‘Inspirational’ day for Nelson & Colne College students

Inspirational speakers, including a Holocaust survivor and a kidney transplant patient, have visited A Level students at Nelson and Colne College as part of a day focused on future choices and aspirations.
By The Newsroom
Published 21st Oct 2015, 09:27 BST
Former student Jo Glover, senior designer at the Victoria and Albert Museum, speaking to creative students about her career path and what its like working in one of the worlds most prestigious arts and crafts institutionsFormer student Jo Glover, senior designer at the Victoria and Albert Museum, speaking to creative students about her career path and what its like working in one of the worlds most prestigious arts and crafts institutions
Former student Jo Glover, senior designer at the Victoria and Albert Museum, speaking to creative students about her career path and what its like working in one of the worlds most prestigious arts and crafts institutions

HE Conference Day gives students the chance to explore specialist subjects and get a taste for higher education.

Students are taken off timetable for the day and asked to choose four sessions from a diverse timetable of events to help them with their progression to university or a career.

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Gifted and talented students from local secondary schools are also invited to take part in the event.

Visitors included former student Jo Glover, senior designer at theVictoria and Albert Museum; Janine Webber, who shared her touching Holocaust Survivor Testimony; and Lorraine Pooley, better known as Purple Chick, who explained the importance of organ donation and her experiences of living with Polycystic Kidney Disease.

Other sessions included “Malcolm X and The Black Panthers”, “Life Behind Bars” and “Advances in Understanding and Treating Human Diseases”. James Cundill, who has worked on films such as “Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows”, “Gravity” and “The Chronicles of Narnia”, also gave a fascinating insight into his roles as a film editor and visual effects designer.

A Level student Molly Aspinall (17) said: “It is a really good day because it offers you loads of opportunities and you can put it on your personal statement for university. It’s made me think about what I want to do in life and that now is the time to make these decisions.

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“It allows you to find out so much more about what you’re interested in and the college is supporting what you want to do.”

Jean Fort, the woman behind NCC's prestigious Fort Prize which is given to the year's most successful student, at HE Conference DayJean Fort, the woman behind NCC's prestigious Fort Prize which is given to the year's most successful student, at HE Conference Day
Jean Fort, the woman behind NCC's prestigious Fort Prize which is given to the year's most successful student, at HE Conference Day

Saira Chaudry (16), who is studying Biology, Sociology, English Language and Law, added: “The organ donation session taught me a lot I didn’t know – it has made me think about how important it is and has made me think about whether I want to go into studying medicine at university.”

And alumna Jo Glover said: “I have done a talk about my career to date, from graduating from Nelson and Colne in 2002 to my current role at the Victoria and Albert Museum. It is really important to come and give back, especially if you have come from a small town and have moved to the city – it can be quite daunting and exciting!

“It is nice to come back and see that the college is still really good. I think the conference day is brilliant because it is inspiring students to think about what roles within their subject they can go on to do.”

Related topics:Students