A young woman is on the verge of a dream career in the police force after receiving a double dose of help from a Teesside college.
In 2008 Ashleigh Harvey completed a BTEC Extended Diploma in Public Services at Redcar & Cleveland College – a qualification that enabled her to study crime investigation at Teesside University.
Having achieved a 2:1 in her degree, the 23 year-old embarked on a mission to pursue her chosen career as a dog handler in the police force – but found she didn’t have the customer service skills needed for the role. Now, though, her dreams have been revived after she took the opportunity to return to the college as a receptionist at the £26m Corporation Road campus.
In her new role Ashleigh undertakes a range of front-of-house duties, including visitor meet and greets, answering telephone calls, booking meetings and sorting and handing out mail. The move has enabled her to acquire several useful skills – including good communication, multitasking, teamwork and basic IT – which will stand her in good stead for her chosen career.
Ashleigh, who is originally from Loch Lomond in Scotland, said: “It’s unusual for a college student to return as an employee but it has been a great experience for me on both occasions. The BTEC course allowed me to progress to university and the customer service skills that I’ve acquired in my new role will give me a better chance of getting a job in the police force.”
As a student, Ashleigh was a member of several clubs and societies at the college, including the kayaking club and the student council. She also became a student ambassador in 2009 and has remained a dedicated representative ever since, helping to develop the current crop of students.
Alys Tregear, Student Service Manager for Redcar & Cleveland College said: “Ashleigh has been an enthusiastic and popular individual who has thrived both as a student and an employee. She is a great example of what we are trying to achieve at the college.
“Our primary aim is to give people the tools to progress into higher education or employment and I’m sure that Ashleigh will be a success in her chosen career.”
Public Services will be a key focus for an upcoming open day at Redcar & Cleveland College on October 14th. Held from 5-7pm at the Corporation Road campus, the day will raise awareness of a wide range of training courses on offer in areas such as Sport, Business, Hair & Beauty Therapy and Travel & Tourism.
For further information, please contact please call 01642 473 132 or visit http://www.cleveland.ac.uk.