Hannah Roberts
Hannah Roberts is a Working with Children and Families student at Wrexham University.
What were you doing before coming to Wrexham University?
Before joining Wrexham University, I worked full time at Coleg Cambria. I managed a baby unit at the onsite nursery facilities. I have got a background of sixteen years employment within the childcare sector.
What attracted you to Wrexham University?
Wrexham University had been recommended to me by friends, parents and students at the college. A few of our parents completed an access course at the college and then went on to study at Wrexham University.
Did you attend an open day/applicant day/subject event? What were your impressions? Was it helpful?
Due to Covid the open events were virtual. These were well advertised and were spread over the upcoming academic year. However, due to work and family commitments I did not attend. My first look at the University was my welcome week. I attended an introduction to the course ran by Liz Sheen. Liz used this time to give us an insight into the course and introduce us to the team. I felt instant relief during this welcome day. Liz ensured us that the lecturers are all there to support us during our university journey. I found it very informative, and it gave us a chance to meet each other before our formal lectures started.
What’s the atmosphere like around campus?
Campus has a very calm and serene feel about it. The moment I enter through the front doors I feel like my mind has been cleared. The large, neutral entrance hall is very peaceful almost like walking into a library. You leave all the hustle and bustle of your busy life behind as soon as you enter.
What do you enjoy most about your course?
During my first year, I have enjoyed the range of modules that have been provided. I was worried that a lot of assignments would be extremely overwhelming. Especially as I have been out of education for so long. However, the timetable has really helped eased me into learning again. The assignments have been assessed in a variety of different ways such as written and practical. I liked the way they varied the assortment of marking techniques. This gave me time to be able to spread out my workload and utilise my time efficiently.
What do you hope to do when you graduate?
I would like to help and support new parents once qualified. However, I am unsure of which job role/route this will lead to. This is one of the main reasons I chose the course I am on. The course has such a big umbrella of opportunities once qualified and doesn’t focus entirely on one end goal. This will give me three years to explore my options and delve more into the future career possibilities.
What has the support been like?
The support from the University has been exceptional. Lectures make you feel valued as individuals and use open end discussions during class. This gives us a chance to discuss ideas and past experiences in confidence. During our module ‘learning to learn in higher education’ we have been introduced to some of the support systems in place at the campus. These included the library staff and the onsite chaplaincy.
How do you think you have benefited from studying at Wrexham University?
Attending the University has brought on my confidence and motivation to learn. I used to self-doubt myself and my capabilities. I have had unhealthy experiences during past education. Recently I have discovered this is due to me having dyslexia. Now that I am aware of my dyslexia, I have adapted ways to support my own learning. This is through the support of the ALN team at Coleg Cambria. I use software's such as ‘Grammarly’ to check through my emails.
If you were to sum up your experience at Wrexham University in one word, what would it be and why?
Momentous!
This University journey is changing my whole perspective of learning. I feel so brave that I have decided to take the leap and throw myself back into education. I felt like that stage had passed me by. That I had to ‘settle’ for what I was doing due to my age, the bills I had to pay, the wife I was, the mum I needed to be, the house I had to run. I’m so excited for what the future holds. Not only for me but for us as a family. I will be forever thankful for the opportunity.
