Step Up Case Study – College Connect+ - Turning knock-backs into comebacks, growing confidence and smashing the next step
College Connect Step Up case studies allow readers to hear from people who have been supported by the Step Up funded projects.
The student attended a local secondary school and said he struggled academically. As a result, he felt embarrassed about not doing well in school and his attendance started to suffer. With the lack of time in school, he started to fall behind in his coursework and classwork.
The student did finish school with four Level 2 qualifications in practical subjects, but failed their English and Maths GCSE and therefore, were not able to access higher education. The only option for this student was College Connect. The student really benefited from weekly mentor slots to help boost their self-esteem and assist them at looking into options for the future, which increasing their confidence and self-belief.
The student has said:
"During mentor slots we had visits from lots of different businesses that talked to us about careers, we were also able to go and visit other classes and learn about the courses they offer. It was during one of those visits, I decided I might like to start an IT course in September".
This Student started the Level 2 IT course in September 2025 and has applied for the Level 3 for September 2026. After that they would like to apply for an IT apprenticeship or go into employment.