Cam Burns

Tell us a bit about yourself and your background.

I’m an Engineering student. I’m very, very practical and, ever since I was a kid, I’ve enjoyed building things, being creative and learning new information and skills so that I can better myself in every way I can. I think I’m quite well-known for my work ethic – all my hobbies (like going to the gym, playing football or playing guitar) tend to require a lot of discipline and determination, but are also quite hands-on. In that sense, my course really suits me because it plays to my strengths and my interests.

How did you hear about Newcastle College? Did you attend an Open Day prior to starting at the College? If so, did you find it useful?

I was originally told about Newcastle College while I was at Whitley Bay High School, but I didn’t get many details until I was already fully enrolled at Whitley Bay Sixth Form. I spent a month doing A Levels before I realised that kind of academic set-up wasn’t really for me. I started to look around at some other colleges in the area during my free periods to see who could give me the best support, advice and experiences, and Newcastle College really stood out, especially in its facilities, so I left sixth form and started at the College. I didn’t come to an Open Event before applying, but I wish I had, because it would have convinced me to come here sooner and that extra time would’ve helped me to learn more than I already have!

What made you decide to come to the College and enrol on your chosen course?

Before I fully enrolled on my T-Level course, the Head of Engineering gave me a tour around the facilities, talking about the course and what I’d cover in my lessons, which really helped to convince me to come here. This is the first year that the College has offered a T-Level in Engineering, but I think so far my tutors have done a great job in sharing the knowledge: all my lessons correspond well to the curriculum, and all the equipment in the Engineering workshops and labs (like 3D printers and electronic engineering rigs) are used by industry so they really benefit my learning! I also enjoy how my course lets me be both creative and practical at once – for example, at the minute I’m learning about industrial 3D printing, and part of my classes involve being given a brief for an item to design, then going away to research it, printing prototype machines and then making a fully-fledged product, like a safe with functional locking mechanisms, or a wind-turbine phone charger, or smaller items like a specific screw for a larger machine. I don’t think I’d have the opportunity to apply my creativity in such a practical way anywhere else, on any other course.

How would you describe the advice and support you've received from the College staff and your tutors? Have you had any support from our Central Support Service?

The support network at Newcastle College is very good. I currently use the Central Support Team for access to counselling to help with stresses outside the College, but my lecturers are also really supportive and can adapt the format of their lessons to what works for me. I really appreciate that the staff here can meet me on a more personal level than they could in, say, a sixth form or a different college environment. The general community on campus, whether it’s students, teachers or support staff, are really good at working with every student to make sure we get the best out of our courses.

Do you have any tutors with industry experience? If so, how has this helped you?

All of them do! My main lecturer for my T-Level used to own a manufacturing company which built practical effects munitions for film sets, but also real artillery blanks for the Royal Family or for military use in different countries, like the UK, Japan or in Hong Kong. My lecturers have also all worked in an engineering environment, so they understand the theory behind engineering and how it’s applied in industry, and they bring that real-world experience of professional manufacturing into helping us with our course, whether that’s giving us advice on where to look for jobs, or how to deal with challenges in any projects or assignments we’re set. For example, let’s say that a current design for a component doesn’t work under the set parameters on a project – my tutors will take time to help us review the problems, and use their own experience in the engineering sector to help us solve the problem and make a functional prototype, and from that an actual working product! I remember when we were producing 3D printed wind turbines, one of my tutors went into a lot of detail explaining the impact of how the blades can generate different amounts of force or power, depending on their angle or how pitched they are, which proves how knowledgeable they are.

Have you overcome any challenges while on your course? If so how has the college helped you?  

I’ve gone through some personal challenges outside of College which the staff here are helping me to deal with, I really appreciate their support. In terms of my academic work, I didn’t start at Newcastle College until later in the year, so it took a bit of time to adjust to the new environment. My tutors were really supportive and made sure I caught up properly so that I’m now on an equal footing with my classmates in terms of my projects and overall knowledge.

What do you enjoy the most about your course?

The general knowledge! I really enjoy engineering, building and the experience of manufacturing – have done ever since I played with Legos as a kid! The fact that the course is laid out in such a way that it mixes theory tests with practical elements means I feel secure in both my understanding of the engineering principles and how those theories actually work in the real world, which will help me in my future career. For instance, I wanted to make a phone holder for myself, so the College allowed me to prototype and design my own product using Computer Aided Design (CAD) facilities in the Advanced Manufacturing Suite in Rutherford and some of the 3D printers to make it. By doing this, I got the chance to further develop my skills from the course, but also to make my own product for my everyday life off the back of it!

How do you feel that the course is benefitting you?

I feel that I’m more my own person now, that I’m doing things that I actually enjoy and that I’ll want to do even more in the future. I feel like my course has really allowed me to benefit from the higher level of teaching thanks to the industry experience of all my lecturers. I didn’t mesh well with the sixth form environment, but being at Newcastle College has helped me to find the subjects that I’m most passionate about and to study them every day. Studying here has absolutely benefitted me as a person, since I’ve grown more into who I want to be by being a student here, rather than who I felt I had to be to fit into a more rigid learning environment elsewhere

Have you done any work experience or a work placement as part of your course?

I haven’t secured a T-Level industry placement yet, but the College is supporting me with finding one. It’s very difficult to secure work experience placements in the engineering industry, so I’m currently in the middle of interviews to do a mixed placement with North Tyneside General Hospital in their engineering support team. This means that I’ll spend about nine weeks this year working at the hospital shadowing full-time engineering employees there, attending their meetings, and getting to tackle the engineering problems they face on a daily basis, like if there are any machines with technical faults in the hospital and how to repair them. By being in a working hospital environment as well, I’ll develop not just my core and soft skills, but also hard skills like strong communication, leadership and confidence that you can only really get from being in a real-working environment, all of which is going to benefit my career in the long run.

What would you like to do when you finish your course? Would you consider studying a degree at Newcastle College University Centre?

After my course, I’d like to use the links I’ve developed on my course to Step Up to a degree at Newcastle College University Centre, either in the Mechanical Manufacturing Engineering or the Civil Engineering degrees (since my course allows me to specialise in a few different areas once I complete the T-Level programme). The other option I’m looking at is doing a degree apprenticeship and furthering my engineering abilities in a practical work setting, with the goal of becoming a qualified Chartered Engineer when I’m older.

What are your ambitions for the future?

In the future, I want to become a Chartered Engineer and travel the world doing engineering work. I want to further develop my life experiences by travelling whilst doing a job I love and which I aspire to keep doing and developing as I get older. I think there’s a skill to always being curious and always looking to improve yourself in life, so I think doing a course as technical as a T-Level means I’ll have both the skills and experience to go into an exciting career that will give me the flexibility and passion I’ll need to travel far and live the life I really want to lead.

What would you say to anyone thinking of studying a course with Newcastle College?

I would tell them that choosing to study at Newcastle College was the best decision I’ve ever made in my life. From changing my mind about doing A Levels to feeling confident in myself and my future engineering career, my T-Level has offered me the chance to really open up my world. By doing a real job with placement hours, I get the experience and hands-on industry skills I’d need to go straight into industry after my course; but I also get the accredited UCAS points I need to go onto university or study a degree apprenticeship, so I really do have endless possibilities ahead of me!

What are your top tips for being a student at Newcastle College?

Stay positive – if you keep an upbeat mindset and keep aspiring to a goal, keep chasing it and everything else will fall into place.

Surround yourself with good people – they’ll help you when you need it.

Come to College with the right attitude – the staff here will use that to help you flourish into the best person you can be, if you put all your heart and soul into working hard yourself.

Put in the effort – if you do, you’ll get out much more than you expect!