Studying for a partnership degree at Forth Valley College has helped Matthew Gilbert (19) from Stirling, gain a better understanding of the route he will take in his career.
Matthew is currently on the MEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering which leads to progression into third year mechanical at Heriot-Watt University.
He said: “I chose Forth Valley College as there was a fast application response from the College and the course has good links to strong universities such as Heriot-Watt and Napier.
“The application for the course did not have the need for an English qualification. I lack any English qualifications which limited my options when applying for courses.
“Smaller classes was also an attraction. At the start of the year there were only around 25 students as opposed to the typical 400 or so at university. I believed I would be able to work better in this quieter environment and the Falkirk Campus also has good labs and workshops. I was also pleased that there was a nearby park and cycle storage lockers.
“As regards to the facilities, I can only comment on the machining workshop, where I got to use lots of different machines to cut some aluminium parts, as part of the course. I also gained hands on experience with the manufacture of products. There are a great range of machines such as 3D Printers, lathes, milling machines, band saws and other various tools.
“In relation to the grounds it is hard to get lost and there is lots of light inside the building and lots of glass and balconies to make spaces seem larger than they are. The Learning Resource Centre is spacious and has plenty of computers with suitable software installed and there is a good quiet room.
“The lecturers are friendly and helpful. Each lecturer has their own way of managing the class’s work and would have preferred this to be more consistent across lecturers.
“Studying at Forth Valley College has helped me to gain useful skills, and given me a greater understanding of what engineering is. I have observed new behaviors of people and all this information will prove useful in my future plans.
“FVC has offered me the opportunity to develop a better understanding of what a job in the manufacturing or product development industry might looks like. As a result, I have decided to change course.
“I would recommend the College and the course because of the hands on learning in the workshop with machines and tooling, and also the quiet environment that can be found in the campus is very appealing to me.
“Also another reason to recommend the College is that most of the lecturers have a great deal of industry – and even military - experience and can offer an insight into the engineering discipline. The course also offers university level maths classes to students. Partaking or passing this will offer greater choice when applying for further learning.
“The best bit for me was the theory and calculations. There are also good resources for developing an understanding of engineering formulas and their applications.”