A YOUNG Greenock man has found his niche in life thanks to studying Social Care at James Watt College.

John Doak initially graduated with a degree in Fine Art but found he wanted to channel his artistic skills into a more vocational community-led career.

After spending four years gaining his degree from the Glasgow School of Art, John decided to go back to the drawing board when it came to getting a job he was really motivated by. The 23-year-old explained: “During my degree I did a lot of extracurricular work in continuing education and I found it really interested me. I realised that my path would involve going back into studying, to enable me to work in the field.

“After graduation I enrolled on the HNC in Social Care at James Watt. I chose the College because the reputation of the course was excellent. People already working in the jobs I am interested in recommended going there, so I listened to the experts and applied.

“I thought the course was fantastic and actually I enjoyed it more than university. For me, it was just more fulfilling. There was a really good work placement scheme as part of the HNC; I ended up working at the Scottish Association for Mental Health for two shifts per week while I was studying at James Watt. The experience was invaluable.”

John has gone on to secure a job as a residential support worker for Inverclyde Council but has now developed such a passion for Social Care he plans to pursue further study. He said: “My ambition is to go on to do a degree in Mental Health Nursing. Ideally I will be able to use the skills from my initial training in Fine Art to help service users in various ways. I’m already using things like painting, drawing and video making in my current job. I think it can make a big difference to people and can be quite a fresh approach.

“I would definitely recommend the course to other people interested in working in Social Care, and specifically the lecturers and staff at Greenock were amazing. My tutor Aileen Connor was particularly inspirational and really helped me adapt to the new ideas and working practices. I learned so much about myself as a person on the course.”

Social care lecturer Aileen said: “John came into the HNC Social Care from an unusual place; having newly graduated with a degree in art. While he was certain he planned to work with and support vulnerable people, at the beginning, John was unsure of who he would support and in what ways. Working with John throughout the HNC, I recognised how rapidly he developed knowledge and skills, which was testimony to his motivation, commitment and energy. Without a doubt, John’s star shone brightest during the course placement, where for two days weekly, he was attached to a specialist team providing community-based care and support for individuals living with mental health issues.

“Together with my colleagues in the teaching team, I’m delighted to note that since completing the course, John’s career as a social carer has continued from strength to strength.”

Meanwhile another young graduate from James Watt College has burst from the starting blocks towards achieving her dream job after completing an HNC in Sports Coaching with Development of Sport.

Robyn Horsburgh from Rothesay is now at university studying for a degree she hopes will lead to a career in coaching sport at all levels.

Nineteen-year old Robyn came to James Watt College in 2010 as a school leaver. She enrolled in the HNC course at the Largs campus after hearing it had an excellent reputation for training in all kinds of sports coaching and development.

Robyn explained: “As soon as we started, the lecturers were giving us tips on how best to coach athletes of all ages, disciplines and levels. We were given advice on how to get to know about athletes’ strengths and weaknesses to better coach them to improve. We covered theory and practical and the course really knitted both together.

“I would definitely recommend James Watt to other people. The facilities are of a very high standard; it really feels more like a sports centre than a college, so it was a highly motivational environment.

“The lecturers were really helpful and supportive when it came to taking the next step toward my goal of working as a coach. I’m now studying at Abertay University in Dundee thanks to the course and really looking forward to what the future holds. My ambition is to work with young people, teaching dance, swimming and football. I’ve got younger brothers and sisters, so I find it easy to relate to that age group.”

Sports lecturer Gareth Gentles is delighted to see one of his students so motivated to succeed: “Robyn was a keen student who highlighted a desire to develop her potential and the James Watt College Largs Campus was the perfect platform for her to express and promote her thoughts and beliefs on sports coaching and the development of sports.

“Robyn was able to adapt to college life pretty easily and quickly built up good working relationships with the rest of her peers and staff. She soon became a popular student across campus. I wish her every success in future development.”

ADVERTISEMENT