After 15 years of factory work Michael decided to change career path. Following the completion of his Foundation Year Health and Social Care course at Ashton Sixth Form Higher and Adult Education, (in partnership with Staffordshire University) he has secured a place on the BSc (Hons) Paramedic Practice at Edge Hill University.

Michael was a first aider and was first on site when a serious accident occurred in the workplace. Following this event, Michael said,

“I was inspired by watching the paramedics in action and it made me want to achieve more and do a job that I am proud of.”

In September 2017, Michael enrolled on the Foundation Year Health and Social Care course and also added GCSE English to his study programme.

His wife, Tamara who had previously worked at the factory, also decided to embark on a new career journey and enrolled on to the Foundation Year Health and Social Care course at the same time. She told us “there were redundancies at work, I also wanted a career that I will be proud of, and it was now or never.” Tamara was pregnant when they both started the course and gave birth to their third child, 3 months into the course, taking off only 2 weeks for maternity leave.

Taking the step to study full time later in their careers did not come without risk, as both Michael and Tamara are studying and raising a young family at the same time. Tamara explained,

“It was terrifying to make the decision and it was a big risk, financially, because of our young family but in the long term we will both have careers we enjoy.”

Tamara is progressing onto the BSc (Hons) in Health and Social Care at Staffordshire University.

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Find out more about studying the Foundation Year Health and Social Care course at Ashton Sixth Form Higher and Adult Education here.