, Stuart McTeer, Daniel Davies, Mark Higham and Tom Thornton.

The trip consisted of a three day concreting course which was fascinating. Following this, a master class took place with the French bricklayers showing us their methods of working. The Hartlepool College students also spent four days on-site with various French companies from which, excellent feedback was received. Whilst on the trip the delegation also took part in a five aside football tournament, a trip to Belgium, ten pin bowling and finally tree trekking. All in all the students and staff we were made to feel very welcome, and a future trip is being planned.

SOUTH AFRICA

Hannah and Kayleigh are wild at Heart

Hartlepool College of Further Education, A Level Students Hannah Carr (18) and Kayleigh Brown (20), had the experience of a lifetime spending 10 weeks in a nature reserve in South Africa, aided by Platform 2, a voluntary organisation.

Platform 2 is a global volunteering experience for 18-25 year olds in the UK who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford to volunteer in a developing country. This Project is funded by the Department for International Development and run by Christian Aid, Islamic Relief and BUNAC. READ MORE HERE

GAMBIA

Students set their sights on Africa

It was celebration time for Second year Travel and Tourism students at Hartlepool College of Further Education College when they found they had won a national competition to join undergraduates and postgraduate students from Leeds Metropolitan University on a field study trip to the Gambia.

The trip has been offered to Leeds Metropolitan students for a number of years, but never had students from the Further Education Sector been invited. Greig Headley, Undergraduate Programme Leader, explained. 'We felt there was an opportunity to develop young people's education in Travel and Tourism through a national competition open to schools, 6th Form Colleges and Colleges of Further Education. The quality of all entrants was extremely high and it was a difficult job to separate the entries. READ MORE HERE

GERMANY

Chefs Go to the Fair!

Four Hospitality Studies students from Hartlepool College of Further Education, Steph Longstaffe, Abbey Wright, Jonothan Conroy and Stephen Shepherd are busily planning and practising their culinary skills to produce menu dishes to showcase at the Annual Expo Trade Fair at Hamburg in Germany. READ MORE HERE