SERC Travel & Tourism Students See Sights in South Africa

South Eastern Regional College (SERC) Travel and Tourism students enjoyed a trip to Stellenbosch, South Africa, in March 2024, fully funded by the Turing Programme. 

The eight travel and tourism students from SERC stayed at the Halls of Residence at Boland College in Stellenbosch, South Africa, for seventeen days. SERC, in partnership with Boland College, developed a programme to enhance the skills of travel and tourism students from both colleges. In class, SERC students were able to interact with South African students, allowing for cultural exchanges with local students and tutors.  

SERC students had the opportunity to take part in work placements across local businesses, where they participated in several activities including shadowing staff on local wine estates, tour guiding, preparing picnics, developing customer service skills and even feeding some of Africa’s wildest animals. 

As well as these placements, the students visited several wine estates to learn how tourism acts alongside local wine and hospitality industries in attracting visitors to the region. They enjoyed visits to Lanzerac Wine Estate, Warwick Wine Estate, De Zalze Wineland and Golf Estate, Spice Route in Paarl and Rickety Bridge in Franschhoek. Some of the world’s most renowned visitor attractions and sights were also visited by the students, 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, said “The impact culturally and the experience of long-haul travel, which most students have not experienced before, has positively impacted each learner and given them the opportunity to explore tourism from a global perspective. They benefitted from living and working abroad and it has enriched their educational journey at SERC.” 

The Turing Scheme provides funding for students to undertake a study or work placement across the world, contributing to the UK Government’s commitment to a Global Britain, by helping organisations such as SERC to enhance existing international links and forge new relationships. The delivery partner for the Turing Scheme is Capita working on behalf of the Department for Education.

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