SERC fine tunes musical aspirations for Rhys

A change of pace to kick-start a passion is the forefront of focus for many of us – including former student Rhys Gray, who grew leaps and bounds in his aspirations to explore the music industry by pursuing a course at SERC.

Rhys (20) from Dromore, attended Friends School Lisburn and completed his GCSEs in 2020. When considering his next step in education, Rhys wanted to explore his enthusiasm for music, and found a course in Level 3 Extended Diploma in Music at SERC Lisburn was the perfect fit harness his talent. Rhys recently completed the course in 2022, with a final grade of triple Distinction stars (D*D*D*).

Speaking on the course, Rhys said: “After I finished my GCSEs, I decided to look into alternative options from A Levels, as I wanted to gain hands-on experience in music performance and production. I felt that A Levels weren’t the right option for me because they had a specific academic focus, and I wanted to expand on my existing practical skills and interest in music. The course in Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Music at SERC really stood out to me and I decided to enrol.”

He added: “My time on the course over the two years really exceeded my expectations in helping me develop new skills and techniques in many areas of music production. There was always fantastic support from the tutors who had lots of industry experience to guide me along the way, and they were always willing to take the time to work closely with me when I needed help. Studying in Lisburn was great for me because it was close to home, and I most enjoyed being able to work collaboratively with my peers in a relaxed environment, using the skills that we learnt throughout the course to produce a final product which I can show to future employers to showcase the expertise I have gained.”

Concluding on his time at SERC, Rhys said: “SERC has been a great steppingstone in helping me gain valuable knowledge and practical experience. From doing my course at SERC, it has helped me secure a place at university in Computer Programming in September 2022. I would highly recommend SERC to other potential students who don’t want to go down the A level route, because the college has a lot of great course options to pick from and a great base of well-informed staff to help you reach your personal goals.”

Find out how you can unlock your future with SERC. Come along to our Open Evening for Full Time students from 4.00pm – 7.00pm on Wednesday 8 March 2023 at the College’s Bangor, Downpatrick, Lisburn and Newtownards Campuses.