There’s a buzz – and definitely a few barks – around the campus at Newton Rigg as students head back to the lecture rooms at the start of the academic year.
Enrolments continue apace with more than 800 young people from across the region and beyond already registered for courses as diverse as gamekeeping, hairdressing, sport and agriculture, to name but a few.
The Penrith-based centre is part of Askham Bryan College and specialises in further education and apprenticeship courses for both day and residential students, with purpose-built accommodation for around 200.
A popular course is game and wildlife management which this year sees a record breaking number of females. Of the 40 students who have registered so far, 23% (9 students) are girls.
Amongst them is 17 year old Lily Twigger who has also brought her two working dogs, Fen, a Cocker Spaniel, and Wigeon, a Springer. Lily is a residential student so not only is she settling into her accommodation but so are Fen and Wigeon. Gamekeeping students are allowed to bring their dogs to college as they are an integral part of student learning. They are housed in purpose-built kennels within the campus.
Said Lily: “There are other colleges nearer home but none offered accommodation, and it would have been too far to travel each day. It’s ideal here; the atmosphere is great, there are plenty of activities to join in on a weekend so I’m never bored, quite the opposite. Plus Fen and Wigeon love it too.”
For fellow student Joe Harmieson, the College came highly recommended as he is following in the successful footsteps of a friend, who, after completing his course, went into employment as a result of contacts he made during his studies. Both he and Lily are second year students.
Joe and his three-year old Labrador, Poppy, having taken advantage of the residential accommodation last year, have slotted right back in for this year’s studies. “What I really like is that it’s very sociable here, and living in means you get to know people from other courses, not just your own.”
Students at the Newton Rigg campus have the benefit of the college’s two farms with state-of-the-art dairy and sheep centres, modern indoor and outdoor equine arenas, arboretums for horticulture students, and also the 5,000 acre grouse moor at Shap…. all of which form an important part of their practical work.
