A group of college students are spending two weeks getting valuable work experience on the Greek holiday island of Crete on the prestigious Erasmus exchange programme.

On Monday February 6, 18 students and two teachers flew out to begin their trip in the Mediterranean.

It’s the first time that the Technical Skills Academy, which is part of Barking & Dagenham College, has run the exchange programme, which places the aspiring hair stylists and beauty therapists in spas and hair salons in the town of Rethymnon.

However, it’s not all work and no play, as they get a chance to explore the sights of the popular tourist town at the weekends.

Lee Demmel, curriculum manager for hair and beauty at the college said: “It’s such a fantastic opportunity for the students to experience local culture and traditions and share good industry practices that may differ country to country.

“They are building their confidence and those all important employability skills too.”