Adults choose Access route to university for career change
Recent years have seen the country face significant skills shortages, changing demands of the workforce, and people having to work to an older age.
Access to Higher Education courses provide an alternative route to university for those wanting to change careers and have become increasingly popular. These one-year Access courses provide a route to university for those over 19 who want to study for a degree but do not currently hold the right qualifications.
People are becoming savvier than ever before and are aware of the government’s ‘Advanced Learner Loan’ which anyone over 19 and UK resident can apply for to study at this level. It covers all or part of the tuition fees and is paid directly to the College. The best part is those who study an Access to HE course, and go on to achieve a Higher Education qualification, will not need to pay back the loan, it’s a no brainer!
Nursing is one such area that is in growing demand. Katie Lewis completed an Access to Nursing course at Stanmore College in 2022 and is now undertaking a Nursing Degree at Middlesex University.
Katie told us “I now have confidence to complete assignments, do exams and use Harvard referencing. The course taught me how to manage my time effectively and gain a better understanding of nursing within a multidisciplinary team.”
There are no standard entry qualifications for Access courses with each programme having its own requirements. All programmes look for GCSEs in maths and English at Grade 4 or above but for those who do not have those qualifications, Stanmore College offers courses in Maths and English to help adults progress.
Mohamed Fedal saw engineering as key to his future. He told us “I would recommend the Access to Engineering course at Stanmore College. Having completed it I’m now going to Brunel University to undertake an Engineering Degree.”
Stanmore College is in an ideal position to play a pivotal role in meeting these challenges. A large number of adults have returned to education to complete an Access to Computing course due to the emerging importance of the digital world. Many have now progressed to study computing related degrees at universities nationwide.
Nilab Sahaliemi decided to switch to a career in pharmacy. Commenting on her Access course, Nilab said “I found the Access to Pharmacy course challenging at the start but teachers were really supportive. I’ve been offered places at both my top and insurance choice universities i.e. Kings and Hertfordshire to study for a 4-year Masters’ Degree in Pharmacy.
Doing the Access course saved me additional years at university that would have been costly and a longer process. I highly recommend it.”
Stanmore College’s increasing range of Access to HE courses includes NURSING, HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE, ENGINEERING, COMPUTING, SCIENCE, PHARMACY, RADIOGRAPHY, PARAMEDIC SCIENCE, TEACHER TRAINING, HEALTH & HUMAN SCIENCE, BUSINESS STUDIES, SOCIAL WORK, COUNSELLING and CREATIVE & DIGITAL MEDIA.
If you are considering a change, check out www.stanmore.ac.uk or come along to Stanmore College – enrolling now.