Traineeship is the First Step to a Nursing Career for Nathan

His first year learning at SERC has convinced one young man from Newtownards, that he is on the right track to achieve his ambition to become a nurse.

Nathan Marshall (18), enrolled on a Level 2 Traineeship in Health and Social Care after meeting SERC staff and talking through his options. He says,

“I initially inquired about childcare courses but when I heard about other, related qualifications I realised that, in fact, I wanted to work with adults. I want to understand their needs and how I can help them. My plan now is to move through qualifications at Levels 3 and 4 at SERC, then progress to university and study nursing.”

Nathan quickly proved his aptitude for the health and care sector when his work placement at a care home led to him being offered a job there. He says the experience confirmed he had chosen the right career path:

“I was working with people with dementia and seeing how they can be helped; getting an insight into what is a challenging situation for them. A lot of it is listening to them and encouraging conversation. It was lovely, very rewarding. I have also had a placement in the Learning Support Department at SERC, so I’ve been exploring different aspects of the work."

Asked about the classroom experience at SERC, Nathan says,

“We work through qualifications in, for example, anatomy and physiology, or in understanding the range of health services, and we also have practicals in the clinical room. These might involve roleplay, so we learn how to manage different challenges, or we could be learning to take blood pressure or some tasks like that.

“I enjoy both the practicals and the coursework. The traineeship is a good place to start if you want to explore all the opportunities out there. Even if you have other qualifications, it’s an introduction to a new area and offers a good foundation for moving on. You get an idea of where you could go in the future, and what’s out there for you. And if you decide it isn’t for you, there is support at SERC to discover your pathway and to find the right course.”

Nathan concludes, “ I would recommend SERC – the learning facilities along with the tutors help you succeed. Our tutors are nurse and a social care workers, so we benefit from their experience and insights. Resources are good – the Learning Resource Centre has plenty of materials to support study. And I am really enjoying all the learning opportunities I am being offered.”