Successful careers
Elizabeth Christian
Yvonne Brissett
Mark Field
Trudy Ing
Dr Stuart Prior
Linda White
Albert Phipps
Ian Webber
Gabrielle Holmes
Dr Erik Johansson Cox
Nneka Akudolu
Susan Nelson
Scott Ellis
Sue Long
Current degree students
Sarah Kate Bennett
Laurie Pycroft
Alexander Walker
Chris Healey
Belinda Robinson
Mark Williams
Laura Lacey
Nicola Power
Current Access to HE students
Linda White
2005: Access to HE, Colchester Institute
2008: BSc (Hons) Pre-Registration Midwifery, Anglia Ruskin University
2010: Midwife, Colchester General Hospital
When I left school without the 'necessary qualifications' I thought I would never fulfil my dream of becoming a midwife. A few years later, as a full-time mother and single parent, I was working menial part-time jobs, desperately hoping for a better opportunity to come along. It was at this time that a friend told me about Access to HE and how completing the qualification could enable me to take a midwifery degree at university.
I decided to join an Access to HE course at my local college and immediately found my fellow students supportive and friendly. The work was hard – I hadn’t written anything since school – but my tutors were very patient and helped me to understand the more complicated areas. My confidence and self esteem grew every day.
I was so pleased to complete the course and soon applied to university. During my interview I found that my Access to HE qualification was highly valued by the university and I was offered a place on a BSc (Hons) Pre-Registration Midwifery course. I graduated with a 2:1 and only narrowly missed out on a 1st.
After almost giving up hope all those years ago, I am now working as a full-time midwife and enjoying every minute. I recently returned to my local college to talk to current Access students about my success story. I never tire of telling people about the benefits of Access to HE!