Learner Success Stories: Nasreen C – Former ILM learner

I initially decided to embark on the Level 3 and 5 ILM Award in Leadership and Management as I wanted to challenge myself and explore vocational studies. As I work full time, this needed to suit my circumstances, something that allowed me to study remotely and work at my own pace – which UniCourse made possible.

UniCourse offered me the flexibility I was looking for. I had absolutely no reservations about studying remotely as that is my preferred way of learning, without physically having to go to an educational centre. I knew all along that online learning would help me delve into particular areas and give me the opportunity to build my knowledge base, and the bonus was to receive accreditation from City & Guilds for it!

Both Ashley and Kevin supported me throughout my studies with UniCourse; I found them both to be supportive and they gave good constructive feedback and advice which was very helpful. Although at times I found the terminology of the assignment questions a little difficult to understand, my tutors thoroughly explained them to me which supported the process.

My favourite unit of the course was definitely Mental Health. I found the insights and learning to be profoundly helpful, and I also felt a personal connection to it. Overall, there is nothing that I would change about this course; all the assignments were relevant and suitably tailored to the unit.

On completion of my studies, I would say my thoughts about distance learning remained the same- that it is not for everyone. Some people prefer classroom-type learning, whereas others prefer the freedom and flexibility to follow resources and to work unaided. This is definitely my preferred way of learning, so it suited me very well. Although it was a challenge at times to be disciplined with time management and to eliminate distractions, I kept an eye on the end goal of completing the course, which kept me focused. I would suggest setting specific, non-negotiable study times as this kept me on track.

My other advice to anyone looking to begin an online distance-learning course would be to only commit yourself to it if you can afford the time it takes. I can remember studying late into the night, after a day’s work, and this took some effort and energy. Try not to spread out the unit too much because over time you will lose enthusiasm, rhythm, and writing flow. I tried very hard to start a unit when I knew I could complete it relatively quickly.

Since gaining my ILM qualifications I feel more confident, well-educated and my writing skills have drastically improved. I have also gained recognition for my advanced management abilities and am currently in the process of having a job evaluation – so fingers crossed!

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