"For part of my BTEC I was given the fantastic opportunity to spend two weekends on HMS Bristol which is based on Whale Island. These two weekends were exciting for many reasons. Firstly, the sense of achievement I felt knowing that upon completion of the BTEC I would earn the equivalent of 4 GCSEs. This for me meant a great footing knowing that employers look for that little bit extra in candidates, having a BTEC in Public Services gives me that little bit extra and something different that others may not have on their CV"

"Spending time aboard HMS Bristol gave me the opportunity to try something new, fitting in with the whole ethos of the cadet forces. The weekends were a once in a lifetime experience, I had the opportunity to meet with other cadets from different services and over the course of the weekends made many friends"

The BTEC offers young people like me the chance to participate in activities that we may not normally have access to. Just because I have completed the BTEC with the Army Cadet Force it is not all regimented like other courses I have attended in the past. The instructors made the course interesting and fun.

“In summary, I feel that I have gained an incredible amount of knowledge from the BTEC, I have come away with a huge sense of pride knowing that I have completed this course not only for myself but for my future.”