Meet Samantha

Meet Samantha, Vocational Skills Tutor at Pathway SkillsZone Burslem; she hasn't always been a tutor, far from it, actually! Hey, I'm Samantha, and I am the Health and Social Care tutor at Pathway SkillsZone Burslem. I deliver a number of courses which include Level 1 & 2 Care, Mental Health & Dementia Awareness along with End of Life Care. This is my journey, so far! "I have ten years experience in the care sector and have worked on the front line in the NHS, where I have gained lots of experience. I am very passionate about my role and enjoy sharing my knowledge with people and motivating them to look for a rewarding career in this area. I also have a Health, Diet, and Nutrition qualification that I embed in my courses to promote prevention. However, before I moved into Education and Training, I was in a much different place. In 2020, I began reflecting on my retail job as an Operations manager, often working from home and travelling across the country, pondering what else I could do with my life! Soon, I found myself speaking to my husband and explaining my thoughts; he agreed that a change would be good for me and said he'd do whatever he could to support me." After handing in her notice, Sam found herself visiting the Hanley Jobcentre Plus to begin exploring the opportunities out there; she had a keen interest in Mental Health, and considered pursuing the development of her knowledge after having previous experience working in the care sector years before. Sam was signposted to Pathway SkillsZone Burslem Centre by her Jobcentre Plus Work Coach, and here she could find out more about the Care courses that were available to her. Due to her immediate availability, Sam met with Naomi soon after, where she was provided with a selection of opportunities to gain certificates to demonstrate her knowledge and understanding of Care. Dementia Awareness Mental Health Awareness Safeguarding End of Life Care Having completed a selection of Care related courses, Sam wanted to continue to broaden her understanding and further develop her skill set. Sam chooses to undertake Functionals Skills English and Maths at Level 2, then processed on to Customer Service and Retail Skills. Having completed a selection of Care related courses, Sam wanted to broaden her understanding and further develop her skill set. Sam chooses to undertake Functionals Skills English and Maths at Level 2, then progessed to Customer Service and Retail Skills. During her time at the centre, Sam developed a strong rapport with her peers as a model learner. Our Head of Performance for the North, Peter McCreery recalls "seeing something special in Sam, her attitude with others, showed a real caring nature, something you don't see all too often." After witnessing Sam's confidence grow with others and with the curriculum she was studying, Peter felt she would be a great addition to the team. In early 2021, Peter recalls, "we were looking for a passionate and motivated Vocational Tutor, to support the local community, they needed to be approachable and caring, Sam demonstrated all these qualities, but I was aware this wasn't necessarily the job she was looking for", Peter contacted Sam and arranged to meet with her at the centre, here Peter explained the role of a Vocational Tutor, and explained how he felt Sam had these qualities to become a tutor. Peter explained further that we would construct a training programme for her to gain the Level 3 in Assessing Vocational Achievement along with the Level 3 in Education and Training, she'd be assigned a mentor, and he would ensure she received all the support she needed, to become a qualified Vocational Tutor. "I discussed the opportunity with my husband; he was pleased to see the excitement on my face; I commenced my employment in May 2021 at Pathway SkillsZone Burslem." Sam has since become a fully-fledged Vocational Tutor; now an integral member of the Pathway SkillsZone Burslem team, delivering the courses she thoroughly enjoyed whilst learning with Pathway Group. Since joining #TeamPathway, Sam has supported others to change their lives, particularly Dave and Ben. Dave was unsure how to proceed on to his next steps; Sam took time out with him, upon completing his studying, to help him create a plan for where to move to next. Shortly after completing his studies, Ben supported by Sam applied for the positions of Care Assistant at Bradwell Hall nursing home located in Staffordshire and Royal Stoke University Hospital of North Staffordshire; Ben was successful with both applications and is now working at the Hospital as bank staff. Changing lives through skills and work! "During my free time, I continue to be passionate about Care, most recently I have been supporting the Alzheimers society. Volunteering at the Memory Walk; it's a fantastic experience, walking with hundreds of others across the country, hoping to make a vital difference in the fight against dementia". Well done, Samantha!

Meet Samantha, Vocational Skills Tutor at Pathway SkillsZone Burslem; she hasn’t always been a tutor, far from it, actually!

Changing lives through skills and work!

Well done, Samantha!