Brandon O’Boyle, a 19-year-old student at South West College’ Erne Campus in Enniskillen has recently set up a new business which aims to support new and existing entrepreneurs develop their online branding.

Brandon’s journey at the college began in September 2021 upon joining the BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Business programme. The course gave Brandon the opportunity to travel to Puerto de La Cruz in Tenerife in Spring 2023 during which he achieved a qualification in the Fundamentals of Digital Marketing. This training alongside Brandon’s college tuition and coursework equipped him with the skills and expertise necessary for the founding of BrandKit Marketing.

Following the successful completion of the Level 3 award, in September 2023 Brandon progressed to the Level 5 Accounting Technicians Ireland (ATI) Higher Level Apprenticeship and is currently combining his studies at South West College with employment in the accounts team at Tracey Concrete in Enniskillen.

Reflecting on his choice to study at South West College, Brandon said;

‘I work better on the basis of a coursework and exams mix, and the college offers a sense of freedom that you wouldn’t necessarily get in sixth form. I enjoy being able to work independently or in groups depending on the nature of the task and the college lecturers are very supportive.’

Brandon O'Boyle
Student

Brandon further added that the opportunity to ‘earn while you learn’ was one of the key reasons for choosing to complete the HLA programme and encouraged other young people to consider their range of options, saying; ‘students don’t need to go straight into the typical university route, there are other options and the HLA route gives you the opportunity to achieve the same qualification while developing much needed skills and knowledge.

Noreen McGirr, Higher Level Apprenticeship Programme Manager said;

‘Brandon is a shining example of how learners can benefit from the flexibility of the HLA provision at South West College. We are proud that Brandon has successfully progressed from his BTEC Level 3 Diploma to the ATI programme and his higher level apprenticeship with Tracey Concrete will equip him with the skills needed for success in a fast-paced accounts environment.

The fact that Brandon has chosen to combine his HLA with the setting up of his own business demonstrates an admirable strength of character and work ethic that we seek to instill and encourage in all learners. We wish him every success with his journey on the HLA programme and in the continued development of BrandKit Marketing’


@southwestcollege Brandon’s journey with SWC began when he studied the BTEC level 3 Extended Diploma in Business. During the course Brandon undertook additional Digital Marketing training in Puerto de la Cruz. Brandon is now a Higher Level Apprentice with Tracey Concrete and has also started his own company ‘Brandkit Marketing’ . Keep up the good w ork Brandon! #entrepreneur #hla #higherapprenticeship #swccollege ♬ original sound - SWC

For those leaving school this Summer and considering their post A-Level options, further information about HLA courses on offer at South West College can be found at https://swc.ac.uk/courses/hla