DEDICATION to study and hard work has paid off for 73-year-old Ronald Paterson who returned to education nearly 60 years after leaving school.
He is set to graduate in September after successfully completing an HND in Construction and the Built Environment at the South Eastern Regional College’s Downpatrick campus.
And with school leavers across the Province awaiting their A level and GCSE results, Ronald is urging others to consider their local further education college as a first option.
He had been out of education for 58 years when he enrolled at the College to study the HNC construction and built environment course before progressing to the HND programme. Ronald said that although he was nervous about returning to education, he would strongly encourage others to do the same.
Completing 16 modules over five years, Ronald successfully finished the course, achieving 14 distinctions, a pass and a merit.
A former pupil of Ashfield Boys High School, Ronald explained he was nervous about returning to education, but has no doubt it was the best thing he has ever done.
“Everyone was so friendly and the smaller class sizes suited me. My advice to others is to speak to the tutors and careers staff about their options,” he continued.
The father of two had been focusing on bringing up his two children and his career, however he decided it was time to hit the books and signed up for further education.
His working career included various supervisory construction posts including general foreman, site joiner, running his own construction business and, most recently, clerk of works where he completed an online foundation degree with the Institute of the Clerk of Works through The University of Wolverhampton.
“I wanted to do something which I was interested in and would challenge me,” Ronald continued.
“As a joiner, construction is something I’ve always enjoyed. I enrolled onto the HND course to pursue this new ambition and gain a recognised qualification.
“Thanks to the South Eastern regional College, I have made new friends and gained a lot more self-confidence and now have a qualification which is the equivalent to year two of a degree programme. I would definitely recommend the College as a place to study to anyone thinking of returning to education.”
Ronald’s tutor, Caylan Ellesmere, said the Belfast man proves that it is never too late to go back to education.
“We have many mature students who are returning for a variety of reasons from retraining or coming back to get the qualifications they didn’t get when they were younger,” he explained.
“And that is the beauty of having your local college on your doorstep. Ronald is a great role model and proving that learning is lifelong and as a result is ready to put on a gown and walk across the stage. After all, it’s never too late to accomplish your goals.”
The College has confirmed that for vocational courses, there is a 25 per cent discount for those aged 60 or over at time of enrolment.
Additionally, there is also a 50 per cent discount for those receiving guaranteed pension credit, rate relief, working tax credit, income-related employment and support allowance, income support and income-based jobseeker’s allowance and universal credit which applies to vocational courses only.