The production of a short infomercial advertising the state of the art facilities at the brand new Excelsior Academy in Newcastle upon Tyne was just one activity completed by some of the 280 students of the inaugural cohorts for the first five Diploma lines in Newcastle during a series of Induction Days supported by the EBP.

The 15 Year 10 students on the Information Technology Higher Diploma were instructed in planning, storyboarding, filming and editing footage of their new surroundings by professional filmmakers from PillarBox Media and then proceeded to produce an outstanding short film which is now being shown on the Academies plasma screen.

The series of induction events were aimed at introducing students to the concept of employer support for their studies, getting them to work well with each other and to enthuse them for the journey ahead. The Information Technology Foundation Diploma Group from Heaton Manor School were introduced to the use of technology in music production at The Sage Gateshead when they recorded their own drumming and vocal talents to a PC and added samples and a backbeat resulting in possible future chart hit.

Two cohorts of Construction and the Built Environment Higher Diploma students from St Mary’s RC Comprehensive School got together to take part in a Rapid Response exercise which required them to act as the first responders to a natural disaster in a 3rd world country. Shelters were required and a water system was a necessity but only a limited number of resources were available, would they be able to cope? Yes they did, admirably. Supported by employees from Sir Robert McAlpine, Aura and Building Futures East the students pulled together and saved the day (although one or two of them got a little wet in the process!)
The aims of the induction days were all met and work experience programmes for the Diploma students are now ongoing.