More than 60 students from Milton Keynes College and the South Central Institute of Technology have received certificates for their qualifications at MK College Group’s 2023 Graduation ceremony. 

The event was held on Wednesday 29^th November at the Stables Theatre in Milton Keynes. The graduates received their certificates for achieving their HNCs, HNDs and professional qualifications, which were presented to them by Milton Keynes College Group’s Chief Operating Officer, Jason Mansell and Principal of Curriculum Innovation and Pedagogy, Alex Warner. Joining in the celebrations were the graduates’ families and tutors, as well as the Milton Keynes Mayoress and the Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire. The celebration included an afternoon tea prepared by the College’s Catering and Hospitality students, and musical performances from Performing Arts learners. 

During the ceremony, the College Group also appointed its newest Fellow, in recognition of his contribution to the local community. Jon Manning, Founder and CEO of Arthur Ellis: Mental Health Support, was recognised for his commitment to making a difference to the mental health of children and young people, including the College Group’s own learners. 

Sally Alexander, Group Principal and CEO of Milton Keynes College Group, said: “Our Graduation ceremonies are always special events, and this year was no exception. Our Graduates have shown that they can choose to do something they’ve committed to; they can overcome obstacles and they can succeed. They will carry this achievement with them into whatever they do next, and along with all of my colleagues at MK College Group, I wish them every success for the future.  

“We were also delighted to appoint our latest Fellow, Jon Manning from Arthur Ellis: Mental Health Support. Jon has been working closely with the College Group since 2020 and in collaboration with our colleagues, Arthur Ellis provides support to our most vulnerable students, enabling them to develop their resilience and to succeed within the College. Jon’s commitment and dedication to improving access to high quality mental health support is evident in everything he does, and the impact of his service is tangible. We are proud to be working with Arthur Ellis and to welcome Jon as a Fellow of Milton Keynes College Group.” 

For more information about the undergraduate courses we offer at MK College, visit https://mkcollege.ac.uk/undergraduate/. Or to find out more about courses available at the South Central Institute of Technology, visit https://southcentraliot.ac.uk/  

There are many reasons why you may have decided that you want a career change. Maybe you’re unable to progress in your current role, perhaps it’s a stress-related issue, or maybe you would just like a new challenge. Whatever the reason, you should be strategic about it, research your options, and assess your qualities, wants, and needs.

1. Firstly, note down the things that you enjoyed about your current/last job, as well as the things that you didn’t enjoy. This will make it clear what it is you want from your new job.
   
2. Understand why is it that you are wanting to leave your job – is the grass really greener elsewhere?
   
3. Pay close attention to what your interests are outside of work. This is a key insight into what avenue would be great to go down for a career change.
   
4. Make a list of the transferrable skills that you have. This can be from both work and life in general. For example, as a parent, you need patience, listening and negotiation skills, organisation, and you need to be a good problem solver.
   
5. Research the area/s that you are potentially interested in for your career change. Is there an industry change that means jobs are disappearing or being replaced? For example, AI (Artificial Intelligence) is slowly replacing humans in some lines of work because of how much better, faster, and more efficient these computers can be.
   
6. What are your non-negotiables? When looking for a career change, it’s important to consider your lifestyle and how this could impact the type of work you wish to get into. Consider things like pets, childcare, whether you can’t be on your feet all the time, or how you feel about a desk job.
   
7. Consider what salary range you want and/or what salary you need as a minimum. Make sure that this is reasonable, especially if you are thinking about completely changing industries.

If you feel you’re ready to now start applying for some jobs, have a read of our blog, Top tips to nail your professional CV.

Writing a CV can seem a bit scary and daunting, especially if there’s a big job that you’re going for or you’ve decided to change your career direction, for example. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution for the perfect CV, but it should be clear, concise, and tailored to the role that you’re applying for.

TIP 1: Match the layout to the type of job you’re applying for
There are multiple different CV styles that you can use, but use the style that best matches the role that you’re applying for.

• Chronological CV – lists your work and education history, starting with the most recent as mentioned in tip 2. This type of CV is good to show your career progression.

• Technical/skills-based CV – emphasises your job-related skills as well as your personal qualities. This type of CV is used in professions such as engineering or IT, highlighting the skills that you have that are needed within the industry.

• Creative CV – this type of CV is best used when applying for a job within the creative and digital sector, for example in marketing or graphic design. This type of CV can include colour, could link off to an online portfolio, and can contain video or infographics.

TIP 2: Order is important
List your education and employment (or work experience/voluntary work if you are applying for your first job) in reverse chronological order so that your most recent experience is read first.

TIP 3: Contact details
We recommend that you put your name and contact details at the top of the first page where it’s clearly visible – the company needs to get hold of you if they would like to invite you into an interview. Make sure that all the details are correct, otherwise, you could be missing out on a fantastic opportunity.

TIP 4: Leave off some personal details
Don’t include your age, gender, marital status, or nationality when creating your CV. These personal details do not affect your ability to succeed at a new job. By leaving off this information, recruiters and hiring managers will focus on your relevant qualifications and start reading about your professional experience and training right away.

TIP 5: Don’t ignore the gaps
If you have gaps in your work history, for example, if you have previously been made redundant, went traveling, or started a family, make sure you address it and give examples of the skills that you’ve developed during this period of being away from work. There’s nothing wrong with gaps in your work history, but don’t leave it up to your potential employer’s imagination.

TIP 6: Adapt where necessary
Have a generic CV, however, make sure you change it to meet the requirements of each job you apply for, drawing out different aspects of your experience to fit with the role.

TIP 7: Cut it down
Make sure that your CV is no more than 2 sides of A4. Employers might have to read through hundreds of CVs, so it’s a good idea to keep yours to the point. They don’t want your whole life story!

TIP 8: Check, and then check again
Always make sure that you get your CV proofed by at least one other person after proofing it yourself to make sure there are no spelling or grammatical errors. It’s the last chance you’ll have to catch any mistakes before a potential employer reads it.

If feel like you need further guidance with your CV, visit our Careers Advice page here.

The word ‘exam’ tends to fill people with a lot of dread and can make you feel incredibly anxious too, often making the preparation period for an exam very stressful at times. But it doesn’t have to be! There are certain things that you can do to regain control of your emotions to ensure you go into that exam feeling the very best that you can.

To loosen some of the initial stress that you may have, it’s a good idea to get a few things in line first.

1. Create a schedule
   Firstly, create a rough and realistic revision schedule by working out how much revision you must do and how much time you have. Then, break it up into manageable chunks so that you don’t get overwhelmed. You could do this on a spreadsheet, in your diary, or on a big sheet of paper so that you can visually see what needs to be done.
   
   
2. Find a revision style that suits you
   Different personalities require different revision styles – and that’s ok! Experiment with studying with music or studying in silence, figure out if you like studying with a group of people or on your own, and then find out what environment you study best in, for example in a library, in a coffee shop, or at home at your desk.
   
   
3. Understand how you learn best
   Are you the type who learns best visually? If so, grab yourself some coloured pens, highlighters, cards, and sticky notes. If you’re more of an auditory learner, then ensuring that you have a device to record yourself reading your revision notes and plenty of vocal resources is a good place to start. If, however, you learn the best by reading and writing, take this into account and focus your time on writing word documents and presentations, and reading text-heavy resources.
   
   
4. Find past exam papers
   Looking through and reading past papers will help you to work out which topics you know really well, and equally, those that you don’t. You’ll then know which areas you will need to focus more of your time on throughout your revision.

Take regular breaks
You may think that it’s best to study for as many hours as you can cram in as possible, but this can be very counterproductive and will only make you tired and ruin your concentration. Small breaks, lunchtime breaks, and longer breaks have all been shown to have a positive relationship with well-being and productivity – so by taking regular breaks, you can therefore boost your performance.

Reward yourself
Once you have finished your revision for the day, make sure that you reward yourself for your hard work. You could have a soak in the bath, go for a long walk, or go out and grab some food, for example. Anything that makes you feel refreshed!

Get moving
Physical activity will increase your brain’s production of endorphins, which are a ‘feel good’ hormone, therefore reducing stress and increasing the sense of wellbeing. Exercise is also a good way to get away from the screen or your head out of your study books!

Fuel your body
What you eat can have a big impact on your focus and energy levels. Opting for nutritious foods like vegetables, nuts and fish will keep your body and brain well-fuelled and more alert, as well as improving your memory, concentration, and mood. Watch out for sugary quick-fix snacks – these can seem appealing, but your energy levels will crash an hour or so later.

Ask for help
If you’re feeling overwhelmingly stressed, it’s important to talk to someone that you trust. Many people find the prospect of an exam difficult to deal with, so don’t feel embarrassed if you feel that you need that additional support.  

If you are a student with us at MK College and feel like you need further help to support your wellbeing, visit our Student Support page.

There are many benefits to studying an undergraduate course with us at Milton Keynes College. Want to find out exactly what they are? We’ve listed them all for you below.

Save more, stay local

One of the biggest benefits to studying an undergraduate course at MK College is the amount of money that you can save. Living at home whilst studying means that no money is needed to be spent on accommodation, meaning more to invest in your future instead. Applicants are still eligible for a tuition fee loan however and can apply for maintenance loans and bursaries, which will support you in purchasing textbooks and/or other materials that you may need for your studies

Smaller class sizes for quality learning

Smaller class sizes on all our undergraduate courses allow you to receive more individual attention and feedback from tutors, as well as being taught in a more creative and stimulating environment compared to uncomfortable lecture halls at big universities. You’ll also have a better chance to get to know your classmates, who will all have the same passion for the subject as you do.

Benefit from our industry links

Milton Keynes is home to some of the biggest businesses in the UK. Santander, Network Rail, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen Financial Services are all based here, with lots of other tech start-ups, digital agencies, creative studios, and charities also established here. On top of this, the College has an abundance of industry links in and around MK, working closely with companies such as MK Dons, Bletchley Park, Rightmove, Bobcat Digital, Thames Valley Police, Westbury Arts Centre, and many more.

As well as College links, our individual tutors have vast contacts with their retrospective industries. During your course, you will most likely complete some work experience, meaning that these links will be vital to you finding a company that you’d like to work with, and you could maybe even secure a job with them after completing your course.

Learn in industry-standard facilities

Studying a HND in Engineering? You’ll learn in our Innovation & Technology Centre. Applying for the HNC in Graphic Design course? You’ll use industry-standard software in our creative studio…

Every course available at Milton Keynes College has its own specialist centre or area that includes industry-standard equipment, where you can expect to learn in modern classrooms on attractive grounds, as well as having access to our Study Centres that are full of textbooks and computers to use at your disposal. Visit our facilities page here or our College services page here to discover more about what’s available to you as a student, including our salon, Graduate Salon, and in-house restaurant, The Brasserie.

All our undergraduate courses feature units that are relevant to the industry today – technology and the way that we live is forever changing and progressing, so it’s therefore vital that our education remains up to date, preparing you to go straight into work knowing exactly what to expect. It’s also good to know that some of our courses are affiliated with local universities, including the University of Bedfordshire and the University of Northampton, meaning that if you want to top up your undergraduate qualification to a full degree, we have the ability to get you there.

If you’re going through Clearing, request a callback to speak with one of our expert tutors to discuss your path to higher education.