Amber Mayes – HND Public Services

Name: Amber Mayes

Course Name: HND Public Services

Course Type: Higher Education

Image caption: NWSLC student Amber Mayes
Amber has enjoyed an incredible journey since she started at the college after struggling in mainstream schooling when she was younger because of her ADD and Dyslexia. Thanks to a positive experience at NWSLC, and over six years later, Amber has successfully progressed from Level 1 to Level 5 and achieved her dream of working in education as a teaching assistant.

During her secondary school career, Amber felt unable to focus and eventually moved on to two different behavioural support centres where she remained until Year 11 studying maths and English and taking part in vocational placements. Amber made the decision to join NWSLC at the age of 16 and started a Level 1 Sport course at its Wigston Campus in 2014. Although unsure at first about her decision, Amber soon settled into college life and continued in the second year having progressed to the Level 2 Public Services course.

Amber found the subject interesting and her tutors demonstrated how qualifications in public services might lead to several different career routes. As she matured, Amber’s approach to study improved and she progressed up to the Level 3 Public Services course. Having seen the transformation that engagement with education had achieved for her, Amber started to think about becoming a teaching assistant in a behavioural management setting. She achieved well at Level 3 and her tutors convinced her to continue with her studies by taking a higher-level qualification.

Amber, from New Parks in Leicester said, “Since joining the college, my experience of, and attitude towards education, has changed completely. My tutors have been so brilliant; they have always pushed me to keep moving on with my studies and I have surprised myself with how far I have come.”

During her college career, Amber became the only student at NWSLC to be twice nominated for a ‘Star’ award as part of the college’s annual celebration of achievement event.

Completing her Level 5 HND Public Services last summer, Amber started her first job as a teaching assistant at Dovetree School in Hinckley, a specialist day school that provides education for pupils with social, emotional, and mental health needs.

Amber added, “Throughout my years at NWSLC, my tutors gave me endless support and pushed me constantly even when I felt like quitting. With their support and all the extra time that they gave me, I have progressed all the way from Level 1 to 5. The lessons were brilliant, and my tutors always taught to my needs and gave me extra guidance when I needed it. They have never given up on me for which I will always be grateful. Being at NWSLC enabled me to reflect on my own personal experience and motivation for the way I behaved when I was younger. I am convinced now that I can help others in a similar situation because I have direct experience of how it feels.”

Amber chose to continue her higher education in college because she had enjoyed such a positive experience in college and was able to stay local and live at home while she studied.