DOZENS of Oxford students could be helping to keep the London 2012 Olympics safe.

In all, 192 students at Oxford & Cherwell Valley College took a door supervisor qualification, learning about everything from communication skills to conflict management.

Now 100 of them are awaiting security clearance, after successfully going through interviews with G4S, the company providing stewards for the Olympic venues.

Security course leader Tommy Tucker said: “Everyone knows there’s a security threat at the Olympics, so the students cannot go down thinking this is just a jolly, because it’s not.

“We’re talking about a high threat level and they understand what they’re letting themselves in for.”

G4S, through its Bridging the Gap programme, is recruiting young people from all over the country to carry out searches and bag checks on people attending the Games.

And on the road to the Olympics, the students, many of whom are studying for diplomas in public service and hope to eventually work as paramedics, firefighters and police officers, have worked on their stewarding skills at a number of city events, including the Oxford Town and Gown Run last year and the Christmas Lights switch-on.

A group also work as paid stewards for the college’s cut-price car parking scheme at the Oxpens campus at weekends.

Kirstie Bell, 22, from Cowley, is among those hoping to work at the Olympics. She already does stewarding work at football matches, most recently at Oxford United’s match against Swindon, and hopes to become a paramedic.

She said: “I’m excited about the Olympics and really looking forward to it.

“The course has been really interesting, because it helps you understand more about communicating with the public.”

Connor Jamieson, 18, from Littlemore, has been an ambassador for G4S’s Bridging the Gap scheme, encouraging fellow students to consider applying for stewarding posts.

He said: “I take it seriously, I won’t get carried away with the excitement, because I would make mistakes and I don’t like to make mistakes.”

The students will find out if they have been successful within the next month and then be told what roles they have been allocated during the Games.