After working in retail, Lauren realised that teaching and support work were her true passions. In September 2013, she took the leap and joined as a Support Worker. After two years of gaining experience, Lauren progressed into the role of Learning Support Worker. It was then that she was put forward for a Further Education Teaching course, attending classes one night a week and spent the rest of her time learning on the job and becoming more confident in her role.
Lauren explained that the traditional route of going to university was not for her, finding that learning whilst working was far more beneficial for her. Before this opportunity, she was not aware of the different paths into teaching and had always assumed that getting a degree was the only way. Thanks to the fully funded course, provided by the company, Lauren has been able to significantly grow within her career and achieve great things. She hopes that by sharing her career story, other support workers who perhaps feel stuck or unsure of their next steps will see that there are alternative routes to achieve their goals.
We asked Lauren why she enjoys her role, and she shared with us that she loves the creative side of her work and that no two days are the same. She finds great fulfilment in supporting the individuals she works with and seeing the direct impact her support can make, particularly when helping students communicate effectively. Lauren told us that she feels very lucky to genuinely love her job and that she feels respected within the company due to the investment they have made into her career progression.
