AN ADULT student wanting to enhance her career prospects has returned to college to successfully gain her English and Maths qualifications.
Clinical Data and Admin Manager within the NHS, Maggiie Jones, 40 from Birmingham, left school without having gained her Maths and English qualifications, but this didn’t hold her back from forging an impressive career in the NHS spanning two decades.
Maggiie was ready to start on a Level 5 Diploma in Operational Management and Leadership and Ops Manager Apprenticeship with her employer and Solihull College & University Centre but needed Level 2 English and Maths qualifications to do so.
She enrolled on to the Functional Skills Maths and English courses, and in under three months completed all her exams.
Maggiie said: “I have gained many qualifications after leaving school and throughout my career but not having Maths and English always niggled me. It got to a point where it prevented me from taking on opportunities because I let it affect my self-confidence.”
“Up until this point, I’d spent my life focussing on my career and my two boys and this was the time to put myself first.
“The College was so flexible, they understood that I had experience working on high level reports within my role so my needs in the class were different to some of the other students and they catered to that.”
Within two months of starting the courses, Maggiie was ready to sit her exams.
She added: “I thought I’d struggle with English but given my role over the years, I learnt I had the skills and was now learning the terminology and techniques to supplement it.
“The Maths exam was challenging but I really enjoyed it. I have a head for figures and love spreadsheets.
“It was reassuring that I wasn’t just doing something for the sake of it, but because it was meaningful and fulfilling for me.”
Within two weeks, Maggiie had received her results.
“I’m grateful to my tutors Lucy Hammond, Simon Homer, and Dee McGhee for all the support they provided to help me achieve my goals.”
