Tony
Clarke

What inspired you to study the FdA Business course?

“I had a challenging time when I was at school and wasn’t given the support I deserved. One part of choosing to study a higher education qualification was because I wanted to prove to myself that I could learn at that level - in the right arena with the right support.

I've always worked in customer-related jobs, from working in restaurants to being a bus driver, then car sales, and now running my own car valeting business.

As a business owner, choosing a business degree was an obvious choice to improve my professional and academic skills. Running my own business has given me practical skills, but I wanted to go into education to help me reach my full potential.”

How is the course helping you reach your goals?

“When I started my foundation degree, I wanted to get a qualification to develop personally and open up new career opportunities. I wanted to have the option of moving my career in a new direction and working in different business roles. The course is helping me achieve this by teaching me theories and concepts that I can use in my job and other businesses.

I have specific learning needs, and my tutors are very supportive and inclusive, which has helped me prove to myself that I can study at this level. With modern teaching methods and small, supportive seminar groups, I am doing really well in this environment.”

How have you developed since starting the course?

“Since starting the course, I have had chance to reflect and have gained confidence in my academic ability. My outlook has changed so much that I now have much bigger ambitions than when I started.

During the first week of the course, self-doubt crept in and I questioned whether higher education was the right choice for me. I’m so glad that I stuck at it though!

When I complete the foundation Business course, I will go on to study the top-up at NTU City Campus, followed by a Masters and then become an hourly paid lecturer. The ultimate aim is to stand in front of students inspiring them with my story and giving them some of the opportunities I haven’t had until now.

I don’t recognise myself from September last year. My views, plans and desires have completely changed for the better.”

What attracted you to study at the Mansfield Hub?

"I considered several other institutions when I started looking into studying a business qualification.

I attended an open event and spoke with a course tutor, where I learned about studying the foundation degree at Mansfield and the option to top it up to a full degree at NTU City.

Living close to the Mansfield Hub made the location very convenient for me.

Another reason I chose this course is that it runs two days a week, allowing me to manage my business alongside my studies."

What is the best thing about being an NTU Mansfield student?

“The fact that it’s a smaller campus makes it a close-knit, friendlier place. Everyone is like one big family, and I’ve made friends here who I’ll keep in touch with after my studies.”

What is NTU Mansfield helping you achieve outside of your studies?

“I am a course representative for my course at Mansfield and earlier in the year I won the award for Nottingham Trent Students’ Union course representative of the year. This came as a big shock, as I knew I’d been nominated but wasn’t expecting it to happen. When I went up on stage, my dedication to attending committee meetings and the academic and personal support I’ve given my cohort,  were some of the reasons given for me winning which is very rewarding.

Another opportunity that has come about is that I put myself forward to take on the role of Mansfield Officer starting in the summer. This means I’ll be the link between the Students Union and Mansfield. The reason I did that is because I want to make a difference to the student experience.”

Have you joined any societies at NTU?

“As an NTU Mansfield student, we have access to the wider NTU societies. I’ve always wanted to learn British Sign Language but never had the opportunity, so not long after starting the course I joined the BSL society. This has made a massive impact on my experience as an NTU student. The society is very inclusive and I’ve met people from all walks of life.

University is not just about academic learning, it’s about personal growth. This is perhaps one of the biggest things that has come out of my higher education experience at NTU.”