Music Students performing at the end of year show

CONEL’s Creative and Computing students End of Year Showcase, titled CREATE 2016 took place at the Bernie Grant Arts Centre on Tottenham Green last week (Wednesday 23 June 2016).  From computer programming and games, to animation and futuristic films, photography, music technology, graphic design and painting – all forms of excellent artistic talent lined the walls of the Centre’s gallery, played within its bijou cinema or were performed inside its theatre space. A warm sunny evening replaced the cloud-filled stormy day and artists and guests mingled in the Centre’s open air square.

Film and Animation

Zeeshan Shah Shannon Louise Geoghegan and Antonios NiolaouWorking to an industrial brief for Expo Logistics (formerly known as DHL) Zeeshan Shah, Antonios Nikolaou and Shannon-Louise Geoghegan presented an animation and video to promote effective health and safety practice. Antonios described how much he had enjoyed the challenge of working within student teams and meeting the client’s brief.

“We had to work together to achieve one deadline and think with one attitude,” he said. In September, Antonios will be going to Greenwich University to study Animation and Zeeshan will be going to Brunel.  He particularly enjoys editing and very much liked the atmosphere of skills-sharing and peer working between students at CONEL. Shannon described how she enjoyed working with Expo Logistics, as it appealed to her love of journalism and the skills she had developed making videos with Link Up TV about the UK Grime scene. Shannon is going on to study Journalism at Falmouth University in Wales.

Music

Music HNC and HND students were performing throughout the evening, while Samuel Crick studying for his Music HNC deejayed on the uppermost mezzanine floor of the gallery. Morris Bailey foreground and Andre Ion on keyboardsMorris Bailey studying for  a Music HND performed on the ground floor below. Morris who is going to the University of Westminster to finish off his degree has a love of all musical genres and wants to work composing for commercials when he graduates. Morris said of his time at CONEL “I found the HNC very focused on musical theory and the HND gave me a great deal of artistic freedom to really experiment musically and develop my work.”

Andre Ion has just completed the Music BTEC Level 3 and is also progressing to Westminster Uni to study Music. Specialising in Trap – a development in Rap music – Andre already has a recording contract in Romania with ambitions to become a major artist there and a significant composer for films and commercials in the UK. Michele Romeo


Fellow student Michele Romeo is a third CONEL student also going to Westminster and plans to train as a teacher on graduation.

 



Computing and Graphic Design 

IT students Raghdan, Abdullah and Oscar

Computing BTEC Level 3 students Oscar Neqach Leon,  Raghdan Nasser and Abdullah Soran with Access to Computing student Luke Taylor demonstrated how to take an image or set of images and then create them or animate them using programming language.

Luke is off to King’s College London next year to study Computer Science and explained: “We are working on the interface between graphic design and computer coding.” Oscar described how they all plan to become the web developers of the future and need to develop excellent creative skills as well as computer programming ones. Raghdan described his favourite moment at the College as one where he demonstrated his work to a group of prospective students at the College’s March Open Day.

 Games Design

CONEL Games Design student Jada SangsterGames Design students demonstrated their work on the ground floor of the Centre with work ranging from 'one player shooters' to advanced adventure quest games in fantasy landscapes.

CONEL’s Games and Animation level 3 student, Jada Sangster (pictured) participated in the semi-finals of the WorldSkills competition earlier this month and is through to the next round.

Jada said: “I am so excited that I got through to the semi final of the WorldSkills Modelling Competition, especially as I have worked very hard on improving my skills. Thank you to my tutor who was very supportive and gave me excellent advice in areas of difficultly. I am definitely looking forward to the next stages of the competition”

Gareth Healy, Jada’s Games and Animation Tutor stated: “We are all so proud of Jada and her recent success. As one of our rising stars she has a bright future ahead of her in this sector and I personally wish her all the luck in the world for the next stage: knock ‘em dead, Jada.”

Kurt Hintz Vice-Principal for Curriculum and Learner Experience, said: “Our Creative and Computing students put on a fabulous show each year and CREATE 2016 was no exception. I am delighted to find that so many of our students are either going on to university to complete their degrees or staying at the College to study for our higher education courses.”

 View the Expo Logistics (DHL) Health and Safety videos using the links below

• If you are interested in a Creative and Media course at CONEL, click on this link.
• If you are interested in a Music course at CONEL, click on this link.
• If you are interested in an ICT and Computing course at CONEL, click on this link.

Level 3 Games and Animation Student, Jada Sangster

CONEL’s Games and Animation Level 3 student, Jada Sangster participated in the semi-finals of the WorldSkills competition run by South Thames College on Tuesday 7 June 2016.

During the semi-finals Jada was given the brief to model food for a cooking game that is currently in the development stage. The competition allowed Jada to demonstrate her creative and technical skills against 18 other students at WorldSkills UK.

The WorldSkills UK Competition is designed by industry experts; the competitions assess knowledge, practical skills and employability against a set of strict criteria. The competition inspires young people to be ambitious in their pursuit of skills excellence to equip them with the skills needed for UK businesses.

Jada said: “I am so excited that I got through to the semi final of the WorldSkills Modelling Competition, especially as I have worked very hard on improving my skills. Thank you to my tutor who was very supportive and gave me excellent advice in areas of difficultly. I am definitely looking forward to the next stages of the competition”

Gareth Healey, Jada’s Games and Animation Tutor, stated: “We are all so proud of Jada and her recent success. As one of our rising stars she has a bright future ahead of her in this sector and I personally wish her all the luck in the world for the next stage: knock ‘em dead, Jada.”

Jada is currently waiting to hear if she got through to the finals which are set to take place at Birmingham in November.

For more information on CONEL’s Gaming and Animation courses click here

The College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London held a Health & Social Care and Early Years taster morning for Northumberland Park School students on Thursday 16 June at the Tottenham Green Centre.

The students took part in three interactive workshops that gave them a better insight into studying Health & Social Care or Early Years at College.  The music workshop allowed the students to get in touch with their inner child as they chose an instrument and performed individually and as a group. During the dance workshop, the students explored movement and learnt the benefits of exercise for all ages. The creative arts workshop involved the students creating collages, using marble, bubble and blow painting. 

Northumberland Park School Students in a Creative Arts and Music workshop

Northumberland Park Student, Amina Mohamed said: “The activities today helped me build my confidence whilst I worked with others. I enjoyed the music workshop the most as it allowed me to have fun and be creative. I learnt what activities to use when working with children and today has given me an idea to study childcare after school”.

Diane Liversidge, Assistant Head Teacher of Northumberland Park School stated: “All the students attending today have an interest in Health & Social Care or Early Years, so it is excellent for them to have this opportunity to work with tutors to get an insight into this area. CONEL put on interactive and informative workshops that the students enjoyed”.

For more information on our Health & Social Care and Early Years courses click here

To see more information on our taster workshops click here

CONEL ESOL Students hold English Tea Party for Marie Curie Charity

CONEL ESOL students raised approximately £200 for Marie Curie Cancer Care by holding an English Tea Party at the Enfield Centre, on Thursday 30 June.

The tea party brought together staff and students and there was a lot to choose and buy, from delicious tea and coffee to scrumptious cakes and biscuits. ESOL students Nuriye and Nusrat said: “We are so happy to take part in such a valuable event to support a charity. It was something totally different from other ordinary food sale fundraising events and we really enjoyed it.”

Another ESOL Entry level 3 student, Malgorzata Krzysztofik, added: “We should do more charity events like this to support people in need. I think this is a great idea and we would like to fundraise to support a charity as a class too. Hopefully next year!”

All proceeds from the event went to Marie Curie, as every cup of tea and slice of cake will help nurse someone with a terminal illness in the local community. Marie Curie Cancer Care provides care and support for people living with any terminal illness, and their families.

The delicious assortments of cakes were baked by students from the ESOL Entry 3 class and their teacher Oya Karabetca. Oya states: “I think it is vital to encourage and involve our learners in such meaningful activities. It gives them the opportunity to make a difference in other people’s lives and enhances their team building skills as well as language skills.”

For more information on CONEL’s ESOL courses click here

CONEL celebrated the end of a brilliant year with a glittering graduation ceremony attended by around 200 people last night (6 July) at the College’s Tottenham Centre. Introduced by the College’s Principal Andy Forbes the event included an inaugural speech from College Governor Lord Triesman of Tottenham, moving speeches from former students and musical performances from singer/songwriter, Eva Dushaj.

The Ceremony recognised the hard work that the students, apprentices and employers had all put in, enabling them to either move on to higher education, move to the next level in their apprenticeship or advance in their careers.

Lord Triesman urged “Skills are important but what will move our country forward is the ability to innovate. All of you here are clearly committed to study and to gaining skills, but remember to think imaginatively and to come up with new solutions to old problems.”

Partner employers who attended included One Housing, Haringey Council, Enfield Council and King’s Kids Day Nursery.

Former Electrical Installation Level 2 student Chenique Cawley described how her practical aptitude had led her to seek a job with her hands and her CONEL course was the perfect choice. Receiving a great deal of learning support for her dyslexia at CONEL, she is now an apprentice with Arriva London as a mechanical engineer and works from the Edmonton garage repairing buses.

Rosheen Salmon described how she came to England from Jamaica about five years ago aged 15 and rather than going to secondary school as she had expected enrolled at CONEL. “I came to England with no qualifications and completed my Level 2, gained triple distinctions in my Level 3 and earned a scholarship to study at the University of Kent.”

Like Chenique, Rosheen made the most of her time at CONEL. She was a Student Ambassador, Communications Officer for the Students’ Union, a Student Mentor and she won an Exceptional Performance Award at the College Excellence Awards in 2013 and won again in 2014.  Rosheen was selected for the prestigious Career Ready Academy and as part of that had a paid internship with RBS, who liked her so much they offered her a full-time job, but she turned it down as she was determined to go to university.

Nathan Beckles, a media graduate, who studied at the former Enfield College, now Enfield Centre around ten years ago is today the Global Director of Business Development at cutting edge technology company Applify Tech.

Nathan says of his career path “I started out working for a company which paid the bills but didn’t excite me. I decided to go for what I loved, which was to work with technology. I joined as a worked my way up by specialising in app development. Today I lead the company in global development.”

A hundred apprentices, students and employers graduated this year from Access to Higher Education courses in Science, Engineering, Computing and Nursing. Higher Education students included: Higher National Certificate (HNC) and Higher National Diploma (HND) students graduating in Computing, Music Production and Animation and Games.

Teachers graduated who were studying Diploma in Education and Training, as well as specialist diplomas in Teaching English Literacy and ESOL and Teaching Disabled Learners. Foundation Degree graduates included Childhood Studies and Counselling.

Eva Dushaj, a singer songwriter with SoundSkool performed her own compositions titled ‘Enjoy Your Life’ and ‘Pride’.

The College offers a wide range of Access to Universityand Higher Education courses as well as Advanced and Higher Apprenticeships. Advanced Apprenticeships are equivalent to Level 3 study.

Higher Apprenticeships are equivalent to HNC/HND level, which means that if you complete a degree you are likely to have already covered your first or second year of study. Just like having an HNC, HND or Foundation Degree, this means you will be able to join your degree course in the second or third year to convert it to an honours degree.

To find out more about our Access and Higher Education courses please click here. 

To find out more about our apprenticeships and apprenticeship vacancies please click here.

CONEL Hair and Beauty Students Raise Over £800 for Enfield Food Bank

Hair and beauty students from the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London held a charity week, during 23rd to 27th May 2016. All the funds from the hair and beauty treatments went to the Enfield Food Bank, an amazing total of £819 was raised.

The hairdressing students provided cuts, hair treatments, styling, blow drying and colouring hair services. The Level 2 beauty students provided pamper sessions comprising of manicures, facials, pedicures and eye treatments and the Level 3 students performed electrical facials, slimming treatments, body massages and Indian head massages. All treatments were carried out on external clients, members of staff, family and friends.  Students also brought in contributions of food, baby products and toiletries for Enfield Food Bank.

Enfield Food Bank provides emergency food for local people in crisis and helps people in need get back on their feet. Enfield Food Bank is run by Trussell Trust who last year gave over a million three-day emergency food supplies to people in crisis in the UK.

Kerry Coe, Manager of Enfield Food Bank visited the hair and beauty classes during the charity week and enjoyed a relaxing hair treatment by CONEL’s Hairdressing students on her visit. Kerry stated: “What the students are doing is brilliant! The funds raised will be a great help to provide emergency food for local people who come to us in need of help.”

Maria Hadjinicolaou, Curriculum Manager for Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy at our Enfield Centre stated: “The students did excellent to raise over £800 for charity. The students involved enjoyed carrying out the treatments and being involved in raising money for a worthwhile cause’.

To find out more about how you can donate to Enfield Food Bank click here

For more information on our Hair and Beauty courses click here

Principal Andy Forbes with students at the CONEL Reading Ahead challenge presentation

The College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London was awarded the Silver Category in this year’s Reading Ahead challenge at the Tottenham Centre’s library after more than 100 students took part in the literacy scheme.

The nationwide Reading Ahead challenge (formerly Six Book Challenge) run by the Reading Agency is designed to encourage adults and young people to read a variety of literature. This is the third year that the College has run the challenge and students, from all different curriculum areas across the college participated.

The students started the national scheme to read six books and completed it this June. As part of the challenge, each reader was given a diary to write a short book review of the books they read. A student said: “What I liked best about Reading Ahead is that it improved my reading and my grammar as well. It also inspired me to have more interest to use the library every now and then.”

Principal Andy Forbes presented students with a certificate of achievement to those who completed the challenge, at the awards ceremony. He said: “These sorts of projects are really important. There are learners from all different walks of life and they all seem to have thoroughly enjoyed it. For many of the students that have taken part English is their second language which adds another dimension to this challenge. It’s remarkable that they have taken up the challenge with such enthusiasm.”

Click here for more information on CONEL’s courses

CONEL GCSE iPad Winners with tutors

CONEL hosted a presentation for the GCSE exam competition at the Tottenham Centre, in July. Twenty students who sat either their GCSE Maths or English exam were randomly selected from a prize draw to win an iPad.   

The students, who have now finished their exams and classes for this academic year, were delighted and surprised to have won an iPad. Mary Aninwoya, studying Skills for Health and Social Care stated: “I was over the moon to hear I won an iPad, I was not expecting it and I am very grateful. I am eagerly awaiting the results in August to allow me to progress to Access to Nursing at CONEL”. 

Samuel Thomas added: “This was a great opportunity and I am very appreciative of the College. It was challenging balancing GCSE English alongside my Extended Diploma in ICT but with the great support of the teachers I was able to finish. I need this qualification because I can't go to university without English and Maths in order to get a good job and progress well in my career.”

Head of School for English & Maths, Sheila Rai stated: “These students have worked with dedication and commitment and deserve a positive achievement in August when GCSE results are released. Their drive to succeed and achieve a GCSE in English and/or maths will open many doors into employment, Apprenticeships and Higher Education.”

To find out more about CONEL’s English and Maths courses click here

CONEL Principal Andy Forbes at the Tottenham Regeneration Conference
CONEL Principal and Chief Executive, Andy Forbes addressed the panel discussion “21^st Century Careers” at the Tottenham Regeneration Conference held at Tottenham Old Town Hall in July. Bringing together local businesses, local government and community organisations, ranging from Haringey Council to the Metropolitan Police Serivce and Transport for London, Tottenham residents had the opportunity to give their views on regeneration projects.

Alongside Andy on the panel were Chevy Nichols, SABA UK Unsigned; Councillor Joe Goldberg, Haringey Council; Mark Smith, Chief Executive Officer of ADA the National College for Digital Skills and Nikki Kelly, Employment and Skills Manager at the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation.

The panel discussed apprenticeships, volunteering, specialist colleges, higher education and how to make the right career decisions. Andy discussed the value of university degrees compared to work based training, and he emphasised that apprenticeships are an excellent way to begin a career. Whatever path you take Andy advised: “Seek professional advice to help you make the right decision, you can always change your mind later on your career.”

Conference delegate Maxine Smith, currently studying the Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing Level 5 at CONEL, asked: “Why is the focus in education and studying on young people? What about those who are not so young?”

The CONEL Principal agreed: “There should be more focus in Adult learning as it’s important to retrain. The government is putting funding into under 19s, but it’s key to think of Education and funding as an investment in yourself and your future.”

Conference delegates also raised concerns following the vote to leave the European Union and the impact it may have on employment.

Cllr Goldberg said: “Even though we are living in uncertain times, we are equally living in a time of unlimited opportunities! Pursue your passions and if you have a unique idea, run with it.”

L – R Thomas and Paul on hand at the conference to talk about the wide range of apprenticeships offered by the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (CONEL)

For more information and to see all our apprenticeship vacancies click here

Whether you’re looking to start training in your chosen career or want to enhance your job prospects, there are plenty of opportunities at The College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (CONEL) 

CONEL offers a wide range of apprenticeships, NVQ and BTEC vocational courses and academic courses as an alternative to traditional sixth form study, and will be open for enrolments from Tuesday, August 16.

The College also runs apprenticeships and higher education courses in subjects as diverse as business and accounting, engineering, science, ICT and computing, health and social care, travel and tourism, media and music production, public services and teaching.

This September CONEL will be launching new music production and performance courses and Advanced apprenticeships in engineering.

Each year around 500 students from the College go to university after completing courses and around 60% gain full-time employment with large blue-chip organisations and smaller local businesses in the London area.

For those who may not have got the grades they were hoping for, CONEL also offers starting points at all academic levels and personal support to help you get back on track.

Principal Andy Forbes said: “At CONEL we have a great selection of apprenticeships and courses available at our fully equipped centres in Tottenham and Enfield.

“You’ll learn from expert tutors and will gain real work experience on many of our courses, to give you the skills and knowledge to start your career and improve your future prospects, whether in work or moving on to higher education.”

To find out more call 020 8442 3055 or visit www.conel.ac.uk/enrol.

Miki Burnett is heading to Birmingham Conservatoire, part of Birmingham City University, to study for a degree in music technology.

Students at The College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (CONEL) are celebrating after gaining places at some of the country’s top universities.

The College offers a range of BTEC and NVQ vocational courses as an alternative to A-levels to give students the qualifications, skills and knowledge needed for work and access to higher education.

Each year hundreds of CONEL students go to university after completing courses in subjects as diverse as business and accounting, engineering, science, ICT and computing, health and social care, travel and tourism, media and music production, public services and teaching.

Students achieving distinctions (D) or merits (M) on Level 3 Extended courses often gain enough UCAS points to move on to higher education, including some top Russell Group universities.

CONEL also offers one-year Access to Higher Education Diploma courses at Advanced Level and apprenticeships as other routes into university.

Among the College’s top performing students were Xing Ye, 19, who achieved D*D*D* in a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Computing, and Vasileios Horga, 20, who attained D*D*D on the same course.

Miki Burnett, 18, gained a D*D* in a BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Music Technology to earn a place at the Birmingham Conservatoire, part of Birmingham City University, to study for a degree in music technology.

He said: “Music is in my blood. I like how people react to it and how it can influence and change people’s lives. When you’ve found something you really want to do, you want to learn more.

“The College is a great place to work with great equipment and studios. The course was much more in keeping with what I wanted to do than A-levels. It really put me on the right path.”

Shannon-Louise Geoghegan, 20, is heading to Falmouth University to study journalism and creative writing after attaining a MMM in a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Creative Media.

She said: “Going to CONEL gave me the opportunity to learn new skills that will benefit me in the future. My teachers were easy to go to if I needed them, and it was also a lot of fun. I’m now really looking forward to university.”

Bhaveet Shah, 24, recently graduated with a first class degree in computer science from Brunel University after gaining a triple ‘distinction’ in a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Computing at CONEL in 2012.

He said: “I had a great experience at CONEL. It really prepared me well for university. The tutors always push everyone to the best of their ability whatever you study. I’m now going to Queen Mary University of London to study for a master’s degree in software engineering.”

For those completing A-levels and equivalent vocational courses, CONEL offers several Higher National Diploma and Higher National Certificate courses and degree level study in some subject areas.

Principal Andy Forbes said: “I would like to congratulate all our students who have successfully achieved their NNQ and BTEC Advanced Level courses, and wish those who are moving on to university every success in their future studies.

“Vocational courses are a great alternative to A-levels. At CONEL we have a fantastic range of courses to choose from to help you develop the skills and knowledge needed to fulfil your potential in work and education.”

Call 020 8442 3055 to find out more about BTEC and NVQ courses, apprenticeships and other courses at CONEL.

Carlos Lopez,who previously studied an HNC and HND at CONEL, graduated this year with a BA(Hons) in Games Design from the University of Huddersfield

With many sixth-formers finding out there A-level results today, there may be some who did not get the grades they needed to go to university.

The College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London offers a range of courses to develop skills and improve education and work prospects, and alternative ways of getting into university.

Carlos Lopez, 28, who previously studied an HNC and HND at CONEL, graduated this year with a BA(Hons) in Games Design from the University of Huddersfield.

He said: “The courses at CONEL were more practical and relevant to what I wanted to do. It meant I was able to stay local and the cost was much lower than going to university for three years.

“My teachers also knew me, and I knew the level expected from me. If I had to do it again I would have done it the same way.

Around 500 students at CONEL progress to university each year and around 60 per cent are in work.

For those looking to higher education, the College offers HNC and HND courses, which can be topped up to an honours degree with a year’s study at university. Course subjects include engineering, science, computing, public services, animation and music.

CONEL also offers an Association of Accounting Technicians apprenticeship at Level 4.

The College provides Access to Higher Education and BTEC Level 3 courses, as an alternative to retaking A-levels, in areas including construction, engineering, science, business and accounting, travel and tourism, public services, ICT and computing, creative media and music.

CONEL students also have access to careers advice and support through UCAS clearing to help them gain a place at university.

To find out more about courses at CONEL call 020 8442 3055 or visit www.conel.ac.uk.

Our Accountancy apprenticeships offer the chance to train with some of the biggest names in finance.

As A-level results are released today, accountancy apprentices from the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (CONEL) have told why they opted for vocational training over a degree.

Apprenticeships enable you to earn while you learn with apprentices usually spending one day a week at the College and the remaining four in the workplace, with many learning their trade at big name companies including financial giants including RBS, Grant Thornton. RSM and Mazars.

“I completed A-Levels and attended the College’s open day and was introduced to the College’s accounting programme,” said Tuoyo Egodo, 19, who is working as a Financial Institution Assistant at RBS.

“This programme attracted me in terms of placement as I always wanted to work for the top UK banks.  With the support from the College mentors and tutors I secured 12-month apprenticeship with RBS. I feel that the College has supported my ambition with working within the financial sector.”

Sabrina Ahmad, 19, who is employed as an Accounts Assistant at RSM, said: “The apprenticeship scheme offered by CONEL has given me the chance to gain 12 months’ work experience with one of the world's largest accounting firms RSM-UK, at the same time it has allowed me to start studying towards my AAT Level 3. 

“I have received excellent support from my tutors and from the employment team to help me with my confidence in interviews to secure my job at RSM-UK.”

CONEL boasts Accounting and ICT and Computing Academies at its Tottenham Centre and is set to open a new Microsoft classroom in November, featuring some of the latest cutting edge computer technology.

Students and apprentices aged 16 to 24 who enrol on the Accountancy Apprenticeship Academy AAT Level 3 and the IT Apprenticeship Academy Level 3 programmes are able to join the academies, which offer more opportunities to develop their skills and work experience.

CONEL also offers apprenticeships and courses in construction, engineering, hair and beauty, science, business management, health and social care, creative and media, music, sport and fitness, travel and tourism, English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), public services, teaching and supported learning.

For more information call 020 8442 3055 or visit www.conel.ac.uk.

Sameeer Tahir, seated, with Davide Romeo, standing on the right, and tutor Pradeep David, left.

A group of tech savvy entrepreneurs who met on a digital marketing course at The College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (CONEL) are to set up their own business.

The five students all studied for a Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing course, run in partnership with the Digital Marketing Institute, at the College, which has centres in Tottenham and Enfield.

The name and exact nature of the business are still to be decided, but the group is considering either a digital marketing service for professional services or a web-based agency to help overseas students to access further and higher education in the UK.

Sameer Tahir, 39, explained how he and his fellow students decided to put the skills that they had learnt on the six-week course, under the instruction of tutor Pradeep David, to use.

He said: “There was a diverse amount of skills within the group and we wanted to create something that was more than the sum of its parts and a start a business that will offer something worthwhile.

“Pradeep was very enthusiastic and said we should give it a go. We’re at a very early stage at the moment but excited by the ideas we are coming up with, and seeing how successful we could be.”

Davide Romeo, 20, who is part of the group, said: “I really enjoyed the course. This technology is developing and is going to be the future.

“It was a challenge, but I learnt a lot. English is not my first language so it was quite hard for me, but my tutor and classmates were really good and very supportive.”

The Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing is an industry recognised qualification at Level 5, which is equivalent to the second year of a degree study.

It is aimed at anyone looking to develop their skills in this area whether you own your own business, work in a small start-up or a larger organisation in the private, public or charity sector.

Classes, will include analysis of case studies and group work, and explore the latest techniques and tools needed for this expanding area of business.

The course covers search engine optimisation, pay per click, digital display marketing. email marketing, social media marketing, mobile marketing, online analytics and strategy and planning for digital marketing campaigns.

CONEL is offering 30% off the next Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing course starting on 6 September, running for six weeks on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6pm to 9pm.

Call 020 8442 3055 or click here for more information.

Dilek Kalemci, Amy Balducci and Paige Jones celebrate their GCSE results.

Students at The College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (CONEL) are celebrating another year of GCSE results.

More than 530 students took exams in English and around 430 in maths as the College, with many resitting the exams to improve the grades they attained at school.

CONEL saw 39% gain A* to C grades in GCSE mathematics, in line with the College’s results in 2015, with 7% gaining A* to A grades, and an overall pass-rate of 93%. 

Among the top performing students in maths was Marta Srama, 33, who achieved an A* in maths.

She said: “I am over the moon. I did not expect this grade. I was very nervous since and did not sleep much last night, but now I’m very happy.

“I have two children and will be showing them my grade, and will tell them when they take their GCSEs in a few years, ‘If mum can do it, they can’.”

Md Abu Joni, 24, who gained an A in maths, will be heading to the University of Essex to study computer science after also completing a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Computing at CONEL.

He said: “I felt confident going into the exam, but you never know until the result. I was predicted an A and now I’ve got it, and now excited about going to university.”

Md Abu Joni who achieved an A in maths.

The College also saw 22% of students achieve grades A* to C in GCSE English with an overall pass-rate of 88%.

Jennifer Stacey, 30, gained A in English and a C in maths to get a place at London South Bank University to study for a Postgraduate Diploma in Adult Nursing.

She said: “I’m so happy. I cannot believe I got an A in English. I am absolutely ecstatic. This was the second time I’d taken my maths since school, and I am thrilled to have got a C.

“My tutors were brilliant and my peers in the class were so supportive. It’s a really good feeling.”

Jennifer Stacey who attained an A in English and a C in maths.

CONEL offers a wide range of NVQ and BTEC vocational courses as an alternative to A-levels to give students the qualifications, skills and knowledge needed for work and access to higher education, with many going on to study at top universities.

The College also runs apprenticeships and higher education courses in subjects as diverse as business and accounting, engineering, science, ICT and computing, health and social care, travel and tourism, media and music production, public services and teaching.

Kurt Hintz, Vice Principal for Curriculum and Learner Experience, said: “Good GCSE results in English and maths are extremely important to gain places on apprenticeships or in higher education and employment.

“We are pleased with these results, particularly in maths, which has been down to the dedication of our staff and students. I would like to congratulate them all wholeheartedly on their success.”

To find out more about NVQ and BTEC courses, apprenticeships, GCSE and other courses at CONEL call 020 8442 3055 or visit www.conel.ac.uk/courses.

Nathan Hudson-Anastasiou gained full-time employment with Notting Hill Housing after completing apprenticeship in accounting with the company following his GCSEs.

A-levels are not the only option for school-leavers celebrating their GCSE results today.

The College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (CONEL) offers a range of apprenticeships, which enable you to earn while you learn, with apprentices typically spending four days in the workplace and one day training at college.

Those who may not have got the results they had hoped for should also not despair as it is possible to sit or retake English and maths qualifications alongside many apprenticeships.

Apprentices usually spend four days learning in the workplace and one day studying at the College, with the Government covering the cost of training for those aged 16 to 18.

CONEL offers apprenticeships and courses in construction, engineering, hair and beauty, science, business management and accountancy, health and social care, creative and media, music, sport and fitness, travel and tourism, English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), public services, teaching and supported learning.

The College also offers pre-apprenticeships, which provide skills needed to start a full apprenticeship in just 12 to 15 weeks. Pre-apprentices offer the chance to gain work experience at top employers, improve your interview and employability skills with a guaranteed interview at the end of the placement.

Nathan Hudson-Anastasiou. 18, joined CONEL after finishing his GCSEs to do a pre-apprenticeship followed by an Advanced Level apprenticeship in accounting with Notting Hill Housing, which led to full-time employment as a finance systems officer with the company.

He said: “I chose an apprenticeship because I prefer a more hands on experience and learning on the job rather than just studying theory. I had maths and ICT at GCSE and thought accountancy would be the best of both.

“My job as a trainee was just one part of accounting, but the training at CONEL gave me knowledge of accounting as a whole. I’ve now been able to put what I’ve learnt into practice and have a job with good progression and security.”

CONEL boasts some of the best education and training facilities in London, including construction and engineering workshops along with Career Academies for IT and computing, business management, accounting and travel and tourism, and is set to open a new Microsoft classroom in November.

Nathan is part of the Leadership Through Sport and Business (LTSB) initiative.

For more information on apprenticeships call 020 8442 3055 or visit www.conel.ac.uk/courses/apprenticeships.

Mala Balachandran attained a C in English and maths in her GCSEs.

Mala Balachandran has proved you’re never too old to learn after passing two GCSEs.

The 68-year-old was thrilled after achieving a C in English and a C in maths at The College of Haringey Enfield and North East London (CONEL).

Marla, who is originally from Malaysia, decided to study the GCSEs to "keep my mind busy" and attended every lesson at the College as well as half-term workshops and homework clubs.

She has now been nominated by her tutors for CONEL’s Student of the Year award.

Sheila Rai, Head of School – English and Maths, said: “We’re incredibly proud of all our students and would like to congratulate them all on their GCSE results.”

“Many of their stories are inspirational. They’ve put in a lot of the hard work and dedication to pass their exams, and in Mala’s case shown you are never too old to learn.”

To find out more about courses and apprenticeships at CONEL call 020 8442 3055 or visit www.conel.ac.uk/courses.

Siemens’ apprentices Julia Bariotakis, Harry Perkins, Tarun Patel and Krishan TaiIor at CONEL's engineering workshop in Enfield.

The College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (CONEL) today launched a new partnership with global engineering giant Siemens to train its next generation of apprentices in London.

The College is providing training for 17 new recruits to the company’s apprenticeship scheme, where they will have access to its fully-equipped workshops featuring the latest in engineering tools and equipment.

Apprentices will be coming to the Enfield Centre of the college to train in the design and development of rail systems, including electrification of railways, road traffic systems, healthcare equipment and building technologies.

Head of School Asif Khan, Head of School – Science and Engineering at CONEL, said: "It is great that we are working with Siemens. This is an exciting opportunity for the College and our learners.

“As part of this partnership we’ll be pioneering the new Trailblazer rail apprenticeships launched this year, which will complement the engineering provision we have here already."

Siemens is one of the UK’s leading employers with a 14,000-strong workforce in the UK and has more than 500 apprentices on its training programme across all its business divisions, including 120 new apprenticeships this year.

New apprentice Aymane Elkholta, 18, said: "CONEL has great facilities and everything is new at this college. Also it has a very high success rate in engineering and the teachers are very professional. I came to the open day and really enjoyed myself and I believe this is a really great college."

Aine Harnett-Lennon, 18, who is also on the apprenticeship scheme, added: "In school I enjoyed maths and physics, but I didn't know it was engineering I wanted to do until quite recently. My teacher told me about it I immediately thought it was something I wanted to do."

Kurt Hintz, Vice Principal for Curriculum and Learner Experience at CONEL, and Heather Robson, Vocational Skills Consultant at Siemens, with the new Siemens' apprentices at the college's engineering workshop in Enfield.

In the UK, the Siemens manufactures products such as industrial gas turbines, traffic lights, superconducting magnets for MRI scanners, high efficiency motor drives and train radios.

The overwhelming majority of  the company's apprentices continue to full employment with Siemens. More than half the general managers in the business areas where apprentices work started out as apprentices with the company.

CONEL Course Tutor Roger Keys with Siemens' apprentices at CONEL's engineering workshop in Enfield.

Martyn Hottass, General Manager - Skills and Siemens Professional Education, said: “Siemens has always believed in apprenticeship as a very good start to a career in our business. At Siemens, an apprenticeship is a job from day one with great prospects.

“We chose CONEL as our partner college because of its commitment to delivering engineering qualifications to the level required by our business to prepare young learners for a great career.”

For more on apprenticeships and courses at CONEL visit www.conel.ac.uk, or to apply for Siemens apprenticeships visit www.siemens.co.uk/careers.

Former CONEL carpentry and joinery apprentice Fiona McKinney.

With more than 230,000 jobs expected to be created in the construction over the next five years there has never been a better time to get into the industry.

The College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (CONEL) offers a range of construction apprenticeships and skills-based training courses including bricklaying, dry lining, carpentry, plumbing and electrical courses.

The Industrial Insights 2016-2020 report by the Construction Skills Network (CSN), the industry is expected to grow by 2.5% each year – 3.5% in Greater London.

Fiona McKinney, 24 studied at CONEL as part of an apprenticeship in carpentry and joinery with Haringey Council’s housing service Homes for Haringey in 2009-11, where she still works today.

She went on to secure the top prize in the Association for Public Service Excellence National Housing and Building Apprentice of the Year Awards.

“I didn’t really like school and wasn’t that academic,” said Fiona.

“Woodwork was the only thing I had an interest in and I managed to get an apprenticeship with Homes for Haringey and on a course at CONEL.

“I was quite shy and nervous when I started and wondered if I could handle it. I really enjoyed learning about carpentry, and now I love it! It really helped me grow in confidence.

“I’ve just been put on a management course and also going to be a health and safety rep.”

Adam Tezzare began an apprenticeship with T Clarke, a nationwide building services contractor delivering mechanical, electrical and ICT services, in June, having previously studied for a Level 1 and a Level 2 Diploma in Electrical Installation.

The 31-year-old, who was among the College’s Excellence Award winners in 2015, said: “The teachers at CONEL are very good and supportive. When doing something practical they would give a good explanation why it was important, and what would happen if you didn’t do it, and made sure you did not forget anything.”

“This job has given me confidence. They [my employers] have given me the information and trusted me to work well, and I‘m learning all the time.”

CONEL apprentice Adam Tezzare receives an Excellence Award from Principal Andy Forbes in 2015.

According to the CSN report, in Greater London alone 18,250 construction jobs – 3,650 a year - are expected to be created over the next five years, with each year the capital needing 1,210 builders, 480 glaziers, 420, wood and interior fitters, 200 floorers and 480 non-construction operatives.

Strong investment in commercial and infrastructure projects and a growth in private housing, at levels not seen since before the start of the recession in 2008, have led to the demand for skilled workers.

In Greater London there are also a number of large projects in the rail industry which are also expected to continue to require skilled workers over the coming years, including Crossrail, HS2 and the Thames Tideway Tunnel.

For more information on Carpentry and Joinery courses at CONEL you can browse our website by clicking on this link, call  020 8442 3055 or come into enrolment.

Hair and Beauty Apprentice Wanessa Carvalho promotes Haringey Time Credits at our Tottenham Salon.

Haringey Time Credits will be accepted at the Tottenham Salon of The College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (CONEL) from 1 October.

The project recognises the time volunteers give to their community through Time Credits, which they can spend at local businesses, entertainment venues and tourist attractions.

As well as accepting Time Credits, the College’s salon in Tottenham offers haircuts and makeovers by students on our health and beauty courses at considerably less cost than on the high street.

Students will have the opportunity to earn Time Credits themselves when they take part in various community projects while studying at CONEL.

Haringey Time Credits is one of several schemes in London, and offers a one-hour credit to residents for every hour of their time they give to their community.

The scheme was launched in 2014 and is run by the charity Spice and is co-commissioned by Haringey Council and homelessness charity St Mungo’s.

For more information about Time Credits visit www.justaddspice.org.

Salon Opening Times

Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday - 9.30am to 5pm
Wednesday and Thursday - 9.30am to 7pm
Sunday and Monday - Closed

To book an appointment call 020 8442 3121.