Latest News

Heart of Worcestershire College (HoW College) Engineering student, Alex Bethell, proves that you can climb the career ladder through college, as he goes from apprenticeship to higher education. Alex now looks to start a new journey at Aston University, alongside working at Worcester Bosch.

Alex first joined HoW College as an Engineering apprentice back in 2015 before completing a BTEC Level 3 in Manufacturing. He then worked his way up through higher education courses and gained a Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Mechanical Engineering, as well as successfully completing a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Mechanical Engineering in 2020. During this time, Alex moved from an apprentice to a Purchase Quality Engineer at Worcester Bosch.

When asked if his time and studies at HoW College helped him on the way to getting where he is today, Alex replied:

“Definitely, I originally began as an apprentice and it was key that I had to complete my Level 3 in Manufacturing Engineering. I then began my HNC and then it was optional for me to complete my HND, although having a HND or higher is a requirement for my current job role.

Completion of these courses has allowed me to expand my academic knowledge and integrate this into my current role at Bosch.”

Alex is now being sponsored by Worcester Bosch to complete a Level 6 course at Aston University, Birmingham, which will top up his existing qualification to a BEng degree.

Commenting on how the tutors at HoW College supported him, Alex said:

“The support from tutors has been exceptional and has gone beyond expectations. I attended after-college workshops to help me with modules I was struggling with. Without this option provided by the tutors, I would have definitely struggled.

Pete Hickman has also been a great support throughout the years I‘ve had at HoW College by not being limited to his subject expertise and providing support wherever possible, whether it be analytical methods, thermodynamics or project work.”

Talking about why he chose to continue studying at HoW College, Alex commented:

“There was a good link between my company and the College, with both being within Worcester. The College offered the course that I wanted as well as allowing me to complete this on a part time basis to suit my availability.”

When discussing what the future holds for him, Alex said he wouldn’t rule out the idea of completing a master’s degree.

When asked if he would recommend HoW College to future students, Alex replied:

“Yes, because the support is there when you need help. The tutors I had were really helpful, informative and friendly and the subjects were interesting throughout.”

HoW College offer a number of engineering courses from Level 1 to HND in a number of engineering pathways including: Electrical and Electronic, Manufacturing, Mechanical and Operational.