College On Course For Higher Education Numbers Boom

Tamworth & Lichfield College is anticipating a 25% rise in the number of HE students enrolling in September following the introduction of a range of new higher courses in everything from film and television production to automotive technology.

The courses are being offered to students under a partnership with Staffordshire University to ensure as many people as possible have access to Higher Education options without having to travel out of their own areas.

College Assistant Principal John Fontaine said, “Last year our numbers went up by 25% and we are expecting that sort of increase again this year. That will mean that overall, our higher education numbers at the college will have grown from just a small number three years ago, to around 500 in 2010.”

New for 2008/09 is a Foundation Degree in Film and Television Production Technology and Management which will run at the college’s Lichfield School of Art. Head of School Alison Churchill said, “This is a fantastic two year, full time course offering an exciting and innovative work-based programme concentrating on the development of practical technical and management skills that are so vital to jobs in the film and television industry.

“As part of our commitment to providing the best possible courses, the programme is built around Armoris Media, a production company operating alongside the media courses here in Lichfield. Armoris has been a very impressive venture, producing excellent work and winning critical acclaim. As a result, it has been considerably expanded and designated as a full-scale production hub for this new and exciting Foundation Degree.

“As a commercial film production company, it provides a vibrant and exciting industry-based environment in which to develop sustainable, industry-related technical and production management skills.”

John Fontaine added, “We provide a very wide variety of HNC, HND and Foundation Degree courses in subjects including Information Technology, Electronics Technology, Complementary Therapies, Teaching Assistants, Business, and Childhood Studies and we are particularly proud of our newest additions including a Foundation Degree in Automotive Technology.”

He added, “We want to try and extend the options wherever possible, and we are determined to make this a priority for the future. This means that local people will be more easily able to integrate learning at a higher level with other aspects of their lives, and can reduce travelling and studying costs considerably.”