Geraldine Nicholson completed the Teaching Assistant course in Lincolnshire with Realise as part of her journey towards a meaningful career change. With a strong background in support roles and a clear motivation to work with children, the course provided Geraldine with the skills, confidence, and qualification needed to move into a school-based role.
Deciding to join the course
Geraldine joined the Teaching Assistant course because she wanted a face-to-face learning experience that suited her learning style. While many courses are delivered online, this approach wasn’t right for her, and the opportunity to attend in person, combined with the course being free, made it the ideal choice.
“Many courses are online, but this type of learning is not for me.”
A career change with purpose
After many years working in adult support roles, Geraldine was ready for a change. She wanted to gain up-to-date skills and a recognised qualification to move into education. Her decision was driven by a strong belief in early intervention and the importance of supporting children at an earlier stage.
“My decision to change direction was to help those children, not become the adults needing support - early intervention, so to speak.”
Learning as part of a supportive group
Geraldine valued learning alongside a diverse group of learners, which brought a wide range of perspectives into the classroom. The group developed strong connections, and several learners have stayed in touch, continuing to support each other with interview advice and workplace challenges.
Moving into employment
After completing the course, Geraldine attended two interviews and was successful in securing a Teaching Assistant role in a primary school. While waiting for her pre-employment checks to be completed, she also gained valuable experience working in two secondary schools through an agency.
Building confidence and skills
Geraldine describes her current role as challenging but extremely rewarding. She credits the course with giving her the confidence to apply for school-based roles and highlights the practical support she received with CV writing and interview preparation.
“Without the course, I would not have had the confidence to apply.”
Feeling inspired to start your own journey?
Take your first steps towards a new career path today by applying to our Teaching Assistant course.