Looking to increase her skillset, Beth studied BTEC Art & Design with the hope of progressing to university.

Inspired by the creative and friendly atmosphere on campus, where no two days were the same, Beth says her time at Sunderland College opened doors for her in the design industry.

I initially applied for the Fashion Design course, which was unavailable, so I chose Art and Design to gain a greater skillset.

I wanted to go on to university, so college was a great stepping stone to that goal.

The variety of skills I learned that I still apply to my business every day.

They’re there for you, they listen to the direction you want to go in life and they guide you and give you the tools to get you there.

It’s a great atmosphere. You build friendships, skills and you’re surrounded by creative people so it’s impossible to not be inspired.

I really enjoyed the visitor aspect, where people came and gave talks about their career, showed their work and told us of their journey through college, university and to where they are now. It made me believe it was possible.

The variety of design briefs. Graphic Design, Fine Art, Photography, Textiles, no day was the same.

To believe and trust in myself. To just go for it.

College is a really great platform to get you started on your further education journey. It will give you the confidence you need for university but also help you develop your skills and discover your design aesthetic.

I now run an award-winning design studio in Manchester.

Studying at Sunderland College gave me the tools and opened doors so I could go confidently to university and the design world.

The skills I learned at college were built upon and developed whilst at university and I use them daily.

Without college I would not be where I am today designing for hotels and bars and supplying products all over the world.

I really loved college. We worked hard and played harder, but at the time you don’t realise just how much you benefit and the knowledge you soak up from the few short years you are there.

Student success stories

Maths and English for a Successful Future

Maths and English are everywhere! They are important life skills that will help you to achieve your best in your studies and to progress to your dream career. A GCSE Maths and English qualification could be the difference between being accepted onto a university course or getting a job promotion.

98% of our students progress to a positive destination

*Destination data for Sunderland College students aged 16-18, academic year 2017/18).

Why choose Sunderland College?

Our achievement rates are well above the national average.

We are the College of the Year.

(*Top college nationally for BTECs, Pearson 2019)

100% of our HND and HNC students progressed to employment or further study. 

(*Destination data, academic year 2016/17, HNC 19+)

We have recently invested £50 million in our facilities.