BA (Hons) Students Top Again!

Congratulations to Celeste Henney and the team on the excellent results yet again for the BA (Hons) in Graphic Design for Print and New Media.

Elaine O’Connor, from Ireland, gained a 1st Class Honours Degree, maintaining the course’s tradition for success at the highest level. The majority of other students achieved 2:1s.

Elaine O’Connor	Celeste Henney

This course has always been greatly valued in industry, as this year’s graduates discovered. Celeste explains, “Students had much interest after their London show. All students were offered graduate placements at Vibrandt and at EMI Music as a result of their work. Designers looked at the results of the projects they had instigated including BSkyB, the TV company, and Redroom, the design team at EMI Music, who worked closely with the College on project briefs.”

Six weeks after completing their course, two students reported back:

Gary Lovelock, “Since leaving Dunstable College I have been working at a local company called Murphy Varley Ltd as a Junior Graphic Designer, working with such clients as Volkswagen, Frosts and Hatters.”

Gemma Loosley, “I have been for two interviews at Dodo, Mammoth, Reindeer & Fox in Newport Pagnell and have been offered a job!!! I start in 3 weeks. They were really impressed with my portfolio, liked my work and the concepts behind it. I'm really excited and looking forward to it!”

L to R: Gemma Loosley, tutor Malcolm Jobling, Gary Lovelock and Charmaine Rand at the recent University of Bedfordshire Graduation Ceremony

Dunstable College – The Choice for Professional Sports Therapy

STUDENTS THRILLED TO MEET TOP SPORTSMEN
Two top local sportsmen were overwhelmed with Dunstable College’s new Sports Therapy facilities and the treatments available on a recent visit to the Kingsland Campus. The facilities in question are the brand new development at the Kingsland Skills Institute in Houghton Regis which were opened in May following a £2 million investment programme. Julien Hughes-John of Bobteam Great Britain and Dru Spinks from the MK Lions Basketball Team were treated to a Sports Therapy Massage by Course Team Leader, Will Thomas.

Julien Hughes-John found his massage highly beneficial as he is currently in training for trials in Italy for the World Cup Team. He only started out in the sport last year and has already been awarded best brakeman in the 2007 British Championships and was one of the winning team in the 2-Man event. His team also came fourth in the World Cup Final last year and he has been earmarked for the 2010 Winter Olympics. Will Thomas was pleased to have Julien at the College and thrilled about his comments on his first visit to the brand new facilities. Julien remarked, “The new gym is of a good standard and the facilities are fantastic, it’s good to have them on your door as I would normally have to go to the Olympic Medical Institute in Harrow. I would definitely come back”. Dru Spinks, who is a regular client of Will’s at the College and also an ex-student himself agreed, saying that the new facilities have made such a difference. He said of them, “They are second to none and very impressive. I live locally and these new facilities are as good as you can get anywhere and with people like Will there teaching and delivering such expertise it’s so great” The Basketball Season starts on 22 September and runs for 8 or 9 months so Dru has been training hard and has a sports massage twice a day every day to alleviate muscle tension, “I had a great massage today which really worked out the pre-season stresses and will get you in a good position to perform. I feel it’s as important to look after your body as it is to compete.” Students who are in only the second week of their course, the VTCT Diploma in Sports and Fitness Therapy Techniques, were delighted to meet these two outstanding athletes and were thrilled to watch as Will demonstrated massage techniques to his class using only the finest models. Both men have achieved much in their sport and it was an inspiration for students to be able to meet them. Jonathon Star, a student on the course commented, “it’s good because you might see them on TV, it gives you something to aim for and is an interesting way to learn about the body.” Jonathon also said how he is enjoying the course, it is his first year and only his second week and he has “a good impression so far”. Richeena Boake another student on the course agreed, “It’s more interesting when you have real athletes coming in, it’s much more engaging.”

Hatters Youth Team Enjoy Pampering Day at Dunstable College

Luton Town FC youth team spent the day trying out the brand new facilities at Dunstable College’s Kingsland skills institute on Thursday

Dunstable College was pleased to welcome Chris Cummins, Director of Youth Development, and the youth team along to experience an afternoon of spa hospitality in the newly revamped Sports, Fitness and Holistic Therapy Department at the Kingsland Skills Institute, Houghton Regis.

The team were given sports massages, reflexology and aromatherapy massages by tutors and students who were pleased to have the opportunity to work on the future football stars. They also got the chance to try out the state of the art spa pool, sauna and steam room. Chris Cummins said of the day “The lads thoroughly enjoyed it and can’t wait to go back again. They have been working very hard recently and it was nice for them to be able to relax and enjoy this. They had training again the next morning and found that the sports massages and all their pampering had really helped them feel great”. Chris also commented that “the staff were excellent and the day really was a credit to them”.

William Thomas, Sports Therapy Tutor at Dunstable College commented; “It's great to see the new facilities being used in a professional and functional capacity, with newly qualified therapists, tutors and support staff working side by side. Everyone seemed to enjoy the day, most of all the players, which was our primary objective! Let’s hope this is the beginning of a long relationship between Dunstable College and Luton Town Football Club.”

Dunstable College gives Students Access 2 Recruitment

Experienced recruitment agency Access 2 has moved into Dunstable College in a partnership helping students into work and serving local employers with qualified staff

The recruitment agency Access 2 has now set up its local base at Dunstable College’s Main Site in Kingsway, Dunstable. The venture will provide further employer engagement for the College and form stronger links within the community by helping local businesses source well qualified trained and motivated employees.

The agency plans to meet with local businesses and assess their needs to gain a better picture of the type of staff they require. By gaining this knowledge they can in turn help students to find work and help the College to guide them in the right direction as well as offering employers the correct candidates with long term success rates.

Students will be able to complete a qualification with Dunstable College and go on to find work specific to that qualification through the agency. Being based within the College also means that Access 2 will be able to assist the general public in finding jobs, identifying any training needs and pointing them in the right direction within the College to gain the required qualifications. As well as this, the agency can provide employers with an ongoing training facility should companies require it.

Access 2 deals with technical, industrial, driving and commercial staff plus a search and selection executive division including interim management. They also hold a gangmaster licence which enables them to provide staff to food and agricultural industries. The Partnership between the college and the agency also meets the current agenda for the Chamber, to teach English to foreign personnel which in turn will enable all foreign workers to pass the correct health & safety requirements. Dunstable College will be teaching English language to foreign workers on its Skills for Life program enabling Access 2 to find them work.