Kristina Pursues Ambition of Becoming a Nursery Manager
Thirty-nine-year-old Kristina has returned to Edinburgh College to pursue her ambition of becoming a nursery manager or running her own childminding service. She tells us about what inspired her new career path, and how she’s embracing studying a full-time course while raising three children and keeping up a part-time job.
“I was employed in the care sector for 19 years, working in the community, and I think my ambition to always want to support people has grown from that. I worked in a variety of care settings including home help in people’s houses and in care homes – which gave me a really rounded view of that sector. I met and helped so many people.
Also, when I was 17, I nursed my Mum who had cancer, and after her death I became the head of the house and the principal carer for my younger sister – she was 15 at the time.
These experiences, coupled with bringing up three children of her own, led me to decide to come to college to study NC Early Education and Childcare.
And, it’s going really well. I’m really proud that I’m passing all of my assessments and NABS at the first attempt, especially as I have to work hard to find time to do extra studying at home. The support I have received from lecturers and college staff has been brilliant which has helped me a lot. My kids are 15, 7 and 5 so there’s still a school run to be done every day, as well as everything else that comes with being a parent, and then I clean the Prentice Centre part-time. But, with the College staff being so approachable I’ve been able to do well and I’ve grown in confidence and feel I have self-worth.
I’ve always been a believer in grasping every opportunity, there’s no point in standing still, and this course is now opening doors for me. My aim is to try and get on to a Childcare Apprenticeship which would allow me to earn money while getting on-the-job training which would be amazing – learning and working with children in the real-life setting sounds perfect for me.”
If you're interested in a career in childcare like Kristina, view our Childhood Practice courses.
