We have interviewed some students at MidKent College in the UK. It is situated in Maidstone — a large town in the county of Kent about 50 kilometres or 1 hour by train from London. It is one of the biggest further education colleges in the South East of England and offers a wide range of vocational courses, such as art and graphic design, beauty therapy, engineering, carpentry, travel & tourism, creative media etc.
First, listen to Megan, George, Charlie, James and Jacob talk about studying a vocational course, the importance of English in their careers, and their thoughts about the future. Then pair up with a classmate and try to make your own interviews.
George - Creative Media (3:53 min.)
The Creative Media Programme
In the Creative Media programme students learn how to create media content based on realistic workplace situations. They can choose between two main pathways: video or photography.
For photography, students learn a variety of techniques and styles of photography such as: portrait, landscape and digital manipulation. For video, students learn the techniques of video production and make short films, visual and special effects, animation, cinematography etc.
Future careers: TV producer, broadcaster, camera operator, social media marketing, animator, photographer, advertising producer etc.
Megan - Travel and Tourism (2:32 min.)
The Travel and Tourism Programme
The travel and tourism industry is one of the UK’s largest employers. Students taking this programme practise real-life customer care and service situations that will lead to travel-related jobs. They study topics such as cabin crew responsibilities, first aid and emergency procedures, travel and destination marketing, event management, health and safety legislation etc.
Future careers: Cabin crew, travel consultant, airport employee, tour operator, resort representative, cruise/hotel/venue manager, retail assistant.
Charlie - Motor Mechanic (3:03 min.)
The Motor Mechanic Programme
The Motor Mechanic programme focuses on the core theoretical and practical skills within the motor vehicle industry. Students learn about things like: routine servicing of vehicles, removing and refitting components, and identifying and repairing faults. Students can choose between a specialisation in either light vehicle maintenance or heavy vehicle maintenance.
Future careers: Mechanic, automotive engine tester, specialist diagnostic technician, motorsports engineer, workshop manager, sales adviser etc.
James and Jacob: Carpentry and Construction (3:13 min.)
The Carpentry and Construction Programme
The Carpentry and Construction programme helps students build a career in the construction industry. Students learn skills like how to set up and operate machinery, masonry and house fittings, and also important knowledge about health and safety rules and procedures. Industry work placements give students real-life industry experience and further increase their chances of future job opportunities.
Future careers: Builder, carpenter, joiner, site manager, surveyor, restorer, designer.
Task:
In pairs, make a similar video of an interview with a fellow classmate. You can make up your own questions, or ask some of the same ones that we asked the MidKent students:
- Why have you chosen this particular vocational course?
- Describe a typical day at school.
- What is your favourite part of the course, and why?
- Will English be useful for you in your future career? If so, how?
- Describe your dream job.