Bury College students were delighted to speak to Michelle Donelan MP, the Minister for Higher and Further Education, and James Daly, MP for Bury North, on a visit to the College on Tuesday. Minister Donelan spoke to students and staff about the college’s new T Level courses, as well as the wide range of higher-level qualifications available at the college’s university centre. Both visited sessions for T Levels in Health and Digital Support Services, and also heard from students on the new Health Care Practice HNC.

T Level Digital Support Services students were hard at work setting up cabling when Minister Donelan visited. Bury College student Aadam Iqbal, shared how strongly he felt the practical, career-focussed elements of the course would prepare him for work. Aadam said, “I really wanted to do a course that would give me the right skills for my career.” Aadam hopes to progress onto an apprenticeship once he has completed his course, with aspirations to be a qualified IT Technician in the future.

Health students across the HNC and T Level courses were being prepared for their upcoming first assessments, and were keen to share with Minister Donelan how the hands-on aspect of the course had appealed to them, as well as the opportunity for extensive work placements.

The Minister said, “It was a pleasure to visit Bury College to see the amazing work that is happening on T Level and HNC courses and how these new qualifications are inspiring students at the college. This Government will continue its mission to level up all parts of the country by providing opportunities for students of all ages to develop the skills necessary to flourish in the modern job market.”

James Daly MP added “The team at Bury College are committed to improving the life chances of every student in their care and I am inspired every single time I visit. Bury College delivers for thousands of young people in our area and with the extra tools at their disposal provided by the Government, including Kickstart, I am certain that they will continue from strength to strength.”

Charlie Deane, Bury College Principal and Chief Executive, said “Bury College is proud to offer students a wide range of career-focussed, dynamic courses that will equip them with all the skills necessary for jobs and for life. We were pleased to welcome Minister Donelan and James Daly MP to visit our T Level and Level 4 sessions, and to discover the vital pathways to employment our curriculum offers.”