Mature student Alan Dack used to spend his life driving a delivery van around Europe, but at the age of 43 has decided to give up this well paid job to train as a nurse.

The married father of three is currently undertaking a one-year Access to Higher Education course at Redcar & Cleveland College, with the intention of taking up his place at Northumbria University later this year. The course is designed with mature students in mind and is aimed at giving people the qualifications and experience needed to secure a place at university.

Alan, who lives in Thornaby, eventually hopes to become a nurse for Macmillan Cancer Care, as he has had friends and family who have suffered from cancer. 

He said: “I left school with no qualifications and ended up driving a van for 20 years. It was a well paid job and could have continued doing it until I retired, but I became disheartened and wanted to do something totally different.

“When I first talked about becoming a nurse everyone said you can’t do that, but that just spurred me on further and although being back in education after so long is tough, I am determined to succeed.

“You are never too old to return to learning and the teaching at Redcar & Cleveland College is brilliant. Everyone is very approachable and willing to help in any way. While I have had to make a financial sacrifice to come back into education I know I have the made the right decision and  I am looking forward to continuing my learning and beginning my career in nursing.” 

The Access to Higher Education health course at Redcar & Cleveland College is split into five specialist units – professional practice, biology, psychology & sociology, health promotion and a research project of 6,000 words. Students on the course also undertake maths, English and IT classes.

Angela Ince, Redcar & Cleveland College’s Access to Health Course Leader, said: “The healthcare sector has traditionally been female dominated but this year there are five men on the course and we are starting to see a noticeable change in peoples’ careers choices. 

“The Access to Higher Education course is very intensive and is aimed at preparing people for life at university. It is aimed at mature students who left school with no qualifications but there are also people on the course who have good qualifications and have simply been away from formal education for some time and need to demonstrate to universities that they are able to pick up where they left off. 

“The Access to Higher Education courses at the college require a lot of hard work both while in the college and when they are at home, but they can help people like Alan to return to learning and into a new career.”

Students like Alan will hopefully soon be able to access Higher Education closer to home as Redcar & Cleveland College recently unveiled plans to open a multi-million pound Higher Education Centre in 2010.