Police Community Support Officer Jackson Foote is a former Llandarcy Academy of Sport student who studied Public Services and completed his studies last summer.
Jackson is an Officer with South Wales Police. As part of his role, he visits schools and colleges in the local area. Jackson visits Neath College as part of the college’s ‘Cuppa with a Copper’ initiative, which is part of our Safer Learning Communities programme, implemented across all our sites. These visits aim to engage with students and staff to create a strong link between them and the police. It also allows students to ask any questions they have and gives them the opportunity to learn about the Police.
After leaving College in the summer of 2022, Jackson applied to join South Wales Police. Having passed all the medical and fitness checks, Jackson started his training in October. The training lasted ten weeks during which he learnt about Police powers and legislation, plus issues such as County Lines and anti-social behaviour. After completing his training, Jackson was told he would be working at Skewen Police Station and started work just before Christmas.
When asked about his new role and the importance of visiting the College Jackson said:
“It’s a very proactive role within the police and it’s very rewarding as you can make a difference in the community.”
“It’s important for South Wales Police to be coming into College so that students can feel safe around police and understand what our role is. It also allows them to ask any queries or concerns they have.”
During his time at College, Jackson feels that the lecturers and support staff gave him the platform to be where he is today, from giving him advice to helping him apply to join the police. While at College, Jackson was part of the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) where he met Dave Rush. Dave, who is the College Manager at Neath College, helps with the CCF, passing on his twenty-four years of military knowledge.
When asked about seeing Jackson returning to College and thriving in his chosen career, Dave had this to say:
“It’s excellent to see former students returning to the College after completing their qualifications and utilising them in their chosen fields, it shows that the college is preparing students correctly for the world of work and it’s great evidence that shows the benefits of vocational qualifications.”
To learn more about the Combined Cadet Force click on the link below.
Jackson’s experiences at Llandarcy Academy of Sport have helped shape the person he is today; he told us about his time there:
“I had a very positive experience at Llandarcy Academy of Sport. The lecturers were extremely helpful with my studies, especially through the covid pandemic – often going above and beyond to assist myself and my classmates. If anyone is considering studying at the college, I would say go ahead with it, it’s a fantastic College with brilliant opportunities and a great support structure.”
If you would like to follow in Jackson’s footsteps, click on the link below to find out what Sport and Public Services courses we have to offer.
