East Coast College students will be given the opportunity to take their studies abroad to Italy and South Africa thanks to the government’s new £110m Turing Scheme announced today.
The college was selected as part of 120 universities, further education colleges and schools across the UK to benefit from the scheme, which will give young people the opportunity to work and study abroad while boosting ties with international partners.
Students studying Animal Care and Childcare courses at East Coast College from September 2021 at our Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft campuses will benefit from the funding as part of their existing programme of studies.
Animal Care students will work in conjunction with Colchester Zoo and will take part in a two-week work programme studying at the UmPhafa Private Nature Reserve, situated in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, where they will take part in activities including animal studies, game counts, reserve maintenance, field patrols, data collection and night drives.
Childcare students will be offered the opportunity to travel to Northern Italy to explore international approaches to childcare and will visit Bologna University, Reggio Emilia and early years settings and schools. Students will be able to evaluate how different approaches differ in their care of children and will look at both Reggio Emilia and Montessori approaches and compare these with their own experiences.
Holly Chase, Assistant Principal at East Coast College, said: “We are delighted that our students will benefit from this fantastic opportunity and know that opportunities such as this are powerful and very often life changing. We cannot wait to see our students immersing themselves in different cultures and ways of thinking.”
Across the country, 40,000 students will benefit from the scheme travelling to over 150 international destinations, with 48% of places going to those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The scheme, which has replaced the UK’s participation in Erasmus+, is part of the government’s post-Brexit vision to create a truly Global Britain where we learn, work and trade with countries well beyond Europe’s frontiers. It also aims to improve social mobility across the UK by targeting areas which had seen lower uptake of the Erasmus+ programme.
In the announcement made by the Department for Education, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “The chance to work and learn in a country far from home is an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity – which broadens minds, sharpens skills and improves outcomes. But until now it has been an opportunity disproportionately enjoyed by those from the most privileged backgrounds. The Turing Scheme has welcomed a breadth of successful applications from schools and colleges across the country, reflecting our determination that the benefits of Global Britain are shared by all.”
Funding will be available to East Coast College students to take up these opportunities and new and existing students will be given the opportunity to apply for a place.
Find out more and apply for our Childcare courses.
Find out more and apply for our Animal Care courses.