For Sun Yim, completing her SVQ in Social Services and Healthcare at SCQF Level 7 was about more than gaining a qualification. It gave her the confidence to recognise her own strengths, reflect on the difference she makes in her work and consider what she could achieve next.
After completing her SVQ, Sun decided she wanted to continue developing her knowledge and skills and take her career in a new direction. She has since been offered a place on Fife College’s SWAP Access to Nursing course - a pathway designed to support adults returning to education.
Sun shares her journey, from feeling unsure about her ability to study to discovering the confidence to take her next step:
"When I first began my SVQ, I didn’t know where to start. I remember opening the first unit and feeling completely lost. I wasn’t sure what the questions meant, how to write my reflections, or even whether I was capable of completing a qualification. It felt like standing at the bottom of a hill I wasn’t sure I could climb.
My assessor, Kristine, met me exactly where I was. She didn’t rush me or expect me to understand everything straight away. She showed me how to break things down, how to use my real experiences, and how to write step by step what I did. With her support, I found myself enjoying the SVQ more and more. What started as confusion slowly became confidence.
As the months went on, I started to recognise my own strengths: the patience I use every day, the compassion I bring to my work, the encouragement and understanding I offer, and the way I reflect on situations to support people — strengthening their independence, their choices, and their sense of control over their own lives.
One day, a sister of a service user said to me, “Thank you, Sun. You see my sister’s ability rather than her disability. She is now so independent and full of confidence.” I was over the moon when I heard this. It showed me that the way I support people truly matters, and that the learning I was doing through the SVQ was shaping me into someone who could make a real difference.
Completing my SVQ has been a key milestone in my career. Finishing the SVQ didn’t just give me a qualification — it gave me a moment where I looked at myself in five years and thought, even though I love my job in social care, I want to develop my knowledge and skills professionally.
However, I wasn’t sure how to start. English isn’t my first language, and even though I’ve lived in Scotland for 25 years, professional studying still felt like something that belonged to other people. I wondered if I was too old to begin studying again. I shouted “Eureka!” when I found the SWAP Access to Nursing course at Fife College. It offers a pathway for adults returning to education — the perfect programme for me.
Being offered a place on the course feels like a moment I will never forget. After years of doubting myself, worrying about language, age, and whether I could study again, I finally feel ready. This journey has shown me that it’s never too late to choose a new path, and never too late to become the person you want to be. I’m stepping into this next chapter with gratitude, courage, and a full heart."