Middlesbrough College student Harley is setting sail for success

Level 3 Travel & Tourism Middlesbrough College student Harley Barrons is ready to set sail with Carnival Corporation & plc after successfully being appointed as a deck cadet apprentice.  

Harley, who is the Vice Student President at Middlesbrough College, applied for the role after finding a love for sailing whilst volunteering on a summer work placement to support disadvantaged children. The ambitious 16-year-old has spent two summers volunteering with the Cirdan Sailing Trust, an organisation that specialise in supporting young people to experience the challenge and adventure of life at sea.  

Harley said: “I’ve always loved the idea of exploring the world and initially I thought I wanted to become a pilot, that was until I started volunteering with the Cirdan Sailing Trust. I fell in love with sailing and knew it was the career I wanted to pursue.” 

Harley, who is in the first year of his travel and tourism diploma at Middlesbrough College, applied for the apprenticeship with Carnival Corporation & plc earlier in the year. After progressing through various stages of the tough recruitment process, he was offered the role and is set to start with the company in the Autumn.  

From September Harley will be enrolled into nautical College in Southampton where he will learn basic training including navigation, deck work and emergency drills and safety. In the new year he will progress to a ship and spend 6 months at sea putting the theory he has learned at nautical College into action out at sea.  

Harley said: “I’m so excited for September! I’ve absolutely loved my time at Middlesbrough College, and I can’t thank the travel team and the careers team for all their advice and guidance. My tutors supported me throughout the application process and helped me to prepare for my interviews and assessment days. I was over the moon when I was offered the role and I owe a lot to Middlesbrough College for supporting me through the process. 

“I would recommend studying for a travel and tourism course at Middlesbrough College. The tutors have industry experience in the sector which is valuable, and their knowledge and advice hugely impacted my success in the recruitment process. If you have ambitions to travel the world and work in the tourism sector, I would look no further than a course at Middlesbrough College. 

“I would also encourage students to consider applying for a role in Middlesbrough College’s Student Executive Team. I’m the current Student Vice President which involves meeting with the College Principal and Governor’s and putting forward student suggestions or concerns. I’ve gained a lot of experience and confidence doing this role and I’ve also gained transferrable skills and the understanding of professionalism in meetings. I would say that I’ve come out of my shell by joining the Student Executive Team and it’s a brilliant opportunity that students should take advantage of. This role helped me during the recruitment process with Carnival Corporation & plc as it looked fantastic on my CV, and I felt comfortable and confident dealing with professional situations.  

“I’m excited for the next chapter and can’t wait to get out at sea! I’m hoping to continue progressing in my career and one day become a captain. Carnival Corporation & plc have ships that travel across the globe, so I’m also looking forward to exploring new places and seeing the world.” 

Middlesbrough College currently offers a range of travel, tourism and aviation courses ranging from Level 1- University level study and has excellent relationships with local employers including Teesside Airport, Jet 2, Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, Swissport and more.

If you’re interested in finding out more about Middlesbrough College’s Student Executive Team and learning more about the roles available, please see here.