pca fe prospectus 2014-15

14-15Further Education

…here

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4 All about the College

22 Our learning continuum

30 Community engagement

32 Supporting you

38 How to apply

40 Further Education course index

42 Level 3: Extended Diplomas

78 Level 3: A-levels

88 Level 3/4: Foundation Diplomas

92 Creative Apprenticeship Programme

Transformation is the key ingredient. We put the creative aspirations and the support needs of each student at the heart of everything we do.Professor Andrew Brewerton, Principal

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Forget what you know about school: this iswhere your journey starts and ideas becomereality. Art school teaching cultivates a spiritof adventure. Whatever your age orexperience, we’ll give you the confidence andnetworks to make your mark in the world.

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Our A-level students creating public artby wrapping the 8.2 metre stainlesssteel Sundial on Armada Way,Plymouth, in 180 metres of calico. The project was a tribute to Christo,the famous ‘wrapper’ of the Reichstagin Berlin. They were also testing thenotion that familiar landmarks are‘invisible’ to passers-by until someonecovers them up. Holding on to the hemis Vera Jin.

We’ll teach you to plot, print, sew, shape and stretch your thinking, and we’ll help youto design your own future

It’s so much more than a classroom exercise. Here the emphasisis on learning by doing and sometimes learning from yourmistakes. We’ll give you space to think and make, and time togrow. We promise everyone here – degree students andpostgraduates, teachers and technicians, as well as the youngestmembers of our Young Arts Club – the same attention, respectand encouragement.

all about the College : our creative approach to learning

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Picasso said, ‘We’re all born artists; thechallenge is to remain an artist as we grow up.’ We’re with you, Pablo

We let our students do most of the talking when we make thisprospectus each year. We leave it to them to describe thepleasure of having freedom to experiment alongsideexperienced specialists, using the latest professional facilitiesand equipment. We encourage them to describe their journeysso far, and where they think they might go next to take bestadvantage of what they’ve learned. We hope their stories will letyou see how the creative ‘electricity’ permeates our College, andto understand the variety of ways you can plug into it.

all about the College : our creative environment

First-year Extended Diploma studentsLauren Hancock (left) and StaceyParamore silk screen print on to fabric.Almost every textile making andprinting process imaginable is here totry – from digital printing to handweaving and from rug making toembroidery with wire.

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Society depends more and more on people who can thinkcritically and imaginatively, communicate effectively and workproductively in teams and groups. And there is renewed interestin vocational training and apprenticeships that make a directconnection between education and careers.

The fact is, all sorts of businesses need to be creative, and forthat to happen they need to have inventive people like youworking for them. The distinctive problem-solving skills youcan learn here are vital to virtually every occupation.

All of our courses in the arts, design, crafts andmedia open up a clear pathway to your choiceof profession

all about the College : working towards your future

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Sean Dunn and Sam Woods aresailmaker apprentices at the Plymouthbase of Babcock International Group,where they’ve been working togethermaking covers and containments forNavy equipment. ‘It’s very variedwork,’ Sean says. ‘One day I can bemaking something for submarines,and the next for a surface ship or anuclear power plant. We’re trainingand learning as we go.’ For more about the our creativeapprenticeship schemes, see pp 92-5.

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Extended Diploma Art and Designstudent Holly Quartly upcycles fabricfor the annual Design to Sell project,when students design and makeproducts. As well as earning salesincome, students gain first-handexperience of being independentdesigner-makers, and skills in teamworking and financial management.

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Don’t let anyone try to tell you that art and design students areunemployable – it’s a myth. Good design is actually the onlything that gives UK manufacturing the edge in world markets,and since the 1990s UK creative industries have grown at animpressive rate. Times may be harder now, but as recently asSeptember 2011 the Confederation of British Industry reportedthat the creative industries sector was expected to employ 1.3million people by 2013.

It shows that the world is coming round to our way of thinking.We’ve always known that great design and moments of trueinventiveness happen when artists are in tune with everydaylife and sensitive to the widest possible range of influences. It’sone of the reasons why the College has always been soaccessible. The difference is that in the new educational climatewe are beginning to be able to turn our traditional beliefs intoan ambitious vision for further education in the region.

Our young entrepreneurs discover thatthere’s no obstacle between an art collegeeducation and a fulfilling creative career

all about the College : learning to be a young entrepreneur

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At the races together: a flair for design,professionalism and entrepreneurship

Here’s an example of creative spirit in action. Extended Diplomastudents Billie Cox, Jess Dyer and Alice Smyth set up their ownfashion design partnership, Jillie & Co, and have already workedtogether on a number of commissions. For example, theydesigned and made an outfit from crisp packets, road tested it atExeter racecourse and then paraded it on Ladies’ Day at theCheltenham Festival. To make it all happen, they linked up withthe Devon company Burts Chips who have a sponsorship dealwith Jockey Club racecourses.

Our students routinely get a taste of real-worldprofessionalism. At the annual fashion show they liaise withdesigners to develop marketing materials, collaborate withstudent photographers on publicity and documentary shoots,and negotiate with city businesses for hair, make-up andsponsorship. It all requires tenacity and teamwork – idealpreparation for events such as London Fashion Week – and forprogression to Higher Education.

all about the College : stepping into the real world

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Extended Diploma Art and DesignFashion and Textiles students BillieCox, Jess Dyer and Alice Smyth worktogether on commissions as Jillie & Co.

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We have our own ‘shop window’ right in the middle ofPlymouth and drive partnerships that are transforming thecultural life of the city. Our public gallery was one of the venuesfor The British Art Show when it made its first visit to the SouthWest, and the following year Sinopticon, an investigation of the historical influence of China on British arts and crafts,exhibited here.

In summer 2013 our exhibition programme included thewinning selection from the Marmite Prize, an influentialcompetition founded by painters Stephanie Moran and MarcusCope (nothing to do with the spread!). Also running in 2012/13:photographic exhibitions by star Martin Parr and the lateCorinne Day (left), reflections on the history of Plymouth byBallet Rambert artist-in-residence Abigail Reynolds, text-inspired work by Hannah James, and paintings by ChrisAppleby.

On the level – we’re helping to change thecultural landscape of Plymouth

all about the College : our cultural connections

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Some universities are closing their craft-based design courses,and putting all of their eggs in one digital basket. We’reconvinced that it’s a mistake to separate old and newtechnologies, and we’ve invested nearly £8 million in a new art,craft and digital design centre.

Our new building puts us at the leading edge of contemporarycrafts and design practice in the UK. It features industry-standard technologies in glass, ceramics, textiles, print andmetals, as well as digital tools and equipment for high-techmachining and cutting. From September 2013 students willenjoy specialist crafts and digital design facilities including thelatest 3D printing, milling and laser cutting for rapidprototyping. You’ll also find communal hubs and display areasto encourage the all-important collaborative spark. All this willbe ready for your arrival.

Here’s what the blue sky future of designeducation looks like – we’ve built it just for you

all about the College : investing in your future

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The city centre College campus hasbeen transformed in the space of lessthan a year by the addition of a new art,craft and digital design centre, seenhere taking shape.

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Ceramic artist Alicia Ongay-Perezworked with crafts students across alllevels when she visited the College inthe spring of 2013 from the Jan vanEyck Academy in the Netherlandswhere she has a fellowship supportedby the Mondrian Fund. She specialisesin inverse forms, slip-casting ceramicobjects inside out so that they cease tobe functional and enter a moreambiguous world of what she suggestsmight be called ‘conceptual crafts’.

Introducing our learning continuum – wesignpost the routes, you choose the way

We run courses to the highest level and locate them allwithin a wider ‘learning continuum’ that spans from pre-school children to postgraduate research students (see page22). Our framework is in line with national qualifications,which ensures that the credits you earn here will berecognised and can be built upon afterwards.

We’ll support you as individuals, stimulate your curiosity,challenge your preconceptions and urge you to aim higher. At the same time we’ll encourage you to feel you haveownership of whichever course you choose – with a strongsay in how it runs and how we meet educational targets.

all about the College : giving you the right qualifications

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Younger or older, we’ll make you feel comfortable in an art schoolenvironment and give you early advice about your career path.The relationship begins with the four-year-olds who join in theSaturday morning Outside the Lines sessions with their parents;for others the key is our Saturday Arts Club for nine to 18-year-olds, the inspiration for the Sorrell Foundation’s National Art andDesign Saturday Club. Fourteen to 16-year-olds share amasterclass with an artist or designer of the calibre of AntonyGormley or Thomas Heatherwick. They also show their worktwice a year at a prestigious London venue.

The popularity of our weekend activities has inspired a newYoung Arts Club, and an expanded range of activities thatincludes Perfect Your Portfolio sessions. There’s also Evening ArtsClub on week nights, family activities linked to our Gallery, andholiday clubs. Students return year after year to learn new skills,and many choose to continue their study with us.

Evenings … weekends … holidays … fourthbirthday or fortieth, there’s no time like thepresent to inspire you

all about the College : learning for all ages

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Our Further Education journey planner

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pre-16 Level 3

BTEC Extended Diplomas (2 years, equivalent to 3 A-levels)

Foundation Diploma in Art and Design(1 year)

Apprenticeship Programme

A-levels(2 years)

p63

p93

still at school? career change?

The colour key shown here is used throughout the prospectus toexplain how the study levels connect. The circles containingpage numbers direct you to reading about our students’ realexperiences. Details of each course start on page 42.

p60

Plymouth School ofCreative Arts

p26

Saturday Arts Club age 9-18

National Art and DesignSaturday Club age 14-18

Outside the Lines (for children aged 4-8and their parents)

p27 p71

p39

Community Engagement

Evening Arts Club age 14-18

Perfect your Portfolio age 15-18

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Levels 4-6

Foundation Diploma in Art and Design(1 year)

Foundation Degrees(2 years)

BA Honours Degrees(3 years)

e

employment

further training

postgraduate study

research

after GCSEs? after A-levels?

p95

p81

p67

p51

p89

p85P27

p94

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Stephen Prior and son George Saturday Arts ClubI live in Plymouth and studied the HNC Graphic Design course andcompleted a degree in Photography. I’m now a successfulfreelance graphic designer. My partner, Jane, did the Saturday ArtsClub as a child and now teaches here, so we knew that it would bereally good for George. He’s always been interested in makingthings and it’s a great thing for a father and son to do together.George finds it very inspiring. He’s learning skills he’d never beable to at school – not at such a young age or having so much fun.

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Nick White Extended Diploma > Foundation Degree > BA Top up Arts Club is part of the rounded life of the College. I know that fromhaving taught Saturday classes and also having been a StudentAmbassador. It’s part of what makes the place so unusual andspecial. I came here to study a National Diploma course, continuedon the Extended Diploma, then did a Foundation Degree where yougain more experience in other things. It’s a seamless, supportiveenvironment and we all help each other across courses and yeargroups. We use the same resources and spaces and there’s a lot ofpeer interaction.

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The Taylor family were among thevisitors to the College’s One Zero Ninepop-up shop and drop-in studio, wherethey were invited to a free portraitphoto session, which also gaveExtended Diploma Art and Designstudents insight into familyrelationships as well as an introductionto the social awareness portraitphotographers need to cultivate.

One Zero Nine? It means we take our street-level social responsibilities very seriously

Our city centre shop and training centre, One Zero Nine, is ashining example of our involvement in providing community-based learning. With the European Social Fund’s backing and inpartnership with Plymouth’s City Centre Company, One ZeroNine in Cornwall Street is an authentic social enterprise. It offersyoung people a route into further education, work andapprenticeships and at the same time helps them to cultivatehighly practical skills in exhibition and pop-up shop design andmanagement. It all adds up to introducing the entrepreneurialspirit of an art college to everyone.

This street-level approach is in line with latest governmenteducational policy on Raising the Participation Age. The changedoesn’t mean you have to stay in school! You can choose alearning environment that suits you and choose from a varietyof courses or a creative apprenticeship.

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all about the College : street-level learning

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The College is promoting the social value of the arts in a variety ofways but nowhere more strikingly than in parts of Plymouth thatare gradually being revitalised by redevelopment. In the autumnof 2013 Plymouth School of Creative Arts, a free school projectseeded by the College, opens in Millbay, once the city’stransatlantic liner port. And nearby, in Union Street, the College isinvolved in a scheme to rescue the derelict Palace Theatre as acentre for the emerging community spirit.

We also celebrate the civilising power of the arts through afellowship programme which last year acknowledged aPlymouth charity, Jeremiah’s Journey, that supports bereavedchildren and their families. It’s been using creative art practice asa source of strength in the face of human suffering and losssince it was set up in 1996. Its four health professional foundersinclude Dr Sheila Cassidy, also the founder and medical director ofPlymouth’s St Luke’s Hospice.

Upholding the place of the arts in society as asource of inspiration in the face of division

all about the College : pleasure in community involvement

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Plymouth’s previous Deputy MayorChaz Singh is a prominent championof Black and Minority Ethnic rights inthe city, a strong believer in the valueof the arts as a lever of social change.Here he’s visiting the college fashiondepartment for a St George’s Dayjacket fitting with Extended Diplomastudents Jacob Jones and KelseyMcConnell.

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supporting you : student guidance

The future depends on you, so, whatever ittakes, we’re here to help

We know that choosing an educational pathway calls forweightier decision-making and much greater personalcommitment than it used to. So providing you with all-roundlearning support and expert confidential advice are importantparts of the educational package.

Plymouth College of Art has a dedicated ‘student hub’ whereour Student Support Team provides advice and guidance in arange of areas, including careers and student funding. We alsohave a Learning Support Team, located in our ‘study zone’, onhand to help with a variety of study resources.

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Our Further Education students travel in from across the regionto be part of the College community – from as far away asBarnstaple in the north, Truro in the south and Torbay in the east.

Remember, we may be able to help with your travel costs, andother sources of financial help may be worth investigating. Youcan apply for a Residential Bursary if you have moved toPlymouth to study because your daily journey to attend collegewould take longer than two hours (one hour each way) by publictransport.

Plymouth is the gateway to the SouthWest. Cornwall is just across the Sound,Dartmoor is a few minutes drive and thebeautiful beaches and scenery of theSouth Hams are on the doorstep.There are frequent local services toNewton Abbot, Torbay, North Cornwalland North Devon and the city is served by a main First Great Western rail link to London Paddington and by CrossCountry trains north to the Midlands and Scotland.

Torquay

Barnstaple

Truro

Exeter

Paignton

Bideford

Totnes

We’re worth the journey – and we may beable to help you with travel costs

we are here

supporting you : travel help

Plymouth

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supporting you : financial help for all ages

We provide financial assistance through a range of supportfunds, including the 16-19 Bursary, Discretionary LearnerSupport for those over 19, and the Residential Bursary. We canalso help with travel, accommodation costs, materials and tripcosts. If you’re a parent returning to education you may beeligible for additional funding for childcare.

If you’re under 19 when the course starts, and a permanentresident in the UK, you’ll not be charged tuition fees. If you’re 19and over and getting Job Seeker’s Allowance your fees may alsobe waived.

If you’re aged 24 or over, you can apply for a loan to cover all orpart of your tuition fees, but do it straight away because help islimited. You won’t have to repay the loan until you’re workingand earning over £21,000 a year.

If our website doesn’t answer your questions, [email protected], phone 01752 203434 – or drop in andsee us.

Making the future affordable may be easierthan you think

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Dan Wheatley, lecturer in ExtendedDiploma in Art and Design, works withJoshua Sylvester.

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Not quite sure which route to pick? Ask us for an advisory interview

You can apply online for any of the courses described in thisprospectus by visiting www.plymouthart.ac.uk, where you’llfind a wealth of information about all aspects of College life.

Most interviews take place between February and June, but youcan apply at any time of the year. Please talk to us first. We’ll behappy to arrange an informal advisory interview to help you todecide your direction and plan your journey. Just call or email.

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supporting you : booking an advisory interview

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We offer nine Extended Diploma courses as a pathway intoHigher Education and towards a career in the arts, crafts andmedia. Our parallel A-level programme is based on a choice ofat least two creative subjects – Fine Art, Photography, GraphicCommunication or Textiles – with an academic choice – Criticaland Contextual Studies, English Literature or Media Studies.

You’ll want to weigh up the differences between A-levels andthe Extended Diploma route. One view is that A-levels are moreacademic and provide a broader range of study; an ExtendedDiploma, which is the equivalent of three A-levels, is a goodalternative if your sights are already set on a specific art, designor media specialism. During your Further Education course youwill develop your transferable professional and academic skills,including problem-solving and English and Maths skills inpreparation for Higher Education and employment.

A-level students set on a career in art and design may some-times be advised to complete a Foundation Diploma in Art andDesign before applying for a BA (Hons) programme. Either way,we’re more interested in you as an individual than we are in anyclassroom categories, so please ask for an advisory interview ifyou’re not sure which route to choose.

Extended Diplomas or A-levels –which route is better for you?

See pages 42-77 for Extended Diplomacourse details and pages 78-87 for our A-level programme.

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Cameron Williamson Extended Diploma Graphic Design & IllustrationI started doing sixth form but dropped out, unsure of what Iwanted to study. I spent a couple of years unemployed, but I’dcarried on drawing so decided to study Illustration. I’m going on tostudy BA (Hons) Illustration here. It’s about what you bring to it. I was always worried that I might fail after dropping out of schoolbut I relaxed in the first week of being here.

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Plotting your course

Level 3

A-levels introduction p 78

A-level Critical and ContextualStudies p 80

A-level Fine Art p 82

A-level Photography p 82

A-level Graphic Communication p 84

A-level Textile Design p 84

A-level Media Studies p 86

A-level English Literature p 86

Foundation Diploma in Art and Design p 88

Level 3

BTEC Extended Diploma in Art and Design p 42

BTEC Extended Diploma in Design Crafts p 46

BTEC Extended Diploma in Game Arts and 3DAnimation p 50

BTEC Extended Diploma in Creative Media Production(Television and Film) p 54

BTEC Extended Diploma in Fashion p 58

BTEC Extended Diploma in Textiles p 62

BTEC Extended Diploma in Graphic Design and Illustration p 66

BTEC Extended Diploma in Photography p 70

BTEC Extended Diploma 3D, Architecture, Interiorsand Product p 74

Level 2+3

Creative ApprenticeshipProgramme p 92

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Level 4

Foundation Diploma in Art and Design p 88

The Foundation Diploma in Art andDesign appears in two places herebecause the course has a flexiblestructure. It is made up of seven units.The first four units are assessed at Level3; units 5 and 6 can be assessed at eitherLevel 3 or Level 4, and the seventh isLevel 4 only. Your qualification willdepend on your performance in relationto the last three units.

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This course gives talented, adventurous young artists anddesigners the chance to escape the limits of classroom teachingand develop their arts practice inside a dynamic, professionallyequipped art college alongside expert makers.

We’ll give you free rein across our fine art studios andworkshops and guide your experiments in drawing, paintingand printmaking, photography, sculpture, 3D, graphics, textilesand fashion, and introduce a range of digital processes.

The course provides a practical introduction to materials,techniques and processes to develop your learning andcommunication skills as well as your understanding ofcontemporary creative thinking.

Sessions range from vital foundation life class exercises to theexploration of digital observation, recording and makingmethods. Investment in your personal and professionaldevelopment includes portfolio building and the design ofpromotional campaigns, contact with visiting artists andgallery trips.

BTEC Extended Diploma

Art and Design

Entry requirementsWe normally offer places to students whohave at least four GCSEs at grade A* to C,preferably with one in a creative subject,and who show commitment andenthusiasm for art and design throughexamples of creative work. Applicantsover the age of 19 may have the entryrequirements waived at interview basedon examples of their work.

The qualificationFor completing the two-year course andsuccessfully passing all units you willachieve a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma– equivalent to three full A-levels, or amaximum of 420 UCAS points.

What next?Many of our students choose creativeundergraduate programmes at PlymouthCollege of Art – from Fine Art toPhotography, from Game Arts to Film.Others go straight into employment orapprenticeships in the creative sector. In addition to the ongoing advice,guidance and support you’ll receive fromyour course team, the College has aspecialist careers service that will helpyou make important decisions.

We’re interested in you as an individual – in what kind ofperson and artist you are. We’re not interested in cloning!We’re looking for longing and determination to belong to thecreative world.

Tweeny Van Mierlo, Course leader

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Emily Harris Extended Diploma Art and DesignI was at community college and was going to stay on for sixth formbut I saw the prospectus and came to an Open Evening. I loved thestudent work I saw and realised that a specialist art and designcollege was best for me. You have to move on from school. There areso many more facilities here. I came here to find out what I wanted todo next, and I now know that illustration is my direction. My work’sabout endangered animals and how humans destroy theirenvironments.

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BTEC Extended Diploma in Art and Design

Design Crafts

The College is leading a resurgence of interest in the designcrafts – glass, metal, textiles and ceramics. This exciting two-year course, which embraces traditional and contemporaryapproaches as well as the important need for sustainability, will give you a place among the new generation of ambitiousprofessional makers.

During a highly experimental first year we will stretch yourimagination and critical thinking with projects that explore theprinciples of developmental drawing, interaction with clients,the interpretation of briefs, and the qualities of differentmaterials – from metals to the bits and bytes of digital media.

During the second year, to increase your professionalcompetence, we’ll give you a taste of the history of design, andguide you through some of the commercial issues craftspeopleand designers have to deal with.

All of this will be consolidated through a live business projectcalled ‘Design to Sell’ to give you authentic business experienceusing our industry-standard workshops – all to prepare you fora secure future in the crafts industry.

This course requires strong self-motivation. You’ll bechallenged, but always constructively, and we’ll give you lots oftransferable skills – including how to make money out in theworld.

Tweeny Van Mierlo, Course leader

Entry requirements

We normally offer places to students whohave at least four GCSEs at grade A* to C,preferably with one in a creative subject,and who show commitment andenthusiasm for art and design throughexamples of creative work. Applicantsover the age of 19 may have the entryrequirements waived at interview basedon examples of their work.


What next?Our students go on to enrol on one of ourBA (Hons) Degree courses inContemporary Crafts (Jewellery andSilversmithing, Ceramics, Glass) andFine Art or to study at other colleges anduniversities in the UK and beyond. Sometake their new found skills straight intothe workplace in careers including:architecture, interior design, spatialdesign, contemporary crafts, media,photography, textiles, fashion andjournalism. In addition to the ongoingadvice, guidance and support you’llreceive from your course team, theCollege has a specialist careers servicethat will help you make importantdecisions.

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Jess Perrit Extended Diploma Art and Design > BA Contemporary CraftsI started to do art with psychology and law A-levels at sixth formcollege, but moved here. It’s not the usual pupil–teacher relationship.It’s friendlier, but you still get loads done. I made maquettes in lots ofmaterials and found it was beautiful to be able to see throughsomething as delicate as glass. I’m making spatulas and spoonsusing lampwork and sandcasting. Next, I plan to study BA (Hons)Contemporary Crafts here, specialising in jewellery and glass. It’s a unique course.

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An ethos of mutual care and respect appliesright across our studio and teaching.Extended Diploma students are seen herewith Tweeny Van Mierlo’s teaching team.

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Game Arts and 3D Animation

This course will accelerate your progress towards a career in thehighly technical and fast changing world of interactive mediaand game arts by giving you access to expert tuition and all ofthe facilities of a dedicated design and development suite.

We will give you a solid grounding in art and design processesand ideas before guiding you through a range of digital skillsincluding technical and creative image manipulation, websitedesign, 3D computer modelling, and the evolution of mobiletechnology for handheld devices and apps.

You’ll gain insight into programming and the principles ofinteractive media authoring, as well as the fundamentals ofcommunications science – how people interact with computergames. A big advantage of the Plymouth College of Artprogramme is the opportunity you’ll have to work closely withother art, design and media disciplines.

Although you’ll develop the skills needed for a job at entry levelin a software house, a high proportion of our students go on tostudy in Higher Education. A third do digital graphic design,others specialise in animation, character and concept design orscripting – all available as BA (Hons) programmes here.

We’re involved in Extended Play, the South West’s network for professionals developing new media and interactivebusiness ideas.

We constantly review and adjust the curriculum to make sureour students keep up to date with market demands in thisrapidly changing industry.

Martial Bugliolo, Course leader

Entry requirements



What next?You may decide that you would like to goon to do a BA (Hons) Degree inAnimation, Design for Games orGraphics and Illustration. Alternatively,you may choose to enrol on a course atanother college or university or take yournew skills straight into the workplace. In addition to the ongoing advice,guidance and support you’ll receive fromyour course team, the College has aspecialist careers service that will helpyou make important decisions.

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Jason Duckworth Extended Diploma Interactive Media and Game ArtsI want to work in the game design industry. This course allows me tofocus on my artistic skills and gives me a taste of all the otherprofessional aspects of the business. The social aspect of workingwith tutors is very important to me. I tried other sixth form andfoundation courses but I hated both! They treated me like a child andthey lacked structure. Here I’m treated like an adult and given all theresources I need to develop. I’m going on to study BA (Hons) Designfor Games here. I wouldn’t learn as much anywhere else. I’ve foundI’m quite good at ideas generation and leading a team. The coursehas helped me to develop these skills. I didn’t know I had it in me!

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Jodie Sargison Extended Diploma Interactive Media and Game ArtsI did work experience in a graphic design studio and decided to trainin a related area. This course has opened more doors. I’m planning togo on to study for a BA (Hons) in Design for Games next, and to workin the industry. I’ve learned animation, web design, used media suchas Flash and Java scripting – and developed a vast range of skills. It’snot just about Game Design though. I’ve learned the Adobe softwareprogrammes, drawing and concept art. Each lecturer brings specialistskills and offers really good support. They even altered the timetableto make it easier for us to get here – we’re important!

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Even if you have never picked up a video camera before, if yoursights are set on becoming a film maker, director, producer,animator or broadcaster, this course will let you take a big steptowards your career. You’ll spend two years in one of theregion’s best equipped teaching departments and we’ll helpyou explore the spectrum of skills associated with creativemedia production.

We will give you the confidence to plan, develop and producedynamic and thought provoking film, video and animation,and, in doing so, encourage you to work closely with other art,design and media disciplines.

Sessions cover music video production, documentary, singlecamera drama, animation production (stop motion and 3D),soundtracks, scriptwriting and story development. Technicalskills also include lighting, editing and camera work, and weteach critical and theoretical understanding, planning andorganisational skills.

Our strong links with industry, for example with the BBC,Plymouth City Council, the national media company TwoFourand Raindance Film Festival, mean that there will be manycareer avenues open to you.

We also work closely with the people who are steeringPlymouth’s developing cultural identity and other national andinternational initiatives. Our busy visiting lecturer programmeincludes practising artists, film makers and animators.

BTEC Extended Diploma in Creative Media Production

Television and Film

On our course we teach skills, but in the context of creativity, sowe encourage experimentation and risk taking. We want youto develop an entrepreneurial approach and to becomeindependent, versatile professionals in a fast-moving industry.

Tim Dickinson, Course leader

Entry requirements



What next?You may decide that you would like to goon to do a BA (Hons) Degree. We offer avariety of higher education coursesincluding Photography, Film andAnimation. Alternatively, you may chooseto enrol on a course at another college oruniversity or take your new skills straightinto the workplace. In addition to theongoing advice, guidance and supportyou’ll receive from your course team, theCollege has a specialist careers servicethat will help you make importantdecisions.

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Caitlin Pyne Extended Diploma Creative Media ProductionIt’s been great so far. Everyday is a challenge, but a fun challenge. Iwent to an all girls school and it was definitely a change coming here,but it’s a good thing – you learn to communicate with more people.Teaching is excellent. You get the right amount of support but aretaught to be independent. It’s the perfect balance. And I can use kit Icould only have dreamed about getting my hands on at school. If amore practical, hands-on learning experience is better for you, youjust have to go for it. Do what’s best for you!

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Extended Diploma Television and Filmstudents are given a detailed introductionto the College’s specialist studioequipment by course leader TimDickinson (in the white shirt). Gettingto grips with track and dolly is CorinaRoissetter.

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If your passion is fashion design and making, this course willgive you the perfect opportunity to discover new possibilitiesand skills. You need to be open-minded, keen to experimentand determined to reach your goals.

Our lecturers are industry professionals and our studios andworkshops are equipped to meet their expert requirements.They’ll help you to develop your business and enterprise skillsand provide you with opportunities to design, make and sellwonderful creations.

In the first year you will learn vital foundation skills andtechniques, such as pattern cutting and garment production,fashion illustration, textile and fabric techniques, presentationand styling. You’ll also build a portfolio on your improvinghistorical and contextual insights.

In the second year you will have an opportunity to pursue yourindividual interests more deeply. This could involve design,making a collection, exploring textiles for garments, styling andpromotion and illustration – all to enable you to develop aunique style. By the time you graduate you will have assembleda portfolio of high quality work relevant to your chosen careerand progression routes.

Both Diploma years include live projects with industry andinvolvement in events such as the annual fashion show. Alongthe way, you will visit exhibitions and take part in workshopswith established artists and designers.


Fashion

We’re good at supporting students as individuals. We’lldevelop your curiosity and build your aspirations. We like to letyou dip a toe in, and come back for more. And we’ll give you asense of ownership of the course.

Julia Stean, Course leader

Entry requirements



What next?Successful students may progress to BA(Hons) Fashion, BA (Hons) PrintedTextile Design and Surface Pattern, BA(Hons) Costume Production andAssociated Crafts or BA (Hons) FashionMedia and Marketing at PlymouthCollege of Art, or gain entry to degreelevel courses at other colleges anduniversities. Alternatively, you maychoose to look for employment. Inaddition to the ongoing advice, guidanceand support you’ll receive from yourcourse team, the College has a specialistcareers service that will help you makeimportant decisions.

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Jacob Jones Extended Diploma FashionI’ve learned a lot this year – and to look at things differently. I’ve madethis little black dress which came out of research done by visiting aforest, but not by developing something obvious. I like all parts offashion but making is definitely one of my favourite bits. I was at highschool in Cheshire before my family moved here. We have a very goodrelationship with the tutors. They’re very helpful and there are greatresources.

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Lewis Jones Extended Diploma FashionThe friends I’ve made started the course at the same time. I’ve got more incommon with them. They’re more like-minded. There’s no way I wanted tostay on at school. I’m enjoying every minute of it here. I love the busy-ness, Icouldn’t wait to get started. Contextual studies helps me see how a designercan get inspiration from different things, and that kind of historical researchis really useful. I’m really happy. I can’t imagine doing anything else, and Ican come in on extra days to use the facilities.

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In their second year, Extended DiplomaFashion students Lewis Jones, AlisaVaseghi and Emily Colley have set uptheir own ‘upcycling’ enterprise calledAcid Youth. They buy clothes andmaterials from charity shops and restyleand sell them online and at markets.They are wearing some examples oftheir remodelled denim garments here. Lewis continues to make adventuroususe of the College’s facilities – afterscreenprinting and dyeing he’s moved on to laser cutting.

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Textiles

This new specialism in textiles will enable you to direct yourpassion into experiments with surface design, printing,inventing new materials and adapting old ones. You need to beopen-minded, keen to experiment and determined to reachyour goals.

Our lecturers are industry professionals and our studios andworkshops are equipped to meet expert requirements. They willhelp you to develop your business and enterprise skills, andprovide you with opportunities to design, make and sellwonderful creations.

In the first year you will learn about printed, knitted andembroidered textiles, fabric manipulation techniques, thegeneration of ideas for textile and surface pattern, andpresentation methods. You will work in groups with specialistfashion students to exchange ideas and expertise.

In the second year you will be able to pursue your individualinterests more deeply. This could involve design, making acollection, exploring textiles for garments, styling, promotionand illustration – all to enable you to develop a unique style. Bythe time you graduate you will have assembled a professionalportfolio of high quality work relevant to your chosen careerprogression.

Both Diploma years include live projects with industry, andinvolvement in events such as the annual fashion show. Alongthe way you will visit exhibitions and take part in workshopswith established artists and designers.



What next?Successful students may progress to theBA (Hons) Fashion, BA (Hons) PrintedTextile Design and Surface Pattern, BA(Hons) Costume Production andAssociated Crafts, BA (Hons) FashionMedia and Marketing or BA (Hons)Contemporary Crafts at Plymouth Collegeof Art, or gain entry to degree levelcourses at other colleges and universities.Alternatively, you may choose to look foremployment. In addition to the ongoingadvice, guidance and support you’llreceive from your course team, theCollege has a specialist careers servicethat will help you make importantdecisions.

We’ll encourage you to build your skills base by experimentingwith new techniques. We want you to get the most out of yourtime with us, so we’ll make sure you have access to the highestquality tutors, technicians and equipment.

Julia Stean, Course leader

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Emma-Louise Thompson Extended Diploma Fashion and TextilesI used to come to Saturday Arts Club here when I was 13 and itopened my eyes to genres and media I’d no access to at school. Igained a Bronze Art Award and was a ‘buddy’ for an Arts Club friend. Idid my GCSEs in partnership with the College as I didn’t like theschool environment. I’ve learned a lot already about sewing,designing, even life drawing and pattern cutting. I’m enjoyingfashion promotion and marketing, too. The work I’m doing is basedon an art movement – the Bauhaus – and a target market – Oasis.We’ve done several trips to research retail environments andconcepts, for example in Exeter and London. It also helps us to get toknow one another and we really get on well.

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Graphic Design and Illustration

This diverse and challenging course puts young graphicdesigners and illustrators in contact with all of the facilities,processes and influences they are likely to encounter in theirprofessional careers.

We’ll guide the development of your drawing and graphic skills,encourage you to experiment with materials and techniques,and teach you to generate ideas and concepts andcommunicate them well to specific audiences. You’ll also havelectures on and undertake personal research into the history ofdesign, typography, advertising and illustration.

Sessions cover illustration for typographical and illustrativeposters, CD and DVD cover design, packaging design, includinglabels and stamp design, book cover design, magazine spreads,corporate identities, brochure design, photography, websites,advertising, type design, animation and book illustration. Students also work on live assignments with external clients.

The work produced reflects some of the many career pathsavailable within graphic design. We’ll help you to choose theright direction when you reach the end of the course.

Helping students settle into the right work ethic is reallyimportant. Whenever the time comes, we want you to go into a job with the right level of skills and knowledge to keep it.

Steven Forsyth, Course leader

Entry requirements



What next?Successful students may progress to theBA (Hons) Graphic Design, BA (Hons)Illustration, BA (Hons) Printed TextileDesign and Surface Pattern, BA (Hons)Fashion, BA (Hons) Games Design andBA (Hons) Contemporary Crafts atPlymouth College of Art. Alternatively,you may choose to look for employment.In addition to the ongoing advice,guidance and support you’ll receive fromyour course team, the College has aspecialist careers service that will helpyou make important decisions.

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Jennicka Sapigao Extended Diploma Graphic Design and IllustrationI’d done a course in fine art in the Philippiness before I came to theUK. I completed a First Diploma here and then applied to studygraphics. The course has a homely feel to it. Coming from a fine artbackground I lean more to illustration but I really want to improvemy graphic design, partly because it’s useful as a career, also becauseI know less about it and I’m curious. I’m going on to study BA (Hons)Graphics and Media at LCC in London. I like Plymouth but I’ve beenhere for three years now. My current project is on the theme ofjourney, and I’ve created Tarot Cards to interpret the idea of journey assomething unpredictable. I’m putting it all together as a book.

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Project work by Extended Diploma inGraphic Design and Illustration studentJennicka Sapigao dealing with the harmdone to girls and women by the culturalpractice of genital mutilation.

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A paperwork called Silly Sentence byExtended Diploma in Graphic Designand Illustration student Emily Lynch.

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Photography

Commercial assignments are mixed with more experimental andcreative projects. We give our students the skills to be employedas assistants or to set up their own businesses, but most go on tohigher education here or elsewhere.

This exciting and diverse photographic course will enable youto develop your creative skills inside one of the region's best-resourced photography facilities. It gives you access toprofessionally specified studios, specialist digital imagingsuites, a range of different camera formats, chemical darkroomsand top class digital printing equipment.

The first year will introduce you to the core methods andconcepts through a range of challenging assignments coveringstudio photography, advertising, music photography, questionsof identity and culture, and specialist location techniques withan environmental theme. All of these projects are supported byan enriching contextual program that explores the ideas behindthe imagery.

The second year has a professional focus with an emphasis onpreparation for higher education or working professionally inthe creative industries. The range of assignments includes acommissioned architectural brief, experimental techniques andthe chance to specialise in commercial fashion, event or portraitphotography. The year ends with a major project for whichstudents write their own negotiated assignment.

Chris Smith and Tobie Loates, Joint Course leaders

Entry requirements

We normally offer places to students whohave at least four GCSEs at grade A* to C,preferably with one in a creative subject,such as Design Technology, and whoshow commitment and enthusiasm forart and design through examples ofcreative work. Applicants over the age of19 may have the entry requirementswaived at interview based on examples oftheir work.


What next?Students may progress to a variety ofHigher Education courses at PlymouthCollege of Art, for example a FoundationDegree in Commercial Photography, BA(Hons) in Photography or BA (Hons)Fashion Media and Marketing, or gainentry to degree level courses at othercolleges and universities. Alternatively,the course gives students transferableskills. In addition to the ongoing advice,guidance and support you’ll receive fromyour course team, the College has aspecialist careers service that will helpyou make important decisions.

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Daniel Richards Extended Diploma PhotographyI did a Foundation Diploma here after school. Friends of mine hadcome here and everything I heard about it attracted me. The Diplomaincluded photography and I found out how long-exposure imageswere made. I started to make my own long-exposure photographs ofwater moving. Now I’m particularly interested in portraiture. I wastaking family portraits at the College’s pop-up shop and took one ofmy best friend’s dad in a studio setting. I was very pleased with it andI call it ‘The Author’ because I made him look like a writer. I really enjoyed the process of capturing the essence of the person.When I finish here I’m going to Bristol to study for BA (Hons)Photography, then maybe I’ll become a portraitist.

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Media and photography facilities includebroadcast quality video and audio editsuites and three photographic studioswith lighting rigs, one (shown here)equipped with an infinity cove.Photo: Isabel Redwood Hanson.

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3D, Architecture, Interiors and Product

This adventurous new course will give you all the skills youneed to shape, test and realise your ideas in readiness for arange of careers in architecture, interior design, product design,furniture or automotive design, exhibition design, and modelmaking.

You will have the benefit of high levels of expertise and designindustry-standard equipment. You will be guided by a specialistteam of lecturers, supported by technicians highly skilled inthree dimensional fabrication and digital platforms such as 3DStudio Max and Photoshop.

There are no formal examinations. Instead live projects madepossible by our industrial partnerships with designers andmanufacturers, and visits to professional studios and trade fairs,will steer your professional development. Progression intoHigher Education and employment is a central objective.

In the first year you’ll experiment across a wide variety of mediaand materials, driving forward your ideas and expanding yourcritical thinking. In the second year you’ll develop specialistskills in live business enterprise projects. Here you will design,make and sell your own products, gaining invaluableprofessional experience in the process .

Your practical studies will be supported by research into howtrends and global markets influence design, historicalinfluences, intellectual property, copyright and plagiarism,supporting you to make important decisions about your chosenpractice and career path.



What next?Students may progress to a variety ofHigher Education courses at PlymouthCollege of Art, for example a BA (Hons)in Contemporary Crafts, or gain entry todegree level courses at other colleges anduniversities. Alternatively, the coursegives students transferable skills. Inaddition to the ongoing advice, guidanceand support you’ll receive from yourcourse team, the College has a specialistcareers service that will help you makeimportant decisions.

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Laser cutting and other forms ofdigital fabrication are being used bystudents working across the wholerange of Plymouth College of Artcourses, and Fab Lab equipment willbe an important feature of our new£7.7 million art, craft and digitaldesign centre.

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Digital Fabrication (Fab Lab) facilitiesand techniques go hand in hand withtraditional materials and skills. Here acrafts student has been clamping upcomponents for a furniture projectinspired by animal locomotion.

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We encourage our A-level students to develop their ideas andbring their own individuality to creative work and academicstudy. Our courses provide a very practical, challenging andexciting opportunity to kick-start a creative career.

A-levels

Studying A-levels at Plymouth College of Art offers you thechance to be part of one of the best creative environments in theSouth West. You’ll use top class facilities and equipment guidedby experienced teachers and successful artists and designers. As an A-level student here, just as if you were studying here fora degree, you will be a member of an innovative and supportive,creative and professional community.

Be inspired by learning through hands-on practical work,experimenting and exploring new approaches and techniques.It is important to us that you blossom as an individual. You willbe encouraged to develop your own ideas, and your personalviewpoint will always be respected.

The atmosphere and energy here are infectious. Our studentstell us how motivating and exciting they find Plymouth Collegeof Art and they recognise how A-level courses here demand avery different experimental, hands-on approach from theirprevious learning experience.

Here you will study a minimum of three subjects – includingtwo creative and one academic choice. The creative portfolioincludes Fine Art, Photography, Textile Design and GraphicCommunication; the academic subjects are Critical andContextual Studies, English Literature and Media Studies.

Our Further Education provision had an 88% success rate in2011/12. Gaining A-levels with us will guarantee you anundergraduate place here at the end of two years.

Entry requirementsA-levels are accredited by OCR (Oxford,Cambridge and RSA Examination Board).Entry requirements are: a minimum of 5GCSE’s at grade C or above which mustinclude English Language at grade C orabove and a grade C in Art or anothercreative subject. If English Literature isselected as an option, a C grade or aboveis required at GCSE in this subject. Youwill be invited for an interview to discussyour interests and future ambitions andto show us a portfolio of your creativework.

The programmeIn the first year you will work towards theAS-level qualification. This is 40% of yourfinal A2 grade. You will work through aseries of projects to develop your skillsand creativity in your coursework onwhich you will be assessed along with theexternally set controlled creativeassignments and academic exams. A grade C or above at AS-level will assureprogression to the second year. A2-levelstudy entails creative personal projectsand 3,000 words written related study foreach creative subject. In addition therewill be externally set controlled creativeassignments. The academic subjects willcontinue your study by projects,discussion and written work exploringthemes that extend your understandingof core texts, culminating in academicexams.

What next?Many of our students progress to creativeundergraduate programmes at PlymouthCollege of Art (from Fine Art toPhotography, from Game Arts to Film) orto other colleges and universities. Othersgo straight into employment. Each A-level you achieve at Grade A is equivalentto 120 UCAS points. On completion ofyour A-levels, if you receive Grades A-Cyou will gain between 320 and 480points.

Kathryn Vosper, A-level Programme leader

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Critical and Contextual Studies

Critical insight into modern and contemporary art movements isan essential aspect of study for all emerging artists anddesigners. This A-level will guide you not only through thehistory of art from 1850 but also its context and the connectionswith the cultural, political and social themes of the time, such asindustrialisation, effects of war and revolution, consumerism,feminism, ownership of the art object and role of the art gallery.You will be supported in your studies and your structuredpersonal investigation by a programme of exhibition andmuseum visits and the advice of specialist staff.

Options

A-levels

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Ella Lafferty-Ryan English Lit./Photography/Fine Art/Graphic DesignI was born in Australia and went to a Steiner School there before Icame to England. When I was in school for Years 10 and 11, some ofthe things I did I just found irrelevant. Here it's not focused so muchon meeting curriculum expectations. It's an ideal creative space. I doubt I would ever have found that at any school. They just don'thave the facilities. It sounds cheesy but I'm more at home here.There’s a wider variety of people. You can fit in more. It reminds memore of the Steiner school ethos because you have a betterrelationship with teachers. I've just had such good conversationswith teachers here.

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Options

A-levels

Fine Art

We will introduce you to a range of artistic practices andtechniques with plenty of opportunity to experiment across arange of contemporary media in areas that include drawing,painting, printmaking and alternative/mixed media. Drawing,experimentation and the acquisition of skills are fundamentalareas of study that will underpin all of your creative work. You’llexplore traditional and non-traditional approaches fromclassical drawing skills to action drawing and process-led art.Studying the work of contemporary and modern artists will bepivotal in the development of your creative ideas and a body ofwork that reflects your personal interests.

Photography

This fast-paced course plots a logical journey from the origins ofphotography through to contemporary processes. You will beintroduced to a range of skills including building your owncameras (Melissa, right, is holding a fully-functioning pinholecamera she’s made) with a darkroom printing studio portraitwork and digital technologies. You will be encouraged todevelop your technical skills alongside your theoretical workand creative thinking. You will research photographers andtheir influences at the same time as you reflect on yourintentions and develop your own innovative approach.

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Melissa Earl Fine Art/Photography/Textiles/English LiteratureI was planning to go on to school sixth form. But then I had aninterview here and saw how good the facilities were, so I made a lastminute decision. My parents understand the potential of studying in aspecialist place. I’m doing a lot of printing at the moment. I’m incollege four days a week and it’s open in the evenings too. I canborrow all the equipment I need – film, for example, that I’d neverhave had at school. The teachers are very helpful and they listen.School was more restricting in that way.

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Options

A-levels

Graphic Communication

The course explores opportunities in graphic communicationand illustration to develop digitally rendered, commercialfinished products based on traditional hand drawn techniques.You’ll explore typography, packaging, logos and posters asstarting points for your own portfolio of work. The skill set youacquire in the process will enable you to handle live briefs,commercial opportunities and competitions. You will haveaccess to all of the College’s resources and studios to help you totailor the course work to your specific interests and areas ofexpertise.

Textile Design

Our textiles option covers everything from screen and digitalprinting to wallpaper design, dyeing, pattern cutting andsewing, and ranges widely across fashion and interior design.You will be able to develop skills in hand and machine sewingand in traditional crafts such as knitting and weaving,alongside digital printing and laser cutting. Experiencedteaching and industry specialist staff will guide you, help you topinpoint your strengths and prepare you for higher education oremployment.

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Liam Jenner Fine Art/Photography/Graphics/English LiteratureI’ve learned so much in the last nine months - more than juststudying for A-levels. I’ve learned life skills and refined the skills Ialready had. I have been given a lot of advice and support and havebecome much more confident. I’d like to continue at the College,maybe to study Commercial Photography at FD or BA (Hons) level.I’ve particularly enjoyed studying photography. It’s made me see thatI can portray things from a different perspective. I have been recentlyworking on macro photography and also taking part in some fashionshoots. I did GCSEs at school and then came here because I wanted tostudy at a specialist art college and I knew that the resources wouldbe much better. My parents were very supportive.

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Options

A-levels

English Literature

You’ll study texts from different genres, crossing poetry, proseand drama, and spanning the centuries from the fourteenth tothe twenty-first. You will work in an atmosphere of creative andimaginative adventure where your skills of artistic expressionwill be invaluable. English Literature allows you to explorehistory, psychology, sociology, linguistics and politics, and todevelop skills in communication, analysis, critical thinking andperseverance that are attractive to employers and universitiesalike. We work together in a mutually supportive environmentwhere everyone's opinions are valued and respected.

Media Studies

This course integrates theoretical and practical approaches andwill encourage you to be creative and to explore a range of mediaand technologies, paper-based and hand-made, as well asdigital. You’ll consider key media ideas that relate to language,representation, audiences and institutions. Your Investigationsinto new and social media will connect contemporary andhistorical contexts and cover film, music, newspapers, radio,magazines and video games as well as everything online.

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Josie-Leigh Webb Fine Art/Photography/Textiles/English LiteratureI did my GCSEs at Saltash and used to pass the College on the busevery day and thought that I’d like to be there. After A-levels I’d like todo a photography degree and then eventually teach in HigherEducation, taking the study of photography to postgraduate level. I’menjoying studying for my A-levels here. There’s much more freedomthan at school. We’re treated as adults and encouraged to feel on amore equal footing with the staff. I feel comfortable here.

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Level 3 and 4

Foundation Diploma in Art and Design

This intensive one-year course will inspire you to learn throughdiscovery, experimentation and exploration. It will give you thefreedom to try out new ideas and introduce you to a range ofmedia, materials, resources and equipment. We will help you tobecome creative, confident, independent and successful – andprepare you for progression to BA (Hons) or a FoundationDegree programme.

We will encourage you to work outside your comfort zone andto develop an individual approach to problem-solving, and wewill give you the confidence to discuss your work in formal andinformal, large and small group situations.

This course strikes a balance between taught sessions and yourpersonal learning and development. During the first part youwill experience a variety of disciplines, making it easier for youto choose the right pathway and eventually the perfect HigherEducation programme. The second part is about narrowing thefield of your inquiry and selecting a way forward, for example infine art, design, contemporary crafts, visual communication,fashion and textiles or lens-based media.

Part Three is an externally-assessed unit. It is the culminationof the creative skills developed during the course and becomesyour end of year show.

Entry requirementsWe offer places to students who havea GCSE profile of at least 5 A*-Cgrades and a combination of AS andA-level qualifications. We alsowelcome applications from maturestudents who may not have thequalification profile but who haveother experience and knowledge.

Portfolio requirementsAll applicants need to show aportfolio of creative work that reflectstheir passion, enthusiasm andcommitment for art, design andmedia.

This course has a flexible structureand offers a qualification at Level 3 aswell as 4. It is made up of seven units.The first four are assessed at Level 3;units 5 and 6 can be assessed at eitherLevel 3 or Level 4, and the seventh isLevel 4 only. Your qualification willdepend on your performance inrelation to the last three units.

Validated by University of the Arts,London Awarding Body

What next?Many of our students progress to creativeundergraduate programmes at PlymouthCollege of Art (from Fine Art toPhotography, from Game Arts to Film) orto other colleges and universities. Othersgo straight into employment orapprenticeships in the creative sector.

We’ll provide you with an exciting, challenging environmentwhere you can cultivate your intellectual curiosity and creativethinking.

Helen Markes, Programme leader

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Ruby RevellI was studying AS-level first year, but my college was far away and Iwasn’t enjoying it. A different way of thinking is encouraged here.There’s a huge amount of contextual studies and the facilities arereally good. There’s no way I would have had access to a laser cutteror to ceramics at school. You can arrange to use anything. Differenttutors have different opinions and it’s been interesting to get variedfeedback. I’m working to a deadline for the end of year project and I’mgoing on to study Fine Art at Central St Martins next year as I reallywanted to be in London. I can see a huge development in my workover the year.

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Work by Sophie Taschner-Baldwin and Zoe SpryExamples of unexpected thinking and adventurous making from the2013 Foundation Diploma show: Sophie Taschner-Baldwin inventedan imaginary interplanetary substance, Proteg-1 (left), byexperimenting with the 'chemistry' of boiled fruit sweets. ‘I enjoyturning any material into something that looks unearthly and bizarre,’she says. Zoe Spry set snails loose on fabric to investigate qualities oferosion and decay. ‘I began my project by responding to the visual andorganic aesthetics of my family's dairy farm after finding a decayingwork coat. I became intrigued by how creatures eat away at fabrics,leaving the most delicate and detailed organic marks.’

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Creative Apprenticeship Programme

Intermediate and Advanced Level Apprenticeships areincreasingly looked upon as a great way for students to get thetraining they need for the world of work, while providing areliable avenue to further learning and development.

As a creative apprentice you will be guaranteed a wage and gettailored training at Level 2 or Level 3, that relates directly to yourjob role. In other words, you will gain qualifications whileworking and earning.

Many of our apprentices see it as an alternative to university,and apprenticeship graduates go on to full-time employment orHigher Education. We continue to work closely with employersto develop fit for purpose and sustainable training, taking intoaccount the needs and qualities of the creative industries.

Our apprenticeships last 12 to 18 months and are offered inprint, design, creative and digital media, photo-imaging,cultural heritage, community arts, fashion and textiles andceramics manufacturing.

They are cost effective from the employer’s point of view. Withfunding available to support the cost of training and deliverymodels that support distance learning, employers can train anapprentice in the skills their business needs.

Getting into the creative industries is tough, even for graduates, so this is a great opportunity for a 16-year-old to get a footholdand gain skills and work experience while being paid.

Rebecca Moore, Apprenticeship officer

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Ellie Staddon Usfor Design and Print, NewquayI’ve been working in a hotel to get money and I started on theprogramme in September, hoping to do an apprenticeship in design. I was interviewed by Usfor Design and Print in Newquay as they werelooking for an apprentice, and I found this course online. I work 40hours a week and spend one day a month in college. What I learnhere adds to what I learn in the workplace – which has more to dowith health and safety, manual handling, risk assessments, andgenerally learning about the work routine – from quoting to artworkto production and customer service. I’ll be on the scheme for 18months and I get one-to-one support from my tutor.

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Creative Apprenticeship Programme

The College has been awarded the Creative Skillset Tick for itsadvanced apprenticeships in creative and digital media andphoto imaging. Apprenticeship Manager Rebecca Moore says:‘our strong links within the creative industry mean we can offerstudents fantastic opportunities to gain on-the-job experience,valuable business skills and confidence’.

As well as with the international award winning media agencyTwofour, the College has close working links with photographicconcept store, Bang Wallop, based in Salcombe, who employ aphoto imaging apprentice, and with Prime Delux, anindependent skatestore based in Plymouth who have created askatepark in the city and employ a creative and digital mediaapprentice.

Babcock International Group’s Industrial Skills Manager ChrisAllen is a strong supporter of the College scheme. He says: ‘It has worked for us because it’s flexible enough toaccommodate what is a fairly unique set of skills for oursailmaker apprentices. The development of the AdvancedApprenticeship (Level 3 pathway) is particularly welcome as itnow aligns the sailmakers with the other AdvancedEngineering apprentices in our business.

The apprenticeship allows the candidates to develop their skillsin a safe work-based environment at a pace that is relevant totheir ability. Their knowledge and skill are also developed by theCollege so there is potential in the arrangement for introducingnew ideas into the work place which could improvemanufacturing methods and materials. Above all, though, I think that the apprentices appreciate that this is aninvestment in them and that helps develop a sense of pride and achievement, which can only have a positive impact on our business.’

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Sam Woods Apprentice Sailmaker, Babcock International Group I started doing A-levels, but I was losing motivation. I knew about thecompany because my brother worked here, so I came to an Open Dayand decided to apply. It’s a complete change from A-levels, but I’mmore of a practical person and the trade interested me. There’s noguarantee of a job, but everything I’m learning could be applicable inother places. We go into college one or two days a week depending onthe stage we’re at. We learn different approaches to sewing, cuttingand materials and can put different ways of doing things into practiceat work. It’s taught me what it’s like to have a full-time job, and it’ssatisfying to earn your own money!

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Printed in Plymouth byPepper Communications

Prospectus designed by Julie Depledge and Kevin Mount([email protected]). Photographs of students talking aboutthe College were taken by Kate Mountduring the 2013 summer term. make it

Plymouth College of Art Tavistock PlacePlymouth PL4 8AT

+44 (0)1752 203 [email protected]

@plymouthart

/PlymouthCollegeOfArt

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pca fe prospectus 2014-15

Documents

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level students

creative electricity

creative approach

creative aspirations