Mum Laura leaves University Centre with First-Class honours degree and a new career
Laura Smelt returned to education at York College as a 28-year-old mother - and has just left with a First-Class Honours Degree and dream job as a Graphic Designer!
Having first enrolled on our Access to Higher Education Art & Design Diploma, Laura used that one-year study programme to decide which vocational pathway she would like to pursue and subsequently opted to progress onto another one of our York School of Art courses - the University Centre’s BA (Hons) Graphic and Communication Design degree.
Laura went on to excel so much during her HE studies that she was presented with The Open University-sponsored Outstanding Achievement Award for Creative Studies at September’s York College University Centre Graduation Ceremony in York Minster.
By the time of that prestigious occasion, she had also landed a Junior Designer role with property business Home.cc.
On the part York College has played in launching her new career, Laura said: “A degree is something I’ve wanted for a long time, so it felt emotional to graduate and celebrate everything coming to an end. I also got a First, which is a great achievement for me.
“When I left school, I didn’t think the university route was for me, so I went straight into an apprenticeship, but I knew, as time progressed, that I was capable of achieving what I’ve done now. I missed learning and it was good to get back into education to get my brain ticking over again.
“I’d done hairdressing and a few office admin roles, but I just knew I wanted to do something else and I found my passion for graphic design when I joined the Art & Design Access course. In the first few months of the Access course, you have tasters in each area of Art & Design and that made me realise I wanted to work in a computer-based design role.
“It’s what appealed to me most. I now have a role working as a Junior Designer with Home.cc and I have the course to thank for that.”
Laura, who lives in Boroughbridge, added that College fully understood a need to balance her studies with family commitments and felt that the University Centre’s small cohorts enabled her to forge strong relationships with the “outstanding” tutors, as well as firm friendships with her fellow classmates.
“I was 28 when I came to York College and, with having a child, what appealed to me most was the flexibility I was granted to a certain degree,” she explained. “We were also in smaller groups and you almost get one-to-one tuition in the degree setting which was great.
“I can’t thank my tutors Monica and Lisa enough for their time working with me. I love them both and will miss them.
“They really encouraged me in subjects that I was passionate about and their tuition was outstanding. You get a lot of time with your tutors and it’s a lovely environment.
“You become really good friends with people in your class too and I don’t think you’d get the same experience if you went to a bigger university, where I’ve heard that you don’t always get the chance to even speak to your tutors.”
Laura pointed out that College’s facilities, equipment and business links on the Yorkshire & Humber Institute of Technology-supported course were all factors in her Sim Balk Lane success story, too.
“We worked on top-range Macs at College, which is great for your industry-standard experience,” she pointed out. “Working alongside (digital product consultancy) Hedgehog Lab during the course was great too and helped me a lot when I went on to interview for the role I am doing now. It was great to work with a professional to see what was needed from a Junior Designer.”
Laura also completed her studies armed with a broad range of skills and an impressive portfolio that showcased her talents to her prospective employer.
“My proudest piece of work was my final project,” she said. “I did a brand design for the Higher Education Student Union and, when it was presented in York, it received great feedback, which was really nice to hear.
“You gain a wide range of skills from the course and I learned such a lot from working with software, as well as structuring professional documents. Home.cc is a start-up business and I’m designing assets for the company now.
“I also have input with senior designers regarding designs that are going on the website and what the app could possibly look like in the future, as well as working on all company branding. In the future, I’d like to work my way up the ladder and, hopefully, work for myself possibly one day.”
To learn more about our BA (Hons) Graphic and Communication Design course, click here
Further details about College’s Access to Higher Education Art & Design Diploma can be found here
For more information on our York School of Art offering, visit here
Our full range of Yorkshire & Humber Institute of Technology-supported courses are detailed here
Our next Open Event on Saturday 23rd November (10.30am-12.30pm) will offer an opportunity to find out more about all of our Access, Degree and Higher-Level courses and a chance to meet our tutors. You can register a place here
