Tell us about yourself.
I am a 27-year-old from Verona, Italy. I first obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Language for International Trade. I have always been passionate about foreign languages and curious about other cultures. For this reason, I studied Russian together with English in my first degree. I also did my Erasmus+ year in a small town in Hungary where I met many like-minded people from all over the world.
How did you end up applying to the PgCert Education (International)?
After completing my Bachelor's, I began working as a Social Media Manager while studying for a Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Marketing. I had always thought that marketing was my calling since I was a little girl and imagined myself as a successful career-driven woman. But for some reason, I did not feel happy in the role.
I moved into Sales and Marketing, representing the company I used to work for around the world at exhibitions, meeting many different people every day, and effectively living my dream life. Except it wasn’t.
After a few years thinking that being unhappy in your career was part of becoming an adult, I decided that I did not want to spend my life like that even - if it meant being unsuccessful.
I tried thinking about what I truly like, and realized that I am a people person. My favorite part of all my previous jobs was when I was talking to different people, and I started thinking about becoming an educator.
I decided to return to study and wanted to choose a Postgraduate that would be really effective and valuable. I looked for Universities that were ranked in education and offered valuable programmes. I also needed a fully online course, as I was unable to leave Italy at the time, being in full pandemic. And then I found the University of Strathclyde.
Tell us about your experience studying remotely.
I’d studied online before, but my first experience was not good. This concerned me at first, which is why I looked for a well-ranked university.
I am extremely happy to say that the PgCert Education (International) was completely different. I felt part of a classroom even though we were in different parts of the world.
I’ve always known and worked with people from other countries so I was appreciative of the opportunity. My personal opinion is that having a cohort of students from other countries only enriched my PGCE. It should be compulsory in all universities.
How do you think this programme will support your career aspirations?
It gave me the opportunity to become a Primary Teacher. It gave me the opportunity to potentially work from anywhere in the world, giving me the freedom to choose who I want to be as a person. Moreover, it shaped my beliefs as an educator and made me a better teacher.
What advice would you give to someone considering the programme?
I would suggest to always work hard even when it just feels too much. Always be prepared to talk about your readings in class, and think critically from the very beginning. Be ready to change your mind and prepared to accept different points of view, as most frequently there is no right or wrong.
Any final points, or words of wisdom?
It’s never too late to change who you are and what you want from the future. You only need to be prepared to work for it.
