Once upon a time
Whilst looking out the window on a wet cold miserable Monday morning not only was this the weather this is also how my life felt at that moment in time. Miserable, boring, dull.
I was stuck in a dead-end job same thing day in and day out. I knew this wasn't the job for me. There had to be more to life. When I left school I was half-hearted. I just wanted to go out and have fun like most other 16-year-old lads. I never really thought about a career or I did I just didn't realise time went so quick. The next thing I knew I was engaged with a child on the way. So going to college or uni was out of the question now I had a fiancé and child to support.
I went out and I got the first job available that paid alright money. And stuck at it much to my dislike. I wanted a job where I could grow, and where I could help others. I was sitting there thinking about what I'd really like to do. I'd like to work with children; teach them. I had a little bit of experience when I was coaching children's football skills a few years ago.
Could I?
On that wet cold miserable Monday morning, I decided to take a look on the internet at colleges. There was so much information out there, so many conflicting pieces of advice... and for every good review, there was a bad one too.
I spoke with a few colleges, I'd missed some of the enrolment dates and other starting dates weren't for a few months. Then I had the money and affordability aspect to consider, this was getting less and less likely for me. And that's when I saw it Oxbridge. I was a bit apprehensive about online learning at first, but I was later assured that most people are.
And so, I did
At first, I was not really sure what or how to go about it. When I got home, I showed my fiancé and she was all for it telling me to go for it. Enrol. So that's exactly what I did. I was really really impressed that I could continue working while studying this course. I mean I did have to do 50 hours of placement over the duration of the course but I used 2 weeks' holiday from my job and went ahead on my placement at a school not too far from home.
Qualification
So, a year and a half later, I'm a fully qualified Teaching Assistant and absolutely loving every moment of it. It has made such a huge change for me as a person. My fiancé cannot believe the difference in me, we are both so happy. We've even been able to save for our wedding which is something I could never have seen us being able to do if I hadn't changed my life. I honestly cannot thank Oxbridge enough. First of all for the course, but the help they gave and encouragement. Nothing was ever too much trouble, I now have the confidence that I need and I'm now going forward to do the Higher Level Teaching Assistant Course, once that's completed I might even look into helping Children with special needs.
Things are changing
This was the best move I've made, not only for me but for my family too. Even the term times will fit in with our child going to school. If I had needed to go to uni or college I would not have been able to even dream of being a Teaching assistant. I wouldn't have been able to keep my current job, whereas doing the course from home was great. Convenient and cost-effective, it fitted into my life rather than having to arrange my life around the course. You can do it in the comfort of your own home even down to affording the course Oxbridge helped me all the way.
Even now if I have a question or am not so sure about something I'll give them a call and there is always someone who is willing to help me, all the advisors are great, they seem genuinely interested. And you honestly feel so comfortable asking them anything.
The future
I am currently working in a primary school with year 4, I'm now looking forward to doing my Higher-level Teaching Assistant, now I've got the experience I need and in the not-so-distant future, I want to try something more challenging.
I'd also like to help children with special needs further down the line. Once I've got all the experience I need and feel like I've got the confidence to do that I shall then be back to Oxbridge they put me on the right track and I am so grateful. It has shown me no matter what you are, or do if there is something out there, that you want to do to change your life for the better then there is someone willing to help you. I couldn't imagine still being stuck in the past like I was, now I'm happy so is my fiancé and so is my little son, Oscar. It was, by far, the best decision I ever made. Thank you, Oxbridge.