Graduation day offered plenty of reason to celebrate for Redcar and Cleveland College teaching staff who like to practise what they preach.
For lecturers Joe, Alison and Paul, that saw them picking up their own qualifications.
Joe, who teaches plumbing, and joinery lecturer Paul, both achieved their Level 5 Certificate in Education, while maths tutor Alison, a former adult student herself at the college, picked up her PGCE. All studied part-time alongside the day job.
Alison, 49, said: “It has meant a lot of work, but we are all feeling pretty ecstatic now.”
It’s certainly not what she expected when she signed up to a part-time supporting teaching and learning course at the college three years ago, describing it as, “just something to do”.
A former bank worker, she explained: “I had been made redundant and that is how I fell into supporting teaching and learning. Teaching was something I had wanted to do since being a little girl, so I thought I would give the course a go.”
It was while refreshing her maths skills, “for a bit of fun”, that staff spotted Alison’s talent for numbers. Offered work as a maths progression coach, moving on to the PGCE was the natural next step. Now a maths lecturer, she said: “That first course delivered more than I could have dreamed of. I do feel quite proud.”
For dad-of-two Joe, 29, two years of study wasn’t without its drama. His studies fit around reconstructive surgery to his knee and the birth of his youngest daughter in his first year, and then breaking his leg in his second.
“It was tough trying to do assignments and meeting deadlines while I was laid up trying to recover from surgeries and manage a newborn at home,” he said. “But I had a lot of backing from my partner who kept pushing me to do more and achieve.”
As for joinery lecturer Paul, he started work at the college as a technician. After three years in the job, he too was inspired to move into teaching. He said: “It has been hard work, especially studying while also working full-time but, for me, it felt like progression.”
Redcar and Cleveland College offers a range of higher education certificates, HNCs, HNDs, foundation and full honours degrees, many delivered in partnership with Teesside University.
Graduation celebrations at Kirkleatham Walled Garden saw 58 adult learners celebrate their achievements with a formal procession and awards ceremony.
Click here too find out more about the higher education options available at Redcar and Cleveland College and access to higher education courses.
The college is also holding an adult education open event on Tuesday December 12, from 5pm to 7pm. Book your place or pop in to the event for a chance to chat about your options.
