Nina Akkus worked as an early years practitioner and progressed through Levels 4, 5 and 6 at the College before deciding teaching was the right path.
What were your motivations for becoming a tutor?
It was the right time to progress in my career. I loved working in early years, but I didn’t really like the management side because I was away from it all. Forty hours a week with pre-school children is tough and, as I was getting a little bit older, I didn’t really want to be on my feet all day. I started to think about my future, and when I heard about the PGCE Lifelong Learning programme, I thought, “This is something I can do”.
What do you enjoy most about teaching at The City of Liverpool College?
I’m giving something back. There’s a cry out for practitioners right now and I feel like I’m a part of the process of developing the next generation of workers for the industry. Many practitioners going in don’t know what they’ll be facing. I want to set a really high standard by developing work-ready students who are fully prepared.
The standard we got from the College was always good, we learned a lot from there. But I could see standards were slipping in industry and I wanted to be a part of changing that.
What were your biggest concerns coming into teaching?
I was worried about how I’d cope with all the different levels and finding the time to plan, but everyone supports one another. I love being in the teaching community. Everyone is so helpful. There was a big worry I would walk away from my job and then I wouldn’t like it. I was walking into the unknown. But The City of Liverpool College is a great fit for me. I’ve been through the process from Level 4 upwards, so I know how they work. They want the best for their students. They want a nurturing approach, and that’s something I bring from my experience. I’m aware of adverse childhood experiences, so I deliver everything in that way, and that’s what the College’s ethos is all about.
What would you advise someone considering being a tutor?
It’s really hard when you’re going into a different occupation – it can be scary – but you’ve got to take the leap. If you do your research, speak to staff and read up about the College’s ethos and offering, you get a sense of what they’re about. It was the best move I made, and I’m really happy here.
