Restart Offers Options for Returning to Education

Patricia McGrady (50), from Castlewellan, has worked all her life. She left school and qualified as a dental nurse, before travelling, living and working abroad. She retrained and is the self-employed owner of Marine Sports Beauty Haven in Newcastle.   She found the Restart course at South Eastern Regional College (SERC) offered the perfect way to explore other options for learning.

Patricia said, “My reasons for coming back to college were to consider my options and explore other avenues for further study.   Although I have completed many courses over the years for my work as a sports, beauty and holistic therapist, I have been out of formal education for some time. I guess I just wanted to challenge myself, learn something new, keep my skills up to date and see where it would take me."

She added, “I did a little bit of research online and then came along to SERC and spoke with one of the careers team to see what I could do and where would be my best place to start.  I didn’t want to do something that would be too overwhelming or wouldn’t work alongside my business commitments, so the Restart course seemed like the best option. It was also important that I enjoyed any course I was going to undertake, as I knew that would keep me motivated."

Patricia continued, “I have really enjoyed the Restart course and completing it has given me the foundation - and the confidence - to look at progression and not to think that anything was going to be too much. I have always been interested in the body and completing sports therapy and reflexology courses as part of my work over the years has piqued my interest in biology, so that is perhaps something I would like to explore further. I plan to do teaching and an assessors award this year.” 

Speaking about returning to College, Patricia said, “The support from the lecturers has been amazing.   There has been a mix of age ranges on the course and although everyone is coming in from different stages in their education and life, the programme has been delivered at a nice pace, so that we are all on the learning journey together. If you need help, you just ask.   It has also been great to meet other people and make new friends.   I would certainly recommend the Restart course to anyone thinking about returning to education, especially if you don’t know where to start.”

SERC is hosting an open day for adults considering returning to education from 10am to 2.00pm on Wednesday 21 August, 10am-2pm at Newcastle Campus on the Castlewellan Road. Staff will be on hand to provide information, advice and guidance on Restart Education and Access to Higher Education courses,  along with student finance, the careers service and the online application process.