Taster days provide you with a fantastic opportunity to find out more about our courses and are an excellent way to help you make a more informed decision about your future.
In 2024, our taster days will be running on Monday 12th and Tuesday 13th February during half term. Our taster sessions are for school leavers (year 10 and year 11 or year 9 if the student is Elective Home Educated) who are looking to start a full-time course with us in September 2024.
Whatever your interests, a taster day can provide you with the opportunity to experience a variety of courses first hand.
Throughout our taster days you will explore the college, find out about the courses you are interested in, get involved with fun activities and meet the tutors. If you are not sure of which path to take, why not choose a different session on another day and compare the two!
All subjects will include practical activities, so please make sure you wear suitable clothing and footwear.
Rodbaston College, Rodbaston Drive, Penkridge, Staffordshire, ST19 5PH
🚜 Agriculture – Monday 12th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
A very practical day that will offer participants a wide variety of tasks including tractor maintenance, tractor driving and working with farm livestock. You must bring along appropriate footwear/clothing such as wellington boots and overalls. Book your place
🐒 Animal Care – Monday 12th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
Activities involving animal health, feeding, behaviour and handling. You must bring along appropriate footwear/clothing such as wellington boots and overalls, please tie long hair back and remove all jewellery and piercings. Book your place
🐒 Animal Care – Tuesday 13th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
Activities involving animal health, feeding, behaviour and handling. You must bring along appropriate footwear/clothing such as wellington boots and overalls, please tie long hair back and remove all jewellery and piercings. Book your place
🌳 Arboriculture – Monday 12th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
See if you have a head for heights as you have a go at tree climbing with a rope and harness, there is also time to look at the basics chainsaw maintenance and safety. Book your place
🐶 Canine Behaviour – Monday 12th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
You’ll have a fun day gaining an insight into the canine care profession. This includes the evolution, training and behaviour of domestic canines including their care and welfare in kennels, home and boarding care. Book your place
🐛 Countryside – Monday 12th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
A very practical ‘hands on’ day experiencing a wide variety of practical tasks that will include pond dipping, surveying the wildlife on the college estate and building homes for animals and insects. Participants should wear wellies, waterproof, warm clothes and be prepared for a proper environmental experience! Book your place
🐎 Equine – Monday 12th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
After a tour of all the equine facilities at Rodbaston College you will get the chance to understand the depth of knowledge studying an equine qualification with us can provide the extensive range of careers available. It is advisable to wear suitable equine clothing (jodhpurs, boots etc., where possible) to ensure that you have everything you need for your day, as expected of an equine student. Book your place
👨🔧 Motor Vehicle – Tuesday 13th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
Enjoy a fun packed day inside the state-of-the-art motor vehicle workshop where you will work under the bonnet of real cars doing maintenance on the engine, brakes, steering and exhaust. Book your place
🚿 Plumbing – Monday 12th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
Enjoy a very practical and exciting hands on day where you will get the opportunity to experience some of the activities a plumber would undertake in our state of the art training facility. Book your place
👣 Routes to College – Tuesday 13th February 2023 (10am-2.30pm)
Are you thinking about progressing to college? Are you worried the class sizes may be too big, the work too fast paced or would prefer a more supportive environment? During your ‘Routes To’ taster you will be able to join in with the college environment in a smaller supportive group where we focus on teamwork activities, developing your confidence, as well giving you the opportunity to try lots of different things to see what interests you and what you enjoy. Book your place
🤝 Supported to Learn – Monday 12th February 2024 (10am-2.30pm)
Supported to learn is designed to help people with learning difficulties achieve their full potential within a wider college environment, preparing them for study within a mainstream college environment while still having specialist staff deliver their education and support them in a safe and secure learning environment. Book your place
🩺 Vet Nursing – Tuesday 13th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
This day will provide you with an insight into the veterinary nursing profession. You will get a feel for the daily life of a small animal veterinary nurse through a tour of the unit which will introduce you to both the theory and practical skills required to pursue a career in this exciting sector. Book your place
Tamworth College, Croft Street, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B79 8AE
💄 Beauty – Monday 12th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
An opportunity to see practical hand and nail treatments demonstrated by tutors. You will then get to try this skill for yourself. Book your place
📈 Business – Monday 12th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
Experience the world of business and entrepreneurship. You will create your own product and with the help of experienced tutors develop a marketing plan. Book your place
💻 Computing & Emerging Technologies – Monday 12th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
This taster will give you a flavour of our digital and IT courses by exploring opportunities within the digital economy as well as exploring how digital innovation is changing the way we work (and play). The day will provide you with practical opportunities to demonstrate your skills in areas such as networking, coding and web design. Book your place
👷 Construction (TORC College) – Tuesday 13th February 2024 (9.30am – 3.30pm)
Enjoy a practical and exciting ‘hands on’ day where you will get the opportunity to experience some of the construction trades we have on offer. The day will include bricklaying and carpentry. You must wear suitable clothing such as boots and overalls. TORC’s address is Silver Link Road, Glascote Heath, Tamworth, B77 2HJ. Book your place
👶 Early Years – Monday 12th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
An opportunity to experience what it is like to be an Early Years practitioner by taking part in a range of hands on activities that support children’s development. You’ll get to meet the team, and explore the job roles available. Book your place
⚡ Electrical – Tuesday 13th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
Experience the world of electricians in the state-of-the-art electrical workshop where you will have the opportunity to work with cable systems, tools and testing real electrical circuits. Safety boots and overalls will be required for safety reasons inside the workshop area. Book your place
👨🏭 Engineering – Tuesday 13th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
Experience virtual welding, CAD (Computer Aided Design), manual machining and CNC machining in the state-of-the-art engineering facilities at Tamworth College. Boots and overalls will be required for safety reasons. Book your place
💇♀️ Hairdressing – Monday 12th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
An opportunity to see practical hair styling skills including plaiting and braiding demonstrated by tutors and then practice this skill yourself. Book your place
👩⚕️ Health & Social Care – Monday 12th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
You will have the opportunity to take part in a range of fun practical activities for the caring industry from healthy eating to beating the bugs! Book your place
👨🍳 Hospitality & Catering – Monday 12th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
An action-packed day working with professionally trained chefs, to learn how to make fresh bread and how we can turn this into a delicious pizza that you will be able to take home with you. Book your place
👨🔧 Motor Vehicle – Tuesday 13th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
Enjoy a fun packed day inside the state-of-the-art motor vehicle workshop where you will work under the bonnet of real cars doing maintenance on the engine, brakes, steering and exhaust. Book your place
👮♂️ Public Services – Monday 12th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
An action-packed day of team building and investigating a simulated crime scene, managing a major incident/disaster, using walkie talkie radios to manage the incident. Book your place
👣 Routes to College – Tuesday 13th February 2024 (10am-2.30pm)
Are you thinking about progressing to college? Are you worried the class sizes may be too big, the work too fast paced or would prefer a more supportive environment? During your ‘Routes To’ taster you will be able to join in with the college environment in a smaller supportive group where we focus on teamwork activities, developing your confidence, as well giving you the opportunity to try lots of different things to see what interests you and what you enjoy. Book your place
🏃♂️ Sport – Monday 12th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
An opportunity to work on fitness equipment with the sport team in our gym and partake in field sport. Book your place
🤝 Supported to Learn – Monday 12th February 2024 (10am-2.30pm)
Supported to learn is designed to help people with learning difficulties achieve their full potential within a wider college environment, preparing them for study within a mainstream college environment while still having specialist staff deliver their education and support them in a safe and secure learning environment. Book your place
🛫 Travel & Tourism – Monday 12th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
Have a go at real life cabin crew demonstrations using the safety equipment used on board. Make a cabin announcement to board your flight and ensure your passengers are safe before you take off. Book your place
Lichfield College, The Friary, Lichfield, Staffordshire, WS13 6QG
👩🎨 Art & Design – Tuesday 13th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
Learn about our creative arts subjects and get a taste of some creative craft in our ceramics room by working with clay alongside other arts practice. Book your place
🎮 Esports – Tuesday 13th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
Come along and experience the world of Esports! Explore your favourite teams and test your skills in a mini tournament and find out about the wider employability aspects of what an Esports direction can take you. Book your place
👗 Fashion – Monday 12th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
Get a snapshot of life at college’s fashion department, where you will get the chance to demonstrate your skills in fashion through exploring fashion styling. You’ll take part in a self-styled photoshoot, where you will get to know what to look at for developing your own fashion portfolio. Book your place
🎮 Games Production – Tuesday 13th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
The UK is at the forefront of driving digital games market, especially through the spread of social, massive multiplayer online (MMO) and mobile games, and is now the largest growth area in the creative industries. This taster will give you an understanding of the three course pathways we run at the college, which are Games Production, Art for Games and Animation, and Games Programming & Technologies. Book your place
🎥 Media – Tuesday 13th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
Work in our TV and film studio operating cameras and bring ideas to life within our film and TV workshop. Book your place
💻 Multimedia (L1 Vocational Course) – Monday 12th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
Our L1 Vocational Multimedia course is a great springboard qualification for those looking to go onto L2 Music Tech / Media / Games or Performance in the future. You’ll get to explore some of the multi-media apps and programmes used by our students to make their projects come to life. Book your place
🎸 Music Technology & Performance – Monday 12th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
You will get a chance to explore the music departments recording studio where you will play and record a tune on a drum kit as well as mix a range of audio projects in our MAC labs. You will also get a chance to interact with emerging technologies that include new webcam samplers and band performances. Book your place
🎭 Performing Arts – Monday 12th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
Join us in our acting and dance workshop where you will be taking part with some of our own students in a performance. Book your place
📸 Photography – Monday 12th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
Get a snapshot of life at colleges photography department where you will get the chance to demonstrate your digital photography skills with a studio shoot and get to know what to look for in developing your own photography portfolio. Book your place
👣 Routes to College – Monday 12th February 2024 (10am-2.30pm)
Are you thinking about progressing to college? Are you worried the class sizes may be too big, the work too fast paced or would prefer a more supportive environment? During your ‘Routes To’ taster you will be able to join in with the college environment in a smaller supportive group where we focus on teamwork activities, developing your confidence, as well giving you the opportunity to try lots of different things to see what interests you and what you enjoy. Book your place
🤝 Supported to Learn – Monday 12th February 2024 (10am-2.30pm)
Supported to learn is designed to help people with learning difficulties achieve their full potential within a wider college environment, preparing them for study within a mainstream college environment while still having specialist staff deliver their education and support them in a safe and secure learning environment. Book your place
Cannock College, The Green, Cannock, WS11 1UE
📈 Business – Tuesday 13th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
Experience the world of business and entrepreneurship. You will create your own product and with the help of experienced tutors develop a marketing plan. Book your place
💻 Computing & Emerging Technologies – Monday 12th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
This taster will give you a flavour of our digital and IT courses by exploring opportunities within the digital economy as well as exploring how digital innovation is changing the way we work (and play). The day will provide you with practical opportunities to demonstrate your skills in areas such as networking, coding and web design. Book your place
👶 Early Years – Tuesday 13th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
An opportunity to experience what it is like to be an Early Years practitioner by taking part in a range of hands on activities that support children’s development. You’ll get to meet the team, and explore the job roles available. Book your place
⚡ Electrical Installation – Tuesday 13th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
Experience a career as an electrician in the state-of-the-art electrical workshop where you will have the opportunity to work with cable systems, tools and test real electrical circuits. Safety boots and overalls will be required for safety reasons inside the workshop area. Book your place
👨🏭 Engineering – Monday 12th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
Experience CAD (Computer Aided Design), manual machining and CNC machining in the state-of-the-art engineering facilities at Cannock College. Boots and overalls will be required for safety reasons. Book your place
👩⚕️ Health & Social Care – Tuesday 13th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
You will have the opportunity to take part in a range of fun practical activities for the caring industry from healthy eating to beating the bugs! Book your place
👮♂️ Public Services – Tuesday 13th February 2024 (9.30am-3.30pm)
An action-packed day of team building and investigating a simulated crime scene, managing a major incident/disaster, using walkie talkie radios to manage the incident. Book your place
👣 Routes to College – Monday 12th February 2024 (10am-2.30pm)
Are you thinking about progressing to college? Are you worried the class sizes may be too big, the work too fast paced or would prefer a more supportive environment? During your ‘Routes To’ taster you will be able to join in with the college environment in a smaller supportive group where we focus on teamwork activities, developing your confidence, as well giving you the opportunity to try lots of different things to see what interests you and what you enjoy. You can then progress into that area the following year and start your career journey. Book your place
