When Anne Greaves got to “an age where I wanted a career change”, she was faced with a real decision. Anne had worked in retail for ten years and in a warehouse, but her children were older, so Anne decided it was “now or never” and wanted to learn a trade.

Anne chose electricals and looked around for a course that could fit in with her working day. Anne says: “Leicester College was the only one locally that offered Electrical Installation as an evening course which made it accessible to me as I was still working during the day.

Anne initially enrolled onto the level 2 evening electrical course at Leicester College, then progressed into the level 3 evening.

“It was hard work doing evenings after a working day, but the course was a really good stepping stone into electrics. It gives you a good overview of what to expect on the job – from both a theoretical and practical perspective. It gave me confidence to get out and look for a job in electricals.”

Anne is currently working for a local electrical firm and is looking at moving on to an NVQ with AM2 practical assessment to ensure that she reaches fully qualified status.

“I feel like the world is my oyster now. The course has given me a lot of options and they   can take me to different places.”

Award-winning skills

During her time at Leicester College, Anne won the Midlands heat of the SPARKS Female Skills Competition for the best up-and-coming talent amongst women studying level 2 and 3 electrical installation.

Following a live practical installation, Anne was named the winner and went on to the national finals where she went head-to-head with five other regional winners and runner ups, and finished second in the country.

Anne said: “I’ve always had an interest in electrics but didn’t think I’d be where I am today. Courses like this one at Leicester College didn’t feel as accessible when I was 18, so I never thought it was an option. But I’m proud of myself for enrolling on the course and pursuing my dreams.

“I’m so grateful to Leicester College’s electrical team for putting me forward for the competition and for their support in getting me through it.”

Speaking about her placing in the final, Anne added: “I was nervous to take part in the competition, I felt I may be out of my depth. However, I was positively encouraged by the staff at the College, and I am glad I took part. It has really boosted my confidence in what I do. I have proven to myself that I can overcome any barriers.”