Chloe's endless endeavour lifts her to the 'nth' degree

: Created: 20 February 2020

Chloe enrolled to study a part-time Business and Management Foundation Degree in the evenings at our University Centre in Bromley. After two years of intensely hard work, she received a distinction grade and then took it a step further studying the extra year to top up her qualification to a full Business BSc Hons. This she achieved with a stunning first-class honours degree accredited by Canterbury Christ Church University.

And the 31-year-old from Orpington hasn’t tired of education just yet - she is now well and truly sailing in the direction to even more academic success, this time with the Education PGCE Diploma. Once complete, this course will fully qualify her as a teacher in the FE and HE sector. Currently teaching Business across various levels at London South East London Colleges, as well as working part-time as our Group Professional Assistant, Chloe’s life has changed immeasurably in just five years.

What eventually drove Chloe to the College was a fear of being stuck in a nine-to-five routine of daily tedium and monotony. “I was starting to feel older than my years,” she says, “and realised I needed to do something else. I couldn’t simply give up my job though, I still needed to work full-time to pay the bills.

“I found out about the degrees offered at my local College and couldn’t quite believe the range of subjects they had to offer. Within just a few months, I was enrolled and on my way. I studied two nights a week and managed to make it part of my routine. I admit it was very tough to begin with - my evenings and weekends were taken up with coursework and assignments but I soon got used to it and before I knew it, I was loving every minute.

“Step-by-step my confidence grew and I really started to come out of myself and experience the joy of learning new things, daring to have bigger ambitions - something I’d stopped doing at work.

“On completion of my degree, I applied for a job at the College and was fortunate enough to get it. When I told them about my ambition to become a teacher I was found several hours a week teaching business studies. These hours only increased and now teaching makes up the lion’s share of my week. This means I can study for my PGCE and receive the required number of teaching hours to get me yet another qualification.

“For the future, after I’ve had a few years teaching full-time, I would like to become a curriculum team leader and eventually make it to becoming a manager. Finally, I’m doing what I love and I do it so well. Helping others to achieve their ambitions and realise their dreams is a great thing and I feel so lucky to be where I am right now.”

If you think you have what it takes to be successful in the world of business and management, teaching and support for learners, or have been thinking of studying at degree level, we’d like to hear from you. We have a great range of degree and professional level courses for you to choose from. Come to an open event.