The college is recognised by Libyan oil companies for providing high quality education for the training of engineering students and this year 75 students – a record number – from the oil-rich country are studying for a range of industry-recognised qualifications.

The college, which has been training students from Libyan for the past 15 years, delivers bespoke and certificated courses to Higher National Diploma Level. The quality of course delivery, the pastoral support the students receive while living in the UK and good working relationships have all contributed to growing the College’s reputation in Libya.

The year-long HND courses that are being delivered to the students are plant & processing engineering, fabrication & welding, mechanical engineering and instrumentation & control. The college is also providing Higher National Certificate (HNC) training, lasting 39 weeks, in chemical engineering and electrical engineering.

The courses are being delivered at the main Redcar & Cleveland College campus and also at the Wilton Centre, where the college has taken over an entire floor on ‘A’ block. 

Due to the length of the courses, many of the students come to the area with their families, providing a boost to the local economy.

Chris Coupland, Redcar & Cleveland College’s Engineering & Technology Commercial Manager, said: “We have built up our reputation over the years and have been helped by the fact that many of the people we have helped to train in the past are now in senior-level jobs in Libya and have recommended the college to their colleagues.

“Attracting the Libyans in such numbers has been good for the college as we have created new jobs for lecturers but it is also good for the local economy as a whole as many of the students are accompanied by their families during the duration of their course.” 

Two of the current students are Salah Abedrabbah and Hassan Shatewi, both of who work for the Sirte oil company and are studying for an Higher National Diploma in Mechanical Engineering.

Salah said: “This is my second time in the UK and I love it. The teaching methods are very different than that of what we are used to in Libya, for example using a blackboard, but the course is really very enjoyable and the people here are very friendly and treat us nicely.” 

Hassan said: “The course is very enjoyable and the facilities are great. I really like the area, although it is a little colder than what I’m used to.”