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CASE STUDY: THE STAIRS TO SUCCESS WITH ACCESS TO HE

Published on August 25, 2021

Bennard Boateng is a former Access to HE student who studied at North Hertfordshire College in 2018, he has excelled in his education and career as a result of the qualifications, support and encouragement his studies gave him. Here is Bennard’s story.

“I am greatly thankful to the team at NHC. I am immensely thankful to Dr. Julie, Michael and Sue for their teaching, training and encouragement.

I relocated to the United Kingdom in 2017 and, due to studying in another country, I was unable to go straight into a degree so needed to complete an Access to HE course first to bring my existing qualifications in line. I found North Hertfordshire College online during my search for a college where I could study Social Science, Law and Humanities.

At this time I was already working full time in a warehouse doing 40 hours a week on night shifts but I managed to pass my entry test, got through induction then the real journey commenced.

I cannot emphasise the importance of time management. Sue taught us how to plan and manage our time ready for University. The Access Team at NHC did an amazing job, while working night shifts and studying during the day, I would sometimes feel tired, wanting to give up, but Julie always encouraged us to see the bigger picture. Her patience while I sometimes fell asleep during her lessons, due to having worked all night, and her encouragement gave me hope.

I would encourage anyone who would want to do an access course to choose NHC because of the level of professionalism, the love for the job and the diversity. I always felt at home studying there.

Now I have completed my bachelors degree in International Relations I am currently interning at the Norwegian British Chamber of Commerce in London where we facilitate trade and investments between Britain and Norway.

My journey to further my education in the UK started with North Hertfordshire College, which I’m so thankful for. You can be a mature student and still achieve your dreams. And what better way to achieve them than to choose North Hertfordshire College.

Julie Savage, Access to Higher Education Programme Co-ordinator, said

“It was an absolute pleasure supporting Bennard to fulfil his ambitions. He represented the reality of an often-used quote on Access: ‘There is no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs’  Bennard took to those stairs with determination, hard work, and resilience.”

If you are interested in an Access to HE course, please visit our website here