Page 22 - StudyTravel Magazine August 2019 Issue

SPECIAL REPORT STUDYTRAVEL MAGAZINE AUGUST 2019

purely because they gain practical skills, and can
earn offi cial technology vendor certifi cations in
parallel to their qualifi cation. When we talk to our
corporate customers, the potential future employ-
ers of our graduates, they are looking for practical
and theoretical technical application, balanced with points out that
professional workplace skills.” visa regulations are
PHOTO: NEW
In Canada too, vocational education is an estab- not always conducive HORIZONS
lished offering for the international student market and to growing the market in the
the availability of favourable work rights both during state college sector, particularly
and after their vocational programme is a key element for courses that offer a higher educa-
of this. Mark Herringer from North Island College tion qualifi cation. “Currently the language
International www.nic.bc.ca/international in Courte- school work is the dominant business but only
nay, BC, says, “Tourism and hospitality and Business because we have recently renewed our Tier 4 li-
diplomas are always popular. Technical programmes cence. We anticipate [the vocational sector] producing
that are strong include Industrial Automation, Aircraft a third of our income in the future. Higher education
Structures and on the IT side, Web and Mobile App [provision] is small due to diffi culty competing with
Development. We are also starting to deliver inter- universities with more attractive permissions i.e. 20
national cohort programmes in Early Childhood Care hours [a week] work rights.”
and Education (ECCE) and other health and human Mark continues that level three vocational courses
services programmes.” [equivalent to A-levels] are becoming more popular
Mark adds that most of their vocational courses with international students due to “increased aware-
include a co-op or internship element and the college ness of the value and quality in agents and parents”.
has recently been developing new programmes to He adds, “We anticipate Art & Design being the
meet demand. “NIC built a new two-year Culinary largest area – in part due to understanding in some
Business Operations programme that has started markets of the need for students to be taught a more
very well and we are establishing two new diploma creative and broader approach beyond craft skills.”
programmes: Computer Information Systems and Mark also points out that progression opportunities
engineering to start in 2020 to match students and for students with lower level English language skills
employer demand in those areas,” he says. are also hampered by them having to apply for a Tier
While demand for vocational education in the UK 4 visa in their own country. “Visa regulations prevent
is high among international students, according to our the logical offer i.e. a pre-sessional English followed
agent poll (see overleaf), Mark Allen from East Sussex by level three programme,” he says. “Students could
College Group www.escg.ac.uk/study/international/ come on pre-sessional English on an STS visa, return

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