School can be a challenging time for any student. This was particularly true for Julie Ankers when she was a child. Now 53, Julie has rediscovered her lust for studying — particularly English Literature — through online learning with Centre of Excellence.
Speaking to Centre of Excellence, the Bury-based bookkeeper and administrator said her online learning journey has helped her self-esteem and ‘filled the gap’ left by traditional schooling.
Julie said, “School was horrendous. I moved schools regularly and had to learn to fit in with different groups of people each time with no ‘long formed’ relationships to hold onto and I was also bullied at every school in one form or another.”
To make matters worse, Julie added, “I had to move counties and, thus, examining bodies in the middle of my GCSEs.” Unfortunately, Julie was not allowed to continue to study her favourite subject, English Literature, because she’d missed a year of the two-year course in her new home county.
Julie said, “When I passed the Introduction to English Literature Diploma Course with Centre of Excellence, I felt whole again having filled the gap that I was denied by the education system.”
Not only did Julie get to learn more about the wonderful world of English Literature, but she also found the learning experience cathartic after her schooling. She said, “To be able to learn at home in peace and quiet at your own pace was bliss in comparison.”
Julie added, “It is difficult to describe fully the benefits I have experienced with CoE’s learning style.” Julie is grateful for the course structure, referencing how the course materials are divided into achievable modules. Likewise, she looks forward to receiving her assessment results with feedback from the Centre of Excellence assessors, adding the results really “give you a boost that you are learning well and achieving the goals”. Finally, Julie said, “Then, when you pass the final assessment and achieve the diploma it really is a confidence boost to your self-esteem.”
Julie first started studying at Centre of Excellence with the Proofreading & Editing Diploma Course to add skills that would help her continue to work from home. Julie said, “The course gave me the confidence to create a website to advertise my services to the ‘big world’ and to look for work in the field.”
Now she has the confidence to learn online again, Julie has also embarked on a Business Management with Accountancy Diploma Course with the view of taking accountancy exams in the future. It will be Julie’s fourth time entering the exams and she is working towards achieving her goals with perseverance and hard work, adding, “The eLearning environment has certainly changed since the first time I tried it!”
Julie has also successfully completed the Centre of Excellence How To Be a Super Learner course, which is currently free to all students when they create an account, as well as the Improve Your Memory Diploma Course.
For any budding lifelong students, Julie has some final words of advice: “Start with a subject you are passionate to understand and delve into learning. Let the style of CoE’s study draw you in, boost your confidence and see you right over the line and beyond. It will stretch your mind and let you believe you can achieve your dreams. All you have to do is take that first step!”
At the time of publishing, entering the code LEARNING in the checkout will reduce the price of our
English Literature Diploma Course to £29.
