EKC Training are helping to make childhood dreams come true

We recently met with Laila, an inspiring student who has recently finished her English Functional Skills qualification and is now applying to university.

With English being her third language, Laila has worked extremely hard to achieve her dreams of making a life for herself in the UK.  

Laila’s journey to the UK 

After falling in love with the UK as a child, through watching British TV series and listening to British music, Laila and her best friend dreamt about how they could start a life in the UK when they were older.  

With the support of her family Laila moved to the UK in 2019. She has been developing her English-speaking skills and figuring out what career she would like to start pursuing.  

Laila decided she would like to head to university but wasn’t sure how she could get there. This is when she saw the opportunity of starting on online English qualification with EKC Training,  and applied straight away.  

Positives of learning with EKC Training 

We asked Laila about how the course has helped her, she commented: “Learning with EKC Training improved my confidence because it had been a long time since I challenged myself with something like this. I had a lot of moments where I doubted myself, but my teacher kept reminding me that I was doing well.”  

The online aspect of the course was beneficial for Laila; the students had a two-hour lesson one evening per week. She commented that this was helpful to fit around any paid work they had and gave them time within the week to complete any homework or revision. 

“English is actually my third language, so thinking that now I’m applying for university feels huge. It’s scary, but it’s also a great achievement. I couldn’t have done this without the support from the Training Centre and my Tutor.” 

How her Tutor supported her 

Laila credits her tutor, Brett, for his constant support, stating: “Brett, my tutor, was super supportive. Usually I’m a very shy person, but he made it really easy to talk during the lessons. He created a safe space for us to share any worries or concerns. 

“I had such a positive experience. Brett would always remind me of my successes when I felt that I wasn’t doing a good job. Even now I have passed my qualification Brett has still helped me with my university application.”  

Progression from Functional Skills to university  

With her newfound confidence, Laila decided that her next steps would be to apply to university. She has decided to apply to study Psychology at the University of Kent.  

Thinking about her learning journey she commented: “One thing I really want people to know is that no matter how many gaps you think you have in your education, you really can improve. Even in a week, you can change so much if you keep practising and studying.  

“Sometimes I look at myself and think, ‘How did I even pass these exams?’, but the answer is practice, support, and not giving up.” 

Future career aspirations  

In the future, Laila plans to start a career working with children. She is passionate about helping children who have disabilities thrive through education. She hopes that learning about how the brain develops through psychology will be beneficial for her. 

Laila shared: “When I was younger, I was a disabled child myself, so I would love to support children with disabilities. Kids are very important for the future, and I think we should treat them with care and support them as much as we can. If we want a better world, we need to spend more time helping younger people.” 

Feeling inspired? 

Laila is a determined student who has a clear drive to succeed. With the right support and nurturing environment, everyone has the ability to learn new skills and improve their lives. EKC Training offer a vast range of courses, both online and in person. 

 If you feel inspired by Laila’s journey, explore our courses online and take a step towards a brighter future.