ENTHUSIASTIC Travel and Tourism students from South Eastern Regional College’s Downpatrick Campus, recently undertook a challenging one-day adventure to the North Coast.
The visit comprised of a trip to Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, sightseeing in Portrush, a tour of the Giants Causeway and the new state-of- the-art visitor centre. The students had a great day and the trip was a useful opportunity to relate the industry to their assignments and transfer the knowledge gained on the course so far.
Year one students, Ciara and Bria from Downpatrick, had this to say on the adventure day: “We felt our trip to the Giants Causeway was beneficial as it meant we were able to bond during the walks and site seeing. We feel that this helped our travel and tourism course as we got to act like tourists and see why Northern Ireland is such an appealing destination.
“These attractions, some of which we didn’t even know of before, made us more aware of how many tourism sites there are in Northern Ireland, therefore adding to our travel and tourism knowledge. We look forward to another trip throughout our course to see more travel and tourism attractions.”
SERC tutor Colum Toner said: “Team work is a fundamental part of what SERC offer. It’s the knowledge of all, not just one, that makes the difference. By taking time out from our day-to-day studies we were able to undertake challenging tasks throughout the day.
“Students were given the opportunity to work together to overcome conflicts and challenges while learning to understand the different personalities and strengths of various team members. It gave students the opportunity to identify their strengths as well as weaknesses and highlighted the importance of communication. It has given everyone an insight that they wouldn’t normally see in their day-to-day activities.
“I’m very happy with the way they’re tackling the course now. There’s a real enthusiasm and buzz in the group as a direct result of getting them out there together and they’re all more willing to speak out and participate in group discussions and activities.”
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SERC provides a range of full and part time courses designed to give students ‘the edge’ through industry projects and a range of work placements. To find out how SERC can help you ‘get the edge’ call 0845 600 7555, visit www.serc.ac.uk or find us on Facebook, search: South Eastern Regional College.
