Getting back into education as a grandmother of four could have been a daunting experience, but for Siobhan McCartney from Newtownbutler, it turned out to be one of the best decisions she ever made.
Having completed her GCSE English and Maths at South West College, Siobhan progressed via an Access Diploma in Social Sciences and Humanities at the Enniskillen campus.
Siobhan went on to do she a Foundation Degree in Science in Health and Social Care and progressed to Ulster University, earning a degree in Health and Well-being.
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She is now working in the Health and Social Care sector with Trinity Social Care Services under the direction of Tusla, helping support families in Monaghan and Cavan.
Reflecting on her career transformation, Siobhan said: "I never dreamt that it would be possible to achieve all this.
"When I was 16, I left education and started working full time and then along came the children. It wasn't until I completed an NVQ in Catering and Hospitality at SWC that I saw how easily the young and old could learn together."
Siobhan added rather than being a daunting experience, she enjoyed every minute of returning to education.
"I could talk about the College forever, from the first day I arrived to my last," she says
"It has been an incredible journey, both personally and professionally. I thought it could not get any better than the Access course, but the Foundation Degree in Science in Health and Social Care made you dig deeper to do your best.
"Each module gave me a great insight and prepared me with the knowledge, skills, experience, attitude and values needed to succeed in my second-year placement and how to cope with challenging situations."
The Newtownbutler woman added that there were days where everything did not go to plan, but she knew what she wanted to achieve in the end.
“It was not all plain sailing. At a point, I was ready to throw in the towel, but I knew this career journey was worth the challenge and the lectures and the library team were very understanding.
"Having never turned on a computer or sent an email, they had great patience for those struggling like me. It is fair to say their exemplary support enabled me to overcome my fears about technology.”
Siobhan also benefitted from additional support when her lecturers helped formally identify dyslexia.
She said, "They arranged for an assessment so that support could be put in place while writing assignments. This was an immense help, transforming my learning experience and improving my overall health and well-being. It also made a significant positive change in my attitude towards learning.”
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