Amelia Rogers, 26, decided to transform her career while on maternity leave from teaching, studying online with learndirect to secure acceptance on to a midwifery degree at her top choice, the University of Wolverhampton.
The Stafford-born student, who is a trained secondary school English teacher, enrolled on learndirect’s 100% online Access to Higher Education Diploma (Midwifery) in October 2022, and completed the course in just 6 months while raising her baby son.
“My life was 100% changed through my Access course, as it has allowed me to reach my target of securing a university spot,” said Amelia. “Anyone applying for midwifery knows that it is very competitive, and there are a lot more people applying than there are places available. I have so much pride in what I've achieved.”
Amelia, who lives in Walsall, is currently in the first year of her midwifery degree at the University of Wolverhampton, her top choice after securing three interviews upon completion of her Access to HE course.
The equivalent of A-Levels, Access to HE Diplomas are Level 3 qualifications that meet entry requirements of most universities across the UK, and the online nature of the course with learndirect was a much more feasible option than college for Amelia.
“I felt that it would suit my life much better than going into college,” she said. “I fit my Access work around my family commitments, and it suited me and my family very well. The idea that I could do my Access work at any time of day or night also appealed to me, especially with having a baby!
“I watched the lectures and did my wider reading whilst breastfeeding my son back to sleep, which is something that wouldn't have been possible at college!
“learndirect caught my eye early on in my search for Access courses as it looked accessible, easy to understand, straightforward and there were several success stories from people who were able to go to university after doing their Access. It was an ideal stepping stone into a competitive degree.”
Fuelled By the Desire to Make a Change
Amelia’s motivation for becoming a midwife stemmed from her first-hand experience of maternity care during her pregnancy. She believes that she can help boost the workforce by providing a fresh perspective.
“I decided to pursue midwifery due to my own experiences of the maternity sector. I received a combination of excellent care, and areas that I felt could be improved, and that motivated me to look into going back to uni to retrain as a midwife.”
NHS England has been prioritising the nursing and midwifery workforces by investing in recruitment initiatives and implementing retention programmes in every maternity unit.
Recent data has revealed that there are 372,411 nurses and midwives working in England, the highest ever recorded.
With 97% of learndirect’s Access to HE students securing progression to university, the online education provider is giving people like Amelia an opportunity to pursue a new career that may otherwise have felt unachievable.
“I would definitely say that [studying with learndirect] gave me such a push to pursue what I really want out of life and enabled me to get my place on a course which will launch me into a career with a vast amount of opportunities and potential,” said Amelia.
If anyone is thinking about following in Amelia’s footsteps, she has a message for them…
“Go for it! What do you have to lose? You can do it. The Access course is your first step in achieving your academic potential.”
