The Career Academy is a national body – set up by leading figures from the worlds of business and education – to give students the chance to learn about business through real-life experience.

As well as providing one-to-one business mentors, the Career Academy helps students get paid work internships and includes visits to iconic business places like Canary Wharf in London.

Now students and a lecturer from the Career Academy course at South Tyneside College have been used in a DVD to promote the concept to others in the UK.

In addition to interviews with staff and students from the college, the DVD tells the story of Calum Whitfield, 18, from Sunderland, who worked at Yorkshire Bank as part of his internship on the South Tyneside College Career Academy course.

He said: "I chose the Career Academy programme because it contained lots of practical experience and I thought it would set me up well for employment in the future.

"But I didn't think the experience would include being a film star.

"It's great to think my experience could inspire someone to study the course and gain from it as much as I have.

"Being on the Career Academy programme has given me a clear understanding of how real-life businesses run, which I'm sure will benefit me endlessly in my future career."

John Heywood, business lecturer at South Tyneside College, said: "It's great the Career Academy wanted to use South Tyneside College students and staff in its promotional DVD.

"Our experiences here have been so positive the Career Academy clearly felt we were an excellent case study to use to advertise to potential students and partners.

"In the economic climate, finding a new job is becoming increasingly challenging.

"But the students on our Career Academy course have real business experience to offer employers which can really help them stand out in the marketplace.

"There's no doubt being on the Career Academy course provides business networks and experiences for young people who wouldn't normally have access to such opportunities."

To find out more about the Career Academy at South Tyneside College, call John Heywood or Pauline Barnes on 427 3533 or visit www.stc.ac.uk.