Joanne Sloan from Kilkeel, Northern Ireland recently graduated from Queens University Belfast with a degree in Midwifery. Joanne left school after her GCSE’s, preferring at the time to move into the world of work as opposed to furthering her education. After Joanne had raised her family she decided to return to education and found the Access Diploma in Adult Learning at Southern Regional College’s Newry campus.

The Adult Access Diploma is a fantastic way for adults to come back to education. It is a direct route for adults into higher education and offers an equivalent qualification profile to GCSE’s and A Levels. It is a unique programme in that it affords learners the opportunity to complete (in one year full-time or two years part-time) a range of modules that will enable them to develop a skill set that is fit for purpose in a modern employment market. The programme offers the equivalent of GCSEs at grade C and an A Level tariff that will satisfy entry to many Higher Education programmes. 

On completion of the Adult Access Programme, learners can progress to enrolling on a variety of undergraduate courses, and in turn can change career and increase future employment prospects. 

Joanne had always wanted to study and work in the field of Midwifery and the Access Diploma offered her the option to do this. She passed her course at SRC with flying colours and went straight into the Midwifery degree. Joanne admits that travelling to Belfast was tough while maintaining a family life but that she gained enormous satisfaction from her studies and her ultimate desire to work with new mothers and their babies.

Joanne’s daughter was studying a law degree at QUB at the same time and Joanne says they were a great help and encouragement to one another. Joanne secured employment straight after University as a community midwife and has now secured a job as a midwife in the post natal unit in Craigavon Area Hospital.

Joanne’s advice for anyone considering going back to education is:

“Go for it. If you have a dream, don’t give up on it. Go back and study and get your qualification. It will be worth it when you reach your end goal”.

At Southern Regional College it doesn’t matter how long it has been since you left education, there is something to suit everyone. SRC provides an inclusive learning environment for all backgrounds, ages and abilities. It is never too late to learn something new, especially when there are so many opportunities available.

Southern Regional College is the largest Further and Higher Education College outside of Belfast in Northern Ireland with a total of six campuses in Armagh, Banbridge, Kilkeel, Lurgan, Newry and Portadown. The college offers first class education and an exciting learning environment for further and higher education.