In a poignant tribute to the fallen, Painting and Decorating student, Ash, showcased extraordinary freehand painting skills by recreating ‘Eleven-o-one,’ a sculpture by artist Ray Lonsdale.

The project, conceived as preparation for the Skillbuild competition scheduled for 2024, is a testament to Ash’s commitment to their craft.

The original sculpture, known as ‘Tommy’ to local residents, represents a soldier resting against his rifle, commemorating those who sacrificed their lives during World War One.

Guiding Ash through this creative journey was Course Leader, Graeme Roberts. He shared, “Ash is an exceptional Painting and Decorating student who consistently places an emphasis on quality and creativity. As the course leader, I am very much looking forward to supporting Ash in future projects.”

This project not only serves as a practical showcase of Ash’s freehand painting skills but also as a heartfelt homage to the sacrifices made by servicemen and women. Their work exemplifies the intersection of skill, creativity, and a profound sense of remembrance.

Two new stainless-steel screens have been unveiled during a ceremony in Wivenhoe, cut and shaped by our talented Engineering students. The screens stand proudly in a field on Elmstead Road, commemorating the town’s fallen soldiers.

This project was made possible thanks to a collaboration between local businesses, the College’s acclaimed Engineering department, and resident Phil Long.

After he conceived the idea and designed the screens, Phil approached Colchester Institute to fabricate the metal into permanent structures. Our students cut the lettering and poppy shapes, welded and fixed the screens to frames and finally cut and fixed 48 bright red poppies to the front of both screens, which were created by the pupils of Millfields Primary School.

The final products are testament to the students’ remarkable precision and patience.

At the unveiling ceremony, Phil expressed sincere gratitude to everyone involved in the creation of the screens, including the College’s diligent students. “The workmanship is outstanding,” he remarked, adding that the College community should take immense pride in what the students achieved.

Colchester Institute’s Principal & Chief Executive, Alison Andreas shares Phil’s pride, “we are so pleased to help in this important commemorative project that involved so many segments of the community. The screens are not only a powerful reminder of Wivenhoe’s fallen heroes, but also of what can be achieved by local businesses, residents and others collaborating together.”

Colchester MP Will Quince recently visited our Public Services students for an enlightening Q&A session.

The students, who are currently studying government policies and protective services, engaged Mr. Quince on issues impacting the country, including local NHS services, Parliamentary operations, the Gaza conflict, artificial intelligence, and more.

Mr. Quince provided insightful first-hand perspectives on how decisions affecting the public are made at various levels of government. He also explained important factors that influence policymaking on key issues.

Overall, Quince’s visit allowed our students a rare opportunity to interact directly with their elected representative while deepening their understanding of political systems.

A team of our talented apprentices working at leading automotive company TECNIQ claimed first place in the debut Colchester Soapbox Rally on Saturday 22^nd September.

The exciting new event, held on Colchester’s High Street, drew over 50 homemade soapbox racers. Teams launched their creations down a 300m course complete with obstacles like a foam “Kart Wash” and hay bale slalom.

The apprentices applied their developing engineering skills to design and build the sleek soapbox racer. Throughout the process, they collaborated with experts across TECNIQ to test and refine their ideas; from fabrication and engineering, to purchasing and marketing.

“We are hugely proud of our apprentices who have designed, developed and tested these karts,” said Nigel Lempriere, Chief Executive Officer of TECNIQ. “In this mini-development project they used their initiative and applied their experience and formal study…and they won!”

For those looking to launch or advance their careers, we offer apprenticeships in various subject areas, including engineering and manufacturing. Apprentices work hands-on at their place of employment while gaining important practical skills and pursuing qualifications during their time at college.

No matter where they are in their journeys, our apprentices earn valuable real-world skills in their field, and build on highly sought behaviours like communication, problem solving, and personal responsibility.

We at the College are always proud to see our apprentices applying themselves. We’re honoured to collaborate with employers such as TECNIQ who provide such impactful hands-on learning opportunities. It is partnerships like these that allow our apprentices to emerge as skilled professionals ready to excel in their careers.