Gautami Joshi
"The teachers are lovely and always check in to make sure you're okay. Sometimes the workload can be challenging, but you have people around you who are there to support you."
Making a difference in children's lives
For 18-year-old Gautami Joshi, choosing a career in education is about more than teaching - it's about having the opportunity to make a positive difference in children's lives.
After achieving a Distinction in her T Level in Education and Childcare at Leicester College, Gautami is now preparing for her next chapter at Nottingham Trent University.
A passion for making a difference
Gautami knew she wanted a career that would allow her to work with children and help them reach their potential.
"I've always wanted to do something involving children and make a difference in their lives. Sometimes a child's individual needs can be overlooked, and I want to be someone who can recognise those needs and help in any way I can."
When researching her options after secondary school, Gautami discovered Leicester College through UCAS and found that reading student case studies helped her make her decision.
She then attended an open day, where meeting the teaching staff and seeing the facilities confirmed that Leicester College was the right choice for her.
"When you look at a college from the outside, you don't really know what it's going to be like. Coming to the open day, meeting the teachers and seeing the environment and resources made me feel like this was somewhere I could see myself studying."
Learning inside and outside the classroom
One of the things Gautami valued most about the T Level was the opportunity to combine classroom learning with experience in a real working environment.
Her week was split between theory lessons from Monday to Wednesday and placement on Thursdays and Fridays.
"The placement made me realise that this is definitely what I want to do. It gave me experience of the working world and showed me how everyone has their own role, but you all have to work together as a team."
Leicester College also supported Gautami with researching nurseries and finding a placement that suited her.
"The College helped us look at different nurseries and supported us in making the right decision about where we wanted to complete our placement."
Seeing the hard work pay off
For Gautami, one of the biggest highlights of her time at Leicester College was results day, when she discovered she had achieved a Distinction.
"Seeing all of your hard work pay off on results day was definitely a standout moment."
Although balancing the course and placement could sometimes mean managing a demanding workload, Gautami says the support she received from her teachers helped her throughout.
"The teachers are lovely and always check in to make sure you're okay. Sometimes the workload can be challenging, but you have people around you who are there to support you."
Taking the next step into teaching
Following her success at Leicester College, Gautami is preparing to continue her education at Nottingham Trent University, where she plans to begin a four-year teaching course.
For students who already know that they want a career working with children, Gautami would recommend considering a T Level.
"If you know what you want to do, it's a great course. It gives you the experience and qualifications you need whether you want to progress to university or go straight into working in a nursery."