Deciding to come to college can be a major step. Whether you are just leaving school, don’t have any qualifications or have been out of education for some time, we will have a course to suit you.
The Access courses are suitable for individuals who are unsure of career options, are looking to upskill or require support to succeed at college. During our courses you will focus on exploring options at college whilst developing skills in a range of areas including confidence, self-esteem, focus, motivation, ambition, resilience and teamworking whilst developing coping strategies for different situations.
You will be fully guided and mentored throughout your learning journey and academic achievements will be raised through nationally recognised qualifications from both SQA and City & Guilds.
If anyone out there has any doubt about doing the Gateway course, I would definitely give it a shot as it can really open up doors for a great future.
Nathan Keogh,
Access
The Prince’s Trust and NHS have had a massive impact on my life - as soon as I started the course, I already saw a positive future for myself. A future that I didn’t see before, having a career I would be proud of, and one I love.
Olivia Blackburn ,
Prince's Trust
Nathan's Story
Twenty year old Nathan Keogh is loving his retail, events and marketing course at Dundee and Angus College, but he wouldn’t have got there if he hadn’t passed our Gateway course to begin with.
“I left school with some Nat 4’s but it wasn’t quite enough to go on and do what I really wanted.”
After school Nathan spent some time moving from unskilled job to unskilled job, but he realised that he had a real ambition to do much more.
“The Gateway course was a huge opportunity for me. My lecturers were really supportive of me and kept checking up on how I felt and how I was doing. I also met some great people on the course and made some really good friends.”
Nathan says he has a great interest in the world of technology and can see himself managing a ‘tech store’ in the future.
“If anyone out there has any doubt about doing the Gateway course, I would definitely give it a shot as it can really open up doors for a great future.”
Olivia's Story – How The Princes Trust Helped Olivia Succeed
Olivia Blackburn is a huge success story. Not just because she has won a place on the College’s HNC Care and Administrative Practice Programme. Not just because she plans to use this to enter 2nd year of university next year. And not just because she has already succeeded as a healthcare support worker.
Olivia is a winner because of the way she has turned her life around.
While still at school, Olivia had experienced significant mental and physical health challenges. Her biggest battle was always going to be trying to regain a degree of confidence in herself.
But after going on a six-week Princes Trust Course, run by Dundee and Angus College and NHS Scotland, her life really changed for the better.
Her experiences on the course, including a placement on a gastroenterology ward at Ninewells hospital, led to her getting a job as a healthcare support worker. She did so well she was given approval by her Senior Charge Nurse to progress onto the nursing programme, meaning she could become a nurse through a vocational route, rather than an academic one.
Now with her HNC Care and Administrative Practice nearly finished, she’s preparing to enter 2nd year of university next year. Finally, the icing on the cake was reaching the finals of the Princes Trust Awards UK thanks to her determination and hard work.
“The Prince’s Trust and NHS have had a massive impact on my life - as soon as I started the course, I already saw a positive future for myself. A future that I didn’t see before, having a career I would be proud of, and one I love.”
