The Turing Scheme has been a huge success!
In January, two groups of UCW students went to the USA as part of a programme to study in a specialised environment for a month. The Turing Scheme is a programme by the Government which provides funding to higher education, further education and vocational education institutions to offer their students, life-changing experiences to study abroad. The Turing Scheme has offered once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for students to develop their skills and make lasting memories.
Two learners, Jasmine and Sonia on our Hair Makeup and Prosthetics for Production programme went to Los Angeles, home of Hollywood and a holy grail for filmmakers! Sonia and Jasmine studied at the Cinema Makeup School, which they described as extremely welcoming in all the classrooms, as they were free to observe other classes to their own if they wanted to. Jasmine said: “Working with professionals who have worked in the industry and are household names was breathtaking.”
Aside from studying in a different environment, Jasmine and Sonia were able to explore bustling Los Angeles. “It was something new for both of us, with a completely unique vibe.” They both visited Disneyland and California Adventure on the weekend, with Jasmine describing it as “magical”! Sonia also took the chance to travel to Las Vegas for a weekend, to visit the Cirque du Soleil and take a helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon. The experience had a positive impact for the future on them both with Sonia saying: “The overall experience has enriched my life in general, as well as my future career”. Both Sonia and Jasmine said that taking part in the Turing Scheme, as part of their course at UCW, exceeded their expectations!
As well as Los Angeles, a group of UCW students also went to New York City for a month! During this time they studied at the Broadway Dance Center, gaining a new perspective on musical theatre and dance performance. This proved to be an excellent experience, with one student saying that they had “expanded the range of dance styles I feel comfortable in and also gained a new type of self-confidence!”
All of the UCW students said that they had developed all the skills they aimed to develop before they went, with over seventy percent saying that they had actually developed more skills than they had aimed to!
Some of the skills developed at the Broadway Dance Center by students include “picking up routines quickly”, as well as learning a broader range of dance styles. Students also said that they had learned “Confidence, self-discipline and independence when training.”
We caught up with Kim, one of the UCW students who visited New York. Kim mentioned that one of the best parts of the experience was the networks that she had been able to build. “I’ve created some amazing connections with both teachers and students, so many diverse people within one building all with the passion to improve and grow within dance!” Kim was also impressed by the range of dance styles available at the Broadway Dance Center “From the classics like ballet and Jazz to more commercial styles like Popping and Afro, there was something for everyone and every ability was valued.” Kim was grateful for the trip “I cannot thank UCW and our course leaders enough for this experience!”
It’s clear that the Turing Scheme has been a huge benefit to the UCW learners who went. This experience has built the confidence of learners, especially in talking opportunities to travel for work in the future.
Students on the Turing Scheme also spoke about gaining confidence in their own ability and their potential future in their chosen industry. They also reported developing new and deeper friendships both with their peers who went with them, but also those they met at the institutions they were studying at.
This amazing experience forms part of the Creative Arts Careers Excellence Hub. By being part of a Career Excellence Hub, all of our courses are designed to make you “job ready” when you graduate. We work with a diverse range of local and national employers to ensure our courses are upgraded with career-boosting benefits, and curriculum content is relevant to today’s industry.
University Centre Weston places a strong emphasis on future careers and the strong prospects we can provide to students. Creating a strong network while at university can be very beneficial to gaining employment, so we seek to give students the best opportunity they can to make connections within industry.
To find out more about Hair Makeup and Prosthetics for Production click here.
To find out more about Musical Theatre click here.
To find out more about Dance for Commercial Performance click here.
