My name is Rachel Cunningham, I am 31 years old and I studied NC Administration & Information Technology & HNC Administration & Information Technology at Fife College.
When I was younger, I was never very academic and I also never considered myself very career driven. I always just wanted a job within an office 9 to 5. I always enjoyed the organisation and structure of an office with clear guidelines, processes and procedures.
I decided to apply to Fife College as I always enjoyed the office atmosphere irrespective of the role or nature of the business I worked for, as guidelines, processes and procedures were almost always the same. I applied for the NC Administration & Information Technology which I felt enhanced my skills allowing me to progress within the business sector. I then fell pregnant shortly after completing the NC so took time out of my studies to raise my daughter. Within this time, I was a manager for a small business and then during maternity leave I opened my own business which was very successful for the next 6 years. This allowed me to be a full-time Mum working around my daughter’s needs. When my daughter started Primary School, I decided to close my business down and apply for my HNC to further my skills and knowledge, and to enhance my qualifications further to enable me to move to the next stage in my career.
I absolutely loved the course. I have always struggled academically and was even tested for Dyslexia in high school so learning doesn’t come as naturally to me so I have to try extra hard however, some of the tutors in which had taught me in my NC were still teaching. I commend them massively for the way they delivered the course, everything was so easy to understand, well planned out and even when we were thrust into remote learning, it was always handled so organised and clear, making it far easier to learn and succeed. I really enjoy anything creative so creating databases and excel sheets was always fun but I have to admit aspects of the course I didn’t expect to like, for example, writing reports and researching legislation, I actually found fascinating as it was all things I didn’t previously know.
The course I studied helped me progress onto a career/further study as there was so much valuable learning that has completely broadened my thirst to learn more and go even further with my studies.
Since completing the HNC I have applied for my BA (hons) Business Degree with Robert Gordon University. I have since been successfully offered an unconditional acceptance into Stage 3 to complete my degree within a year. My next step would be to apply for my PGDE in Secondary Education in the hopes of becoming a Business Studies Teacher.
Just now, I am busy working within the Education sector as a Clerical Assistant which I will continue to do until I have completed my Degree, and I am ready to move onto my PGDE.
I would 100% recommend this course to anyone, if there was an option for me to stay with Fife College and complete all my studies there, I absolutely would have however, lack of interest within the course meant the part-time course could not run and financially, I couldn’t study full-time. I am hoping that interest will increase so in the future part-time course of all levels can be offered as it is a massive support for full-time workers wishing to further the studies and it is a fantastic course with brilliant tutors.
My ultimate goal in the future is to become a Business Studies Teacher.