Students from a coastal college will be able to experience life changing opportunities and study in Hawaii and Vietnam.

East Coast College has been successful in securing further funding through the government’s Turing Scheme to allow students to study abroad.

It comes after trips to South Africa and Italy - which were also funded through the Turing scheme - were successfully run this year.

A total of 30 students from the college’s Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth campuses have just returned from a two-week trip to Bologna in Italy, where they explored international approaches to childcare as part of the scheme.

Now the college has had bids approved for students studying the new Preparation for the Military course to travel to Hawaii to work with US Army Special Forces personnel and to serve alongside local community groups.

The students will be prepared for this gruelling training programme by a local trainer from September who will travel with them to work alongside military personnel on their physical progression.

Travel and Tourism students will be heading to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam next spring to build their employability skills by volunteering in the soup kitchens of the city.

They will also experience first-hand tourism in the city and in southern Vietnam, visit Vung Tau and Mekong Delta and learn about Vietnamese cultures and customs.

Last year East Coast College was successful in securing bids for both Animal Care and Childcare students, with the former taking part in a two-week work programme studying at the UmPhafa Private Nature Reserve in South Africa in March, where students took part in activities including animal studies, game counts, reserve maintenance, field patrols, data collection and night drives.

Lowestoft Journal: Animal Care students from East Coast College during a recent trip to South Africa.Animal Care students from East Coast College during a recent trip to South Africa. (Image: East Coast College)

They were followed by Childcare students who visited Bologna University, Reggio Emilia and early years settings and schools in Northern Italy to investigate different ways to innovate and inspire children which they will now build on in their own work placements.

Holly Chase, East Coast College assistant principal, said: “This has been a life changing opportunity for our students as they have not only engaged in amazing interactive learning experiences broadening their knowledge, but have made great strides in their personal development.

"We are now looking forward to the Turing trips next year and I am confident that they too, will prove to be equally successful for our students.”