Student governors appointed to CCCG board for new academic year

Two students have vowed to make the student voice heard after being appointed to the board of Capital City College Group (@capitalcitycg)

Sinem Bozkurt and Jennisha Chin will provide a learner perspective to support strategic planning for the Group, which has around 30,000 students and apprentices.

CCCG comprises City and Islington College, Westminster Kingsway College and the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London, and apprenticeship and training provider Capital City College Training.

Sinem, 17, said:

“I applied to be student governor because I wanted to challenge myself and have an impact on the college in a positive way. It’s important for students to have a voice because every student, their education and overall satisfaction with their college is a priority. Having a student mindset will help the board make better decisions.

“I am very creative and a confident communicator and feel this role will be an invaluable experience where I can apply these skills, show my enthusiasm and make a mark.”

Sinem is in the second year of studying for an Engineering Level 3 Extended Diploma at WestKing. She is one of only four female students on her course and is her course representative.

She said:

“Engineering is all about creativity and problem solving, it’s about innovating our everyday lives, the willingness to take up a challenge to create better and bring ideas to life – this is what drew me to engineering. In the future I hope to study software engineering and become successful in the field of tech.”

Jennisha, 38, is in her final year of a PGCE Further Education at CONEL and has been gaining experience as an A Level Business lecturer at CANDI’s Sixth Form College in Angel.

Prior to undertaking her PGCE, she completed a Master of Business Administration (MBA) at the University of East London after graduating from the University of Plymouth with a BSc (Hons) in Business Management. She also has a Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector (PTLLS) from the Community Learning & Skills Service. She spent much of her early career in the hospitality industry and as a hairdresser after training at college in 2005-07.

Jennisha said:

“I have industry knowledge and experience in hospitality as well as event management and have very strong people skills. People nearly always feel safe and comfortable to express their issues to me, and so I thought why not be a voice for the students?

“I hope to encourage them to come forward and share their concerns and support them to develop further with what the colleges have to offer, as young people are the future. I also feel that becoming a student member of CCCG board would be highly beneficial to me and my professional career and personal development.”

On her future plans to teach in FE, she said:

“Many young adults leaving school are still confused or unsure of what they actually want to do or the opportunities available to them at this prime time in their lives, and this is why I want to encourage them to reach for the stars and let them know that nothing is impossible.”

CCCG students can also make their voices heard through the students’ union at each of the Group’s colleges or provide feedback through their class representatives and surveys.