Wednesday, July 24, 2024
Reading Time: 2 minutesSouth Eastern Regional College (SERC) Travel and Tourism students embarked on an enriching journey to Stellenbosch, South Africa, in March 2024, funded by the Turing Programme.
Eight students from South Eastern Regional College stayed at the Halls of Residence at Boland College in Stellenbosch for seventeen days. This collaboration between South Eastern Regional College and Boland College aimed to enhance the skills of travel and tourism students from both institutions. During their stay, South Eastern Regional College students engaged in cultural exchanges with local students and tutors, gaining invaluable insights and experiences.
The South Eastern Regional College students participated in work placements across local businesses, engaging in various activities such as shadowing staff on local wine estates, tour guiding, preparing picnics, developing customer service skills, and even feeding some of Africa’s wildest animals. These placements provided practical, hands-on experience in the travel and tourism industry.
Additionally, the students visited several wine estates to understand how tourism supports the local wine and hospitality industries. Their visits included Lanzerac Wine Estate, Warwick Wine Estate, De Zalze Wineland and Golf Estate, Spice Route in Paarl, and Rickety Bridge in Franschhoek. They also explored some of South Africa’s most renowned tourist attractions, including Table Mountain, Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, Oranjezicht City Farm and Market, Cape of Good Hope, Cape Point, Boulders Bay, and Aquila Game Reserve.
Catherine Anderson, DHOS for Travel & Tourism at South Eastern Regional College , remarked, “The cultural impact and the experience of long-haul travel have positively influenced each learner. It has given them the opportunity to explore tourism from a global perspective, enriched their educational journey, and broadened their horizons.”
The Turing Scheme, which funded this trip, provides opportunities for students to undertake study or work placements globally. This initiative supports the UK Government’s commitment to a Global Britain by helping institutions like South Eastern Regional College enhance existing international links and forge new relationships. The Turing Scheme is delivered by Capita on behalf of the Department for Education.