OLC at a Glance

I started my Level 5 Diploma journey working within the Healthcare Practice for England Team at OLC, and I feel I have gone from strength to strength. I am always keen to learn new practices that can support me, when delivering within the classroom. In the early days of the course, I just needed to believe in my own abilities, and through some mentoring, this has enabled me to build up my confidence when working with the students. My work on the course was always submitted on time and I constantly strive to improve my academic standards”. 100% Employed in Higher Education Teaching Roles All OLC graduating students from the 2021/2022 course have obtained employment in teaching roles in UK, Higher Education Institutions (at the time of publication).

I have been at OLC for the HND programme and I have now passed and began my Top Up Degree year. I have not let my disability of visual impairment let me down. Not only did I pass my HND, but I completed it with a merit, and I was very close to a distinction. I have done all of this with great support from the OLC staff to provide strategies and activities which enhanced my learning experience and achievements. At OLC I have never felt disadvantaged. From the moment I walked through the doors, the support I received has given me great confidence to achieve any goals I’ve set myself.

My name is Shah Kayyum, and I am a news correspondent for Channel S, I cover live news around the Greater Manchester area. I completed my Top Up Degree in July 2022, and I am very proud of my achievement. Although, I could not have achieved this without the staff at OLC. The classroom environment was always welcoming, and support was on hand when I needed it. The staff believed in me, even when I did not believe in myself. OLC is more than a College and I would recommend anyone that is thinking of returning to education to take that step. I know it can be scary, but I am so happy that I did. I am going to continue to work for Channel S and report the latest news from around Greater Manchester but by completing my Degree I have a deeper understanding of the economy and how it works.

My journey at OLC has been amazing over the last three years. I have gained so much from my time at the campus, even in my hard times. I have had an incredible support system, provided by the tutors. I have gained so much knowledge and perspective of where I want to be in the future.

Before I started my journey at OLC, I had done few mentoring courses and was going to start a Health and Social Care course when my friend told me to apply with OLC and do a HND. Since starting at OLC, I have completed a lot of assignments, which has given me a sense of confidence in writing and doing emails. It has given me a good self-belief, to start a career in doing what I really enjoy, which will be working in the healthcare sector. I plan to complete the last of my assignments, and hopefully go on to continue my education by going onto the Top-Up Degree.

I recently completed my HND in Business and in September 2022 began studying towards my Top Up Degree in Business. When I began my HND, I had been self-employed for a number of years, my business is in exterior cleaning for domestic and commercial clients, under the company name SJH Power Washing Services. In April 2021, 3 partners and I began a new business venture, Parker Monkey Clothing. The brand is going from strength to strength. Although the business is still within its first year of trading, it has begun to develop globally, sending orders as far away as Australia. My partners and I have high ambitions and are aiming to become a truly global brand. Parker Monkey Clothing is keen to support up and coming talent, and has sponsored Andrew Cushin, a singer from Newcastle, who is embarking on a UK Tour. I credit my HND in assisting not only the development of our new brand, but also our understanding regarding marketing and we have gained a better understanding of social media and the importance of brand management.

I have overcome several barriers whilst completing my Level 5 Diploma course, especially cultural barriers, since I initially struggled with classroom management, as in my culture the younger generation does not challenge our elders. However, due to my caring and supportive nature, I quickly managed to address the classroom management issue. I feel I am hard working, student focused and always willing to go that extra mile to support the students. I now feel I am a valued member of the OLC Business Team. As a newly qualified tutor, I now know when to seek advice if I am struggling and I consistently update my knowledge and skills to ensure that the students come first, especially as we have learners with English Language additional needs.

The Level 7 course was my first experience of Post[1]graduate study. Studying the units allowed me to examine my prior learning, evaluate my experience and reflect upon it to apply a wide range of theories. Although the course involved much self-study, Professor John Sharp and Dr Chris Bamber provided an invaluable source of knowledge during tutorials for the class and encouraged learners to share experiences from the workplace, in order to analyse and evaluate various aspects of our practice. Discussions in the classroom allowed the class to benefit from our tutors’ knowledge, and peers within the group, giving opportunity to debate many aspects of management and leadership. Completion of the Diploma gave me a newfound confidence in my ability to communicate effectively, as a leader. I immediately felt a higher level of self[1]esteem and was at ease when entering discussions with leaders, doctors, and professors. I felt validated in my opinions and self-assured when putting forward ideas around business development, change management and marketing. Application of the many theories to my professional practice means that I am now in a position where I can offer far greater value to any organisation, of which I am a part. The academic standard of written work required guarantees an improvement in theoretical ability and writing style. I now appreciate that this Level 7 Strategic Management and Leadership course challenged me to undertake new ways of thinking and develop in ways that I previously doubted.

I am grateful for the opportunity Tyne Coast College (TCC) and Organisational Learning Centre (OLC) has given me in completing my first year of the HNC in Computing (Network Engineering) programme. The Managing Director, Dr Chris Bamber’s leadership creates a positive learning atmosphere across the whole College. It is very much appreciated, and I look forward to a great relationship for the years to come! There were some challenging moments, especially when I was diagnosed with an eye disease. However, OLC College was very much supportive in acknowledging my situation and allowed me to continue with extended timetable to complete my first year of the HNC programme. I am now looking forward to starting my second year of HND programme and I have no doubt that it will be a successful year

My study path at OLC started completely by accident in September 2021. However, I am very grateful to everyone who gave me the opportunity to start and continue these studies. After the end of the first year of study, I have learned a lot of information about British Health and Social Care, and its laws, which I did not know before. It gives me much more confidence in my abilities, possibilities and future plans. I really want to thank the lecturers for their excellent patience, endurance and great desire to pass on their knowledge to others, which gave me the opportunity to realize this project.