Returning to Education as an Adult Learner

@S_ERC are hosting a series of webinars for adults thinking of returning to education starting from 10.00am – 11.00am, this Friday 12 June and throughout the summer.

Fiona Neely, Community Outreach Officer said,

“We are hosting a series of webinars for people who are thinking of returning to education.  Whether you are thinking of a career change, you left school early to go to work, feel you missed out at school or want a second change to get qualifications in a supportive environment then now is perfect time to find out what is involved.

She added, “It can be daunting to return to education if you have been away from it for years, but we have a number of programmes and plenty of support  for every step of the way to help everyone make that nice fresh start.

“The webinars can be accessed from mobile devices, laptops and PCs.   You don’t need to share your audio or video, but you will get lots of opportunity to post your questions and get the advice you need.”

The Returning to Education as an Adult Learner Webinars will run on Friday, 10.00am – 11.00am on 12 and 26 June, 24 July, 7 and 21 August.

Newcastle woman Kelly-Ann Allan, who is currently completing the Access Course with SERC and has recently had an offer to study the BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies at Stranmillis University College said,

“I didn’t enjoy school or learning first time around and went straight to work from school and then had a family to support.   When my children got up a bit, I realised I could do more, and wanted to be more than just a mum. It wasn’t just for me, but for my whole family in the long term.

She added, “Learning and teaching is very different now from when I went to school – there was little thought given to different types of learning styles and I felt bored with the teaching, I wasn’t engaged and missed out. Returning to education was a challenge but at the College, everyone is supportive.  They understand that you may need to get three other people out the door in the morning before you can think about yourself, so classes start a little later. There is a lot of flexibility and that goes hand in hand with encouragement and support.   The tutors are not concerned about how your education went in the past, they are focused on the future and helping you make a fresh start for yourself.”