Yesterday, our Public Services students attended an interactive talk from Natasha, a employee of Oxfam. Natasha discussed what Oxfam provides, why they are needed in the world and her recent trip to Bangladesh. Our students also got involved in two interactive activities which made our them think outside of the box! Discover more about Public Services at our Taster Days. To pre-register follow this link; https://www.bca.ac.uk/event/public-services-taster-day/

Maidenhead United Football Club Academy trials are taking place at BCA on Monday 12th February, 10:00am - 1:00pm. To register your interest please email; sportacademy@bca.ac.uk *Please note: You must be enrolled on a full-time course at BCA to be part of our Sports Academies.

Here at BCA we love to hear from alumni. Jack has been in contact and updated us on what he has been doing since leaving BCA back in 2016. Name: Jack Madden Course studied: Art & Design Extended Diploma, 2013 & Foundation Diploma, 2015. Progression: Animation/Illustration Student at Kingston University. My Career Path: I chose to study an Animation/Illustration degree at Kingston University. I have found the course to be very stimulating and great fun, and I love studying with fellow-minded people who share my passion for art. Content of the course can be intense, which I found quite stressful in the first year. Some of this stress was adapting to the different ethic university operates under. It is totally the responsibility of the student how much work and effort they want to invest. This independence took me a period of adjustment to adapt to fully. Why BCA?: I really enjoyed my three years at BCA. From the drive up the entrance (especially in spring with all the daffodils) to the creative freedom we were encouraged to explore by first tutor Andy and then Sharon. These tutors, together with the support team, made my BCA experience very rewarding. My proudest moment in life so far is winning the Art & Design Student of the Year when I left in July 2016. I left BCA with straight distinctions, and this meant I received offers from those universities I felt most enthusiasm for. Hints & tips: My tip for current BCA students may sound boring but, work as hard as you can, commit as much as you can and be enthusiastic. Do not waste your time at College, use every minute of the opportunity to the maximum potential. I believe the saying is "you get out what you put in". You will have many years to regret lethargy. Even at university, I am shocked to see fellow students showing a complete lack of discipline! In my experience, effort is always recognised and rewarded. If you choose to study further at university, please make sure you make the right choice of both course, and university. It is vital to do lots of research and attend open days etc. Absolutely everything has to feel right. It is so expensive, and the goal is to get the best degree humanly possible, which will hopefully open the door to a job you excel at and love. You cannot get that degree if you are anything less than 100% sure about your course. If you're an ex-student of BCA and would like to join the Alumni community, then register at: https://www.bca.ac.uk/the-college/alumni/

We're currently recruiting for some fantastic vacancies including Estates Machinery Technician, Animal Management Centre Education Officer and Equine Events & Facilities Coordinator, many with closing dates this week. Don't miss out! Apply today: http://bit.ly/2iYPIBQ

Earlier this week our Level 3 Business Studies students took part in a CV workshop with local professionals from NatWest, The Royal Bank of Scotland, Shortfall Cover and Temple Films. The professionals shared their knowledge and helped our students improve their employability. Karen, the event organiser, believed this activity was a great success and stated; 'Thank you to all the professionals for building confidence into our students as they wrestle with decisions on their future employment, it was a constructive and enjoyable morning.' To discover what it is like to be a BCA Business Studies student for the day, come along to our Taster Day. To secure your place, please follow this link; https://www.bca.ac.uk/event/taster-day-media-production-business-studies/

On Monday, our Level three Public Services students had their drills closely examined by Captain Taylor and WO2 Gill from the Coldstream Guards - Here is group L3 1A who impressed the Guards and won first place. To find out more about our Public Services course, come along to our Open Day. To pre-register, please follow this link; https://www.bca.ac.uk/event/open-day-8/

We're delighted to announce a new Open Day date. We wanted as many opportunities for you to come and see our beautiful campus and find out what BCA can offer you as possible. So why not come along to our Open Day on the 24th March 2018 from 10am - 2pm to speak with staff and current students from all subject areas. As well as finding out more about our fantastic courses, you can take a tour of our state-of-the-art campus alongside attending talks by our Principal; Gillian May. To pre-register, follow this link; https://www.bca.ac.uk/event/open-day-9/

To continue our Equine Studies 'Get Fit for January' initiative, our students tried out bouldering, or indoor climbing, on Monday. This traditionally helps develop a persons core strength, balance and coordination, all of which are important when riding and working with horses. Many thanks to Marcus from the College's Outdoor Education team for leading the session. There's more to Equine Studies than riding horses. Find out more at our February Open Day: http://bit.ly/2D7f4oJ

Here at BCA we love to hear from our alumni. Emiliee has been in contact and updated us on what she has been doing since leaving BCA back in 2014. Name: Emiliee Wilkins Course studied: Animal Management & HND in Animal Management Job: Kennel Manager at Charlesberry Kennels & cattery in Milton Keynes My Career Path: I worked at Notcutts Garden Centres pet shop during my three years of studying at BCA. After leaving College, I worked at a kennels in Oxfordshire for one year where I was head kennel hand and receptionist. From there, I went to work at several different kennels and then started working as a Veterinary Assistant. After a few months I realised that my true passion was with kennels and therefore, started training as a Manager for Charlesberry Kennels & Cattery. Within three months I was fully trained and the manager. Why BCA?: BCA allowed me to develop skills I never knew I would need. I made many friends and widened my connections within the industry. BCA helped me progress into who I am today by helping me gain the skills and knowledge required to be able to get a managerial position. The tutors always pushed me to believe in myself and I am so glad I listened to them. Future Plans: I enjoy my role as Manager and have no plans to leave or change career. Hints & tips: College is about having fun whilst studying and developing skills. Be patient, you can do it and the studying is worth it. If you're an ex-student of BCA and would like to join the Alumni community, then register at: https://www.bca.ac.uk/the-college/alumni/

We're absolutely delighted to be ranked 5th for UK College's #socialmedia activities for December on Net Natives' #EduRank site: https://edurank.net/

Come and see us on 27th February 2018 at our Equestrian Careers Day. We have lots of great demonstrations and speakers lined up including David Britnell Eventing who will be giving another fun and informative demonstration. David will hopefully be bringing ‘Continuity’ his 3* event horse and another horse to jump. We also have some other great speakers including Scott-Dunns Equine Clinic, The Royal Agricultural University, Berkshire Riding Centre, Sync Equine and The Household Cavalry.

Are you looking to develop a new and exciting skill this year? On Saturday 24th February we’re holding a day-course on traditional hedge laying. This course is intended to introduce a complete novice to the skills required to lay a hedge in a traditional Southern Counties Style. Discover the history of hedge laying, health and safety, techniques, staking, binding and finishing. So why not come along and start the year by developing your green fingers. To secure your place on this course, follow this link: https://www.bca.ac.uk/course/countryside/