Gwynedd graduates Keri Lane and Jaimee Wellings explain the difference further education has made to their lives.

Keri, from Gellilydan, Blaenau Ffestiniog, said returning to education in her 30s to study a PGCE was the best decision she’s ever made.

Three years on from the course at Dolgellau’s Coleg Meirion Dwyfor, Keri is a full-time lecturer in Health & Social Care at the college’s Dolgellau and Pwllheli campuses.

She said: “I felt quite nervous returning to education in my 30s, however, opting for the PGCE course at Dolgellau has proven to be the best decision I've made for myself.

“It has been three years since I graduated and my career has thrived. I am now living my dream as a full-time lecturer in the Health and Social/Childcare department. Seeing the positive impact I am able to make on students’ lives through teaching is incredibly rewarding and fulfilling.

“The support from all the staff in the PGCE department is outstanding.

“They were always willing to go the extra mile, striving to provide the best support and experiences. Thanks to their dedication, my academic abilities improved significantly, as did my confidence. Building new friendships and enjoying my time there was an added bonus.”

Keri added: “If you have a passion for the education sector and want to make a positive impact on the lives of young people, I would definitely recommend pursuing the PGCE course as it is truly worthwhile. I enjoyed every second of my time there and would do it all over again in a heartbeat.”

Jaimee, from Talybont near Barmouth, recently graduated from the PCGE programme at Dolgellau.

During the second year she worked part-time as a lecturer in hairdressing at the college, and also works at Elegance Hair and Beauty in Talybont.

Jaimee said: “I’d been hairdressing for 14 years, and I wanted a change in direction but doing something still in the same field.

“I’ve got a friend who works at the college and she pushed me to do the PGCE. It was really good. I found it really interesting and realised that I loved teaching.

“I like the variety of it - no two days are the same. I also like working with the 16-plus age group and building a rapport with students.

“I’d like a full-time teaching job to come up in hairdressing, but I’ve got a really flexible job at the salon so I’m keeping my options open.”