Ludvig Ravn Smedius (33) from Sweden has just completed a NC Industrial Automation (Measurement and Control).
Ludvig, who now lives in Grangemouth, said: “I wanted to stay in Scotland for a while, and with my background in fabrication/manufacturing, and my interest in engineering subjects, Forth Valley College was the clear choice. The location of the Falkirk Campus is near perfect for me, and close to both Edinburgh and Glasgow.
“The facilities are very clean and modern, and while my particular course only took me briefly into the workshops, what I did see was impressive. The lecturers have all been very supportive, I never felt like an idiot for asking possibly dumb questions, and I was given good advice when I asked for it.
“After working for 14 years, focusing on learning new things on a full time basis has been very mentally stimulating. Learning the technical terms for things in English, and spending so much time around native speakers has also increased my confidence in speaking English.
“It's a bit early to tell how studying at Forth Valley College will help me move on to the next step in my career, as I am staying on to study at FVC for another year. But the NC course did let me get into an HNC course. Hopefully I can better answer this next year!
“I would recommend the College and it’s courses to international students as it takes your work experience into account, so even if your - in my case, very old - school records aren't stellar, you can still get in.
“It's usually very clear what you need to learn to pass the classes, and if you pay attention in class, and read the provided material, you'll get there. You're provided with everything you need, except for the very basics, like calculators, pens, etc.
“In my experience, the lecturers are all very supportive, encouraging you to ask questions if there is anything you didn't understand. The food at the Falkirk campus is great, especially the breakfast rolls!
“The best bit for me has been absolutely the lecturers, but the haggis and bacon breakfast roll comes a close second!”