Adult learners across Essex opened their GCSE results on Thursday 21 August. This year, ACL Essex supported lots of adults to boost their career opportunities by gaining GCSEs in English, Maths and Science.
Jonathan Cook, 37, from Colchester, has been a chef for over 20 years and is looking for career change; he now wants to teach cookery. This August Jonathan passed GCSE English with a Grade 5 pass and is currently doing a functional skills Maths course online. Jonathan explains the reasons why he wanted to come to ACL Essex:
“A couple of years ago, around the time of the pandemic, I was sat at home thinking about my future. I had a conversation with my wife, and she asked me how long I wanted to be a chef for. The hours that I work are long and she wanted to see more of me at home.
“People over the years said that they could see me in a teaching role, but I never really thought about it seriously until my wife made that comment! That made me think harder about becoming a teacher and I started to see the positive changes that it could bring me.
“18 months ago, I visited my old college, and two of my former lecturers were still there, teaching. I asked them how I could get into teaching, what are the steps, what do I need to do. I thought I’d need a teaching qualification, but I found out all I needed were GCSE English and Maths.
“I discovered that I had D grades for English and Maths, so I was just short of what is needed to teach. It was very annoying to have borderline qualifications to become a teacher as a teaching job became available at the Institute. The disappointment of my grades not being quite good enough really spurred me on, or forced my hand, to get better grades.
“I discovered cooking when I was 15, I was working weekends in kitchens and school was a complete afterthought. I was never academic, but I was always good with my hands – hence cooking. I didn’t have a happy time at school; I just wanted to leave and move on with my life.
“I did the online course, being a chef my schedule would always change, but the restaurant is always closed on Tuesdays, and that was when the online course was, so I booked on. I also popped into ACL a few times and phoned them too, and they were always great. It’s a wonderful place for positivity.
“It’s things like ACL Essex that made me realise that council tax is not just for the bins, it’s opened my eyes to how other council services can change lives and how important that is to society. You never know when you might need something like ACL Essex.
“I’m currently studying for my Level 2 in Maths and once I get that I can start applying for jobs in teaching. My Grade 5 in English has given me a real sense of achievement and a little bit of redemption too for me, after paying no attention to them in school. Maybe one day I’ll get my GCSE in Science, that would be an achievement!”
Has Jonathan’s story inspired you? Take a look at our GCSE courses starting soon across Essex!
