Computing, Digital & IT

OUR CURRICULUM

The IT and Computing sector is currently experiencing major skills shortages in particular careers areas. At Barnet and Southgate College we track the needs of the current employment market carefully and frequently tailor our courses to suit (changing modules to reflect emerging technologies and embedding professional certifications into our programmes to give valuable employability skills as necessary). For example: we recently tweaked our courses to reflect the need for networking and cybersecurity, big data analytics, internet of things and digital multi-skilling.

Strategic decisions based on Local Market Intelligence ensures the college responds to local and national priorities, and bring significant benefits to students by broadening STEM skills and enhancing learning experiences. Study Programmes for learners have been designed to match sector needs and give learners industry standard skills on top of vocational English and maths.

Courses for 16-18 year olds

The full-time courses on this page are mainly for students aged 16-18. BTEC courses are designed as a more vocational pathway to higher education or employment, and the starting level depends on students' achieved grades.  We recommend you apply for the course that fits your predicted or achieved grades (entry requirements are listed on the course pages under the tab : WHAT QUALIFICATIONS OR EXPERIENCE DO I NEED?). Apply now to study next September - a tutor will make sure you are on the right course and level at your interview.

Barnet and Southgate College guarantees to place every student on a suitable course.  If you don’t meet the entry criteria for one course, we will find you another suitable study programme to help you progress and achieve your ambitions.

In order to help your career progression, most of our courses involve a considerable degree of work experience, which the College can assist you in finding. The exact amount of work experience required for each course will vary, but you can discuss this with tutors at your interview.

OUR DEPARTMENT

At Barnet and Southgate College, IT and Computing includes learning to understand and utilise the latest hardware and software in areas such as: computer networking, web-design, programming, database design and development, video editing, animation and multimedia, computer maintenance, cyber-security, CAD and 3D design and engineering and PLC programming. Our courses prepare people for related computing careers pathways such as becoming computer maintenance and IT support, software engineering, web and graphic designers, IT project managers, systems analysts and network and cybersecurity technicians.

Barnet and Southgate's IT and Computing department prides itself on delivering high standard computing and IT courses to a professional level. All of our courses focus on practical skills development with learners being taught the latest computing techniques giving them the necessary employability skills in key careers shortage areas. We are proud of our staff and have a team of very talented and dedicated teachers who have years of experience and the necessary know-how to get the best possible out of our students.

Computing courses are offered across the 3 main college sites (High Barnet, Southgate and Colindale campuses). We offer courses from Level 2 to Level 6 (degree level). There are over 200 full-time learners, mainly on BTEC IT programmes at levels 2 and 3 and near 100 part-time learners on a range of professional level training courses including CISCO, CompTIA, CIW Professional Web Design, Java programming and CAD. In addition we offer a Computing Foundation Degree course validated by Bolton University.

We typically have superb results on all of our programmes (last year we had 94-100% achievement rates and all course results were above the national average).

Sign Up to the Applicants' Hub to learn more about our courses, student services, events, news and more - Sign Up Now