Zunaira Ghazanfar (20) from Falkirk is on the Workstart course at Forth Valley College’s Falkirk Campus.
She said: “Falkirk High School encouraged me to apply for a course at Forth Valley College. When my mum and I came along to the Falkirk Campus we met several staff from the department and they discussed the course content, support available and opportunities regarding the Workstart course. I knew then that Workstart would be perfect for me as I liked lots within the course.
“I would say the facilities are great and the lecturers are very helpful. They will become your friends and you can ask them for help if you were stuck at some point. You can ask them questions as many times as you want to help you understand what has just been explained, and they are also more than happy to explain to you in a way that will be easier for you to understand.
“Studying at college has benefited me in my knowledge and skills, especially in communication and confidence, as I used to be very shy. I now regularly stop to have a chat to support staff at the Student Hub.
“The College will help me to move on the next step of my career and help get me my dream job. Also, the skills and the experiences I have attained by doing different tasks within my Workstart course – such as volunteering roles with arts and crafts at Westfield Community Centre, Falkirk – will also benefit me.
“I would recommend the College to anyone because it’s a very nice friendly environment, and you will make friends. It will help you to build your confidence, the staff are very nice and most importantly you will get lots of opportunities. You will always be encouraged to do what you like and won’t be forced to do something you wouldn’t like to do. I would recommend my course to anyone because it’s a fresh start to employment, you get the opportunity to study different subjects and you will learn new skills everyday in each subject.
“I would say the best bit for me are the lecturers, my classmates and different experiences I have had by doing the Workstart course. Also, I feel the opportunities I have had every day, means that for me, College is much better than school.
“I would recommend College as you can continue with your education and in an area that you would like to study, mainly because you enjoy the subject and would like to learn more and have different job opportunities.