After struggling with English and maths during his time at school, hotel assistant Dominic knew there was room for improvement.

Finding that he needed these skills to progress in his role, he saw lockdown as the perfect opportunity to boost his confidence and achieve the qualifications he missed out on in school.

Dominic said: “I was very immature in school, I was in the bottom class and I had no confidence, especially with maths. When I heard about the English and maths courses at Redcar & Cleveland College from a friend, I stopped making excuses and just went for it. I had a couple of wobbles throughout the course with my confidence but the tutors were always there to reassure me and tell me to believe in myself.”

After attending both online and face-to-face sessions, Dominic found the confidence to pass all of his exams and is now on the look out for more qualifications that will help him further his career in hospitality.

He added: “I am so proud of myself, I know now that I can achieve absolutely anything I put my mind to. I feel more confident in my abilities, especially at work and I am excited to see what opportunities arise for me.”

Natalie Chapman, maths tutor at Redcar & Cleveland College, said: “Dominic was a dedicated and capable student who just lacked that little bit of confidence and self-belief. He attended all of the sessions available to him and he is a great example that hard work really does pay off. Well done Dominic!”