7th September 2016
Barking & Dagenham College Engineering student Kyriacos Yianni, 19, from Chingford, tried A-Levels for a year but realised that there was an alternative route to his chosen career. Here he picks up the story.
“I achieved a mix of A and B grades in my GCSEs, which was great, and I returned to school to start 4 A-Levels in Maths, Physics, Product Design and Electronics,” explained Kyriacos, “but after a year I realised that it just wasn’t for me.
"I want to be an Engineer, so I wanted to start studying the subject as soon as possible and get some real hands-on experience. I looked around for a suitable course and found Barking & Dagenham College.”
“I enjoy practical learning, which is ideal for Engineering and so the BTEC suits me fine. It allows me to build knowledge over time rather than focus on a final exam. I am much happier and enjoying my course. Plus the facilities and equipment here are great.”
Aiming for undergraduate studyKyriacos will start the final year of his two-year BTEC Extended Diploma in Engineering at Level 3 in September 2016, after which he is planning to stay on at Barking & Dagenham College for a further two years to complete his Higher National Certificate in Engineering followed by the Higher National Diploma.
“I am very interested in the new Degree Apprenticeships and, after completing my HND, I will be looking for opportunities at high profile organisations such as BAE Systems."
