Harley Parmenter is hoping to join the Royal Navy in the future, but wanting to fully prepare himself for the recruitment process, he decided to study for a Diploma in Public Services (Armed Forces Preparation).
For Harley, this has been the perfect course as it allows him to improve his physical fitness, develop skills in leadership, discipline and communication, and gives him the opportunity to try loads of new things – and he says he is having the best time doing it.
Harley said: “We get to do really fun and varied things and we get out and about whenever we can. At the start of the year we completed a National Citizenship Scheme watersports event which was awesome, but it also got us working together as a team. If you join the Armed Forces, you are becoming a part of a team and this course aims to make you think that way from the very beginning.
“One of the main reasons for doing the course was to build up my fitness and I am physically a lot fitter. The lecturers aim to treat you as you’d expect to be treated in the Armed Forces, and I guess that can be a little daunting if you’re not as strong or as fast as the others. But the staff just want you to do the best you can – if you find it harder than some of the others, there isn’t any pressure and they do what they can to not only keep you going, but to motivate you to go that little bit faster and that little bit further.
“This course is so much fun: I look forward to coming to College, and I’ve made some really great friends. We also get to do loads of really great things, including helping the community. One of the modules requires you to do some volunteering and you can pretty much choose what you want to do – it has been a really positive experience.
“I am a lot more aware of what’s going on in the world thanks to this course. We’ve learnt about past conflicts and the laws of warfare. I chose the College based on its reputation and, I have to say, everything I had heard about how good it is here was completely true.
“They also teach us a lot about discipline. You need to be on time, you need to be in uniform, and if you don’t follow these rules, there are consequences. That probably sounds quite terrifying – but it’s actually very funny. It usually involves press-ups, but it is always done in good humour.
“I’m intending to do the second year of the course, which is the equivalent of three A Levels – I think that will potentially give me more opportunities for progression in the future or furthering my studies once I’m in the Navy.
“I love everything about this course and I am really pleased I chose to study at City College Plymouth.”
