A 17-year-old from Northern Ireland has chosen a vocational sport course over returning to school after his GCSEs. Taylor Fung enrolled at South Eastern Regional College (SERC) on the Traineeship in Sport following an open evening.

He said he preferred to specialise in one subject rather than continue a broader school curriculum. The traineeship allows him to develop his own fitness and sporting skills while working towards a qualification. Fung is involved in football and boxing outside his studies.

The programme includes access to a gym with cardio machines, bench press, treadmills and ski machines, enabling targeted muscle group training. Coursework covers anatomy, and practical sessions take place in the sports hall with activities such as badminton, basketball, and fitness testing.

Work placement is a component of the traineeship, and Fung expects to spend this in a gym or school environment. He stated he would like to become a PE teacher, explaining he enjoys helping others learn about sports and how the human body functions. He described the course as a good first step towards that career.

Fung said he has made friends at the college and finds the learning experience excellent, noting the tutors help students feel more like adults than they did at school.