Fern Ford (19) from Alloa won the Student of the Year and Most Inspirational Student in the Department of Care, Sport, Business & Communities at the 2023 graduation ceremony.
Graduating with a HNC Working with Communities, Fern says she chose to apply to study at Forth Valley College, to give herself a better life experience and academic freedom that she didn’t have a school.
She, said: “The facilities and the lecturers were helpful and understanding and the support I got made a difference in my learning. Studying at the College benefited me as it improved my knowledge and my skills – especially in communication - which helped me to build my confidence.
“Forth Valley College has helped me move on in my career as it gave me the experience that is necessary to further my education. It encouraged me to take on more opportunities, such as applying for and being accepted into university and also the work experience I was able to get during the course itself. This placement could help me get a job in the future.
“I would recommend the course because it’s a fun and engaging experience and it has helped me gain confidence with public speaking and improved my social anxiety issues. I feel this is all down to the opportunities of meeting new people and getting placement experience.
“I would say that the best bit for me was the work placement as this new experience, and the course in general, was amazing. It has taught me a lot of what goes on in my area that I didn’t know before, like how much unemployment there is etc.
“I would recommend college to anyone to enable them to have more freedom and a place where they can work on skills and gain more qualifications and have opportunities to meet people. I loved the experience of having opportunities to work in placement to gain knowledge and skills, and overall, college was an enjoyable experience for me instead of school.”