Say hello to Taylor Smith, who works with North Hertfordshire College as a Tutor and Course Team Leader on our Health & Social Care and Child Development Studies programmes!
Not only is Taylor part of the NHC community as one of our amazing tutors, but she also used to study at the College herself. Now, she combines her strong understanding of the education sector with her passion for supporting students to succeed to create engaging learning opportunities in her lessons.
Find out more about Taylor’s NHC journey and why she enjoys working with the College in her interview below:
What inspired you to start teaching?
“I’ve always wanted to be a teacher. I studied Education at university rather than going straight into a specifically Primary or Secondary Education qualification. The course opened my eyes to the whole education system and the challenges the sector faces, and I found the experience really insightful. I went on to study a PGCE and specialise in Primary Education, but I was struggling with what I wanted to do in the future. Did I even want to be a teacher? I felt like I was at a loss and didn’t know what to do if I didn’t teach.
“I was already familiar with NHC, I used to be a student here myself. When I heard there was a vacancy in the Child Development and Health & Social Care department I decided to take a chance and apply for the role, and I’m glad I did. Further Education wasn’t really something that I’d considered before, but it’s made me fall in love with teaching again.”
What do you enjoy the most about working with NHC?
“It’s the culture. I feel that the College accepts everyone for who they are and I really like that. I feel very lucky about the team that I work with, everyone is supportive and helpful. If you feel overwhelmed, someone will be there to help you – you often don’t have to ask.
“Most of all, you can be yourself here at the College and become the teacher you want to be.”
Looking back at your time working with NHC so far, what has been one of your highlights?
“There’s nothing better than seeing student achievements.
The 2021/22 academic year was my first year of working in FE and teaching as a qualified teacher, and I was working with a class that struggled with confidence. My Level 2 Preparing to Care class had convinced themselves that they weren’t going to pass the course, but they were wrong – after all of their hard work, we had a 95% pass rate for that class, which was amazing!
“Watching students succeed and achieve the things I know they’re capable of, whether that’s getting their certificates or seeing their aspirations build, there’s nothing like it. Sometimes they can seem like quite small wins at times, but they’re all big achievements for our young people and it’s great to see the positive outcomes of their work. Everything is different each year, but it’s so rewarding to see that sense of pride and achievement.”
What makes your Child Development Studies and Health & Social Care courses stand out to students?
“Our students have a real opportunity to progress here at NHC. Students can start off on a lower level and build themselves up to work through the programmes. It doesn’t matter where they start their learning journey, it’s where you end up that’s important, and the development you go through along the day to build that knowledge.
“We also prepare our students for the workplace by including things that the textbook doesn’t teach. We all go above and beyond to help students. When we get a curriculum specification, we have a look to see what hasn’t been included in there that we think students need to learn as well. We’ve all come from the sector in some way, we know what it’s like to be out there working in industry and know how to give our learners the skills that employers want.”
If you could give one piece of advice to someone who is thinking of applying to North Hertfordshire College, what would it be?
“100% do it! It can feel really scary to take that first step but, no matter your background, you should go for it. There will always be somewhere that you will fit in and people will take you in under their wing to help you settle. Whether you’re joining the College as a student or staff member, there’s so much to learn while you’re here and you’ll be supported in the process.
“I don’t think I’ve worked anywhere that’s provided this level of support. Everyone is welcome and everyone can achieve their goals, it’s fabulous! No matter how tough the job can be at times, the support is always there.”
Work with the Hart Learning Group
We think all jobs in education are some of the most important and fulfilling jobs in the world – helping people realise their potential and build a life for themselves; helping businesses to grow and improve; and helping to build strong, vibrant communities.
If you share our passion, we want to hear from you – check out our available vacancies and come and join the team!