Preparing you for your future - whether you want to go straight into employment or onto higher education, we have the right course for you.

Overview

Do you want to study full-time or would you prefer to gain your qualifications through an Apprenticeship? The choice is yours and at Craven College we can offer you both routes. Both are of equal value but are different to reflect your individual needs and preferences. Careers advice, discussions with family and friends, along with interviews with our staff will help you decide the best route for you - but to help get you started the following gives you a brief outline of the differences.

Full-time Study Route

As a full-time student your course will be spread over the week, normally between the hours of 9am and 5pm. Your course will consist of taught classes, seminars, practical workshops, virtual learning environments and self-directed study. Your course may also include work experience. Unlike school, you will have more freedom over what you do when you are not actually attending classes because we treat you as an adult. However, with this freedom comes a responsibility to your fellow students and staff of Craven College. We expect you to be committed to your studies and eager to gain qualifications. Your full-time course can either be vocational - based on a particular employment sector such as catering, horticulture, travel and tourism, aviation or construction, or you can follow an academic route through an A Level course. Whichever you decide you will be able to gain valuable qualifications that can lead into Higher Education or into employment. You also have the opportunity to mix and match vocational and academic qualifications so that you get the best of both worlds. You may be eligible for financial support through EMA and Adult Learning grants.

Apprenticeships

For those of you who don’t want to continue in full-time study we can offer you an Apprenticeship. This has an advantage in that you can learn whilst you earn. Apprenticeships give you an alternative way of building your career; through college attendance and ongoing workplace assessment you will create a skills portfolio and gain a recognised qualification. Visit our Apprenticeships section to find out more.

New Diplomas

Craven College is proud to be one of the first colleges to offer the new Diplomas - an alternative to traditional GCSE and A level routes. They offer a mix of classroom learning, creative thinking and hands-on experience and can help you to develop the skills and experience that are valued by employers and which universities look for in potential students. There are three levels to the qualification:

1. Foundation Diploma, which takes broadly the same time to do and is the equivalent of four / five GCSEs and can be started in Year 10 or above.
2. Higher Diploma, which takes broadly the same time to do and is the equivalent of five / six GCSEs and can be started in Year 10 or above.
3. Advanced Diploma, which is equivalent to three and a half A levels and can be started in Year 12 or above. The Advanced Diploma could lead to college, university or to skilled employment.
4. A Progression Diploma is also available, which takes broadly the same time as two A levels. This can be chosen if you wish to take a smaller programme or would like to combine a Diploma with another qualification.

We currently offer the following diplomas:

• Diplomas in Environmental and Land based Studies
• Construction and the Built Environment

For more information call 01756 708008.

Other Study Options

Not sure if you want to study full-time? Craven College offers part-time courses leading to recognised qualifications and a range of leisure learning courses. We also have full and part-time Higher Education programmes.

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