Leah Beaton
Creativity is fostered at the Renfrew Road campus, with students working towards qualifications in a range of arts, science, engineering and practical disciplines.
All-singing, all-dancing, Leah Beaton, 21, moved to Paisley from Stornoway when she was just 18 for training.
Teachers say she has “talent in abundance” and insist she will dazzle after landing a scholarship at the prestigious Glasgow Academy of Musical Theatre Arts.
Leah said: “I’ve always been close to my family so, of course, it was hard leaving them,. They were really supportive which was amazing.
“The support I got from the staff and students in my first year was absolutely incredible.
“I wouldn’t have been able to do it if it wasn’t for them being there. It was such a big help and luckily I didn’t get home-sick as I knew what I wanted to do and I was so focused.
“The atmosphere and vibe at the college is amongst one of the best I’ve ever experienced.
“I’m so grateful to have been part of an amazing group of talented people.
“I’ve not only grown as performer, but as a person too.”
Lynda Greig, 40, returned to college to retrain for a career in social care.
Her success is a beacon of hope for others struggling to turn their lives around.
She said: “I’d had a bit of a rough time at home and work and experienced some drug problems.
“It was through entering a programme that my counsellor highlighted that my personality was suited to a career in social care and, needing to turn my life around, I decided to go for it.
“I felt like I didn’t deserve to succeed because of my background and because I was oldest in the class.
“However, the lecturers and my classmates were very supportive.
“They gave me the confidence to trust myself and stick at it and to my surprise I got an A in my first year.”
Lynda turned her life around to pass with flying colours and is studying towards a degree at UWS – the first of her family to go to university.
Zeeshan Ayub, 25, came to Scotland five years ago from Pakistan.
The engineer already had a diploma from his homeland and was determined to continue his career.
He improved his English through a college course and was accepted to study a HNC electrical engineering.
Zeeshan is now working towards a degree at the University of Strathclyde.
He said: “In Pakistan, we didn’t get any practical experience like we do here, so I found that beneficial.
“The lecturers were really good – very supportive and always there to help if you needed it.
“The help and support I received from both my lecturers in ESOL and Engineering was fantastic and I’m really glad I came to study here.”
Hannah Sharp, 25, says working closely with the business world gave her the drive to pass her HND interior architecture course and study computer-aided design at UWS.
She said: “I love the whole design process.
“If you put the work in and have a willingness to learn and are motivated enough then it’s definitely achievable.
“Being able to develop an idea from a concept, then produce a final design, which was then critiqued by the client, was an invaluable experience.
“It was a great opportunity to get a real insight into the industry and see what it would be like to work in it.”