Training leader helps mum Katie start dream nursing course

A Cumbria mum has been accepted to university to pursue her dream career, following support from a leading Barrow training provider @PHXTraining 

Katie Denning, from Hawcoat in Barrow, will start her adult nursing degree with the University of Cumbria in September, after PHX Training helped her secure the qualifications needed to be accepted.

Katie worked in the retail and leisure sectors before the coronavirus lockdown but then used the spare time and inspiration from her son Elijah, to retrain and pass her Level 2 maths qualifications needed so that she could study to become a nurse.

Katie said: “During the Covid-19 pandemic, I’ve been able to work remotely from home, and more recently attend the centre to practice for my exams. I have had telephone support and feedback on my progress, which has helped me develop and gain confidence in this subject.

“I had worked in retail and leisure prior to the lockdown, but the last few months have given me an opportunity to focus on a career that I really want. Being a mum has given me the drive to complete my maths and I have been accepted onto a university course to achieve my chosen career path to become a nurse that is beneficial to me and my little boy.

“Not only have the people at PHX in Barrow helped me to achieve this but they’ve been very accommodating and made studying achievable and enjoyable as a mum.”

Dawn Bolam, business manager at PHX Training, added: “Lots of people used the coronavirus lockdown to reassess what they wanted to do with their lives, and put in the work to learn a new skill or study for a new qualification.

“As we offer a mixture of both online and face to face learning, it means people like Katie can study around their family or work life, making learning easier than ever.”

PHX Training was recently awarded a grant from Ufi VocTech Trust, a charitable organisation who champion the use of digital technologies to help adults in the UK access and develop the skills they need to do their jobs.

The £25,000 awarded to PHX Training came from Ufi’s VocTech Now grant call which was a direct response to challenges facing vocational learning as a result of the pandemic.

PHX Training delivers government-backed initiatives including adult skills – Maths, English and vocational courses, NEET (not in education, employment or training), employability contracts and apprenticeships.

The company specialises in apprenticeship qualifications in business administration skills, offering learners skills for roles such as office executive, office supervisor, membership administrator and personal administrator. Apprenticeships delivered by PHX also include team leading, customer service, hospitality, management and warehousing across the North West.

The PHX team of qualified trainers also offers a diverse range of resources including offline, online and face-to-face services at six training centres in Barrow, Carlisle, Workington, Morecambe, Preston and Blackpool.