Elizabeth

Investing in herself: How Elizabeth is using experience and new skills to progress her career

‘I enjoy mixing with people from different walks of life. We learn a lot from each other. I want to encourage adults who feel they are too old or they won’t understand, to take the chance and try!’

After graduating with a degree in Human Resources in 2017, Elizabeth decided to return to education at New City College to build on her professional experience. With a strong background in HR and payroll, she wanted to develop her IT and computing skills to progress further in her career. 

What inspired you to return to education? 

In my current job I found myself wanting to go beyond the operational side of HR and work more closely within the IT area. I’ve got the experience and knowledge from HR, but now I want to combine that with gaining skills in analysing data so I can take my career to the next level. 

There is a high demand for data talent, however UK businesses have reported a lack of necessary skills. Our Data Analytics course can help bridge that gap.  

How has studying at New City College helped you balance work, study and life? 

Being able to upskill at a college close to where I live has been a benefit. I can come into the college to study one day a week and still work. That flexibility makes it possible for people like me to study without having to give up their jobs. I also value the diversity here – there are people of all ages and cultures. I enjoy mixing with people from different walks of life. Some are working, some aren’t, others have families and a few are younger than me. I find that we learn a lot from each other. 

What are your goals after completing the course? 

This course is an investment in my career. I’m gaining new knowledge and skills that will enhance the experience I already have from being at work. It’s going to help me reach the level I want to be in my career and to keep progressing. My aim is to gain as high a qualification as I can, but because I have to pay for education there are limits to how far I can take it. That’s why I believe that funding and access to education for adults are both so important. 

Do you feel going back to education is setting a good example to your family? 

Yes definitely! When I told my son I was going back to school, he said, ‘Oh mummy, I’m so proud of you. You’re going to get even better at your job.’ That really meant a lot to me. I want to show him that it’s never too late to learn something new. I also want to encourage other adults who feel they are too old or they won’t understand, to take the chance. My advice is – just try. You won’t know what you can do until you try. 

Why do you think funding for adult learning is so important? 

I honestly believe that if more adults had access to funded education, it would make a big difference to society. There are so many people who would love to study but simply can’t afford it. If all adult education was funded, we would have more trained workers and more people with competency skills such as teamwork, problem-solving and communication – things you can apply in daily life, not just in class or in the workplace. I would highly recommend studying as an adult. If there’s funding that helps get people back to work, it benefits everyone – not just the individual, but the whole community.