Students shadow Immigration Compliance and Enforcement team

Four East Sussex College Eastbourne students studying Level 3 Uniformed Protective Services spent a day shadowing the Immigration Compliance and Enforcement (ICE) team as part of their work experience element of their course.

The work experience trip provided students studying Uniformed Protective Services (UPS) with an invaluable opportunity to hear and learn from those who work day-to-day in the role, firsthand.

ESCG Eastbourne UPS students, Ben Miles, Charlie Hanes, Corey Miller and Nathan Weston, had the opportunity to engage with the ICE team at their Gatwick offices before shadowing immigration visits in Eastbourne.

The students had received a careers talk from the ICE team a few weeks previously, and those selected for the experience were the students who are seriously interested in a career path with them in the future.

Throughout the day they were shown around the Gatwick offices, they attended a briefing and most importantly, saw firsthand how the service carried out a controlled entry to premises - including the vast planning that goes into the work that they do.

The students were also fitted with body armour used by the ICE team and shown the equipment they use on a day-to-day basis.

Robert Shoesmith, Public & Uniformed Services lecturer at East Sussex College Eastbourne, said, “It is invaluable for students approaching the end of their course to get a first hand glimpse into the careers that they are interested in.

“Because of issues surrounding security, vetting and age limits, work experience opportunities within public services are rare, but we think they are so important. We will rearrange things at a moment's notice to accommodate such experiences when the opportunities do present themselves. It's rare that you can get those experiences elsewhere.”

If you are interested in studying Level 3 Uniformed Protective Services at East Sussex College Eastbourne, please visit our website by clicking here to find out more about the course.