Rachel Mitchell

I chose to come to Petroc because as a mature student, I felt comfortable to be in a group, with others at a similar stage in their life, being a little older and trying to strike a balance between managing personal commitments and studies.

Moving from London to Bideford, I met a few people who were choosing to return to education for a new direction or to gain further qualifications in their current area of interest and I’d heard positive comments about the high standard of teaching and support.

After meeting with potential lectures, on a course I had been pondering on doing for some time, I decided to enrol. The course sounded interesting and a challenge, with the lecturers being friendly and extremely supportive.

I have worked in the health and social care sector for nearly 30 years! I really wanted to gain a degree so I could improve upon my knowledge and skills, to increase my career opportunities with more confidence.

The highlights for me have been to turn some of my fears, such as presentations and computer skills, into something I now feel confident and able to achieve! I really enjoyed working on a project where, as a team we had an opportunity to work with an organisation to produce a product and present our ideas, which was reciprocated really well and was successful.

Petroc is a calm and friendly environment, with a good balance of structure to the course. The support given is exceptional!

When I leave Petroc, I hope to continue my studies at Exeter, to eventually be a high intensity therapist.

I had so many doubts and put off applying for two years, I was concerned I would struggle after being out of education for so long and that I would struggle. I would highly recommend just taking the leap, as it has been a positive and empowering experience, even though it can be challenging, the sense of achievement is worth it.