Una Walsh
Job Title: Lecturer in Business
Department: Business & Service Industries
Previous Roles/Industry Experience: Prior to working in the College I was self-employed, delivering training to a range of businesses and providing start up advice to budding entrepreneurs. When I left university I became a Business Advisor, working in the Local Enterprise network.
Benefit(s) of learning from an industry expert: We have the benefit of being able to reflect on industry experience and relate this to the range of learners we have in front of us and link this to the qualifications we deliver. This gives a real-life experience that the learner can identify with and this in turn helps them to relate this to their qualification. As an industry expert we have the academic and work-related experience that allows us to deliver the vocational and professional qualifications with knowledge and understanding.
Tell us why students should study your course/subject area at Northern Regional College: In today’s climate the higher education (HE) courses we have on offer encourage potential learners to develop their skills, to allow them to future proof for their current roles or embrace new opportunities. The Foundation Degree in Business Management is a new course to the college, and it is a fantastic bridge between Level 3 courses they may have taken at school or within the college. This opens opportunities to applying for Apprenticeships or university. The professional courses; the Institute of Leadership and Management Level 3 and Level 5 are ideal for current or potential leaders and managers the opportunity to develop their practice leadership practice; the People Management - Level 5 Associate Diploma (CIPD) is aimed at further expanding learners’ independent practice to enable them to evolve into more senior roles within organisations as people professionals, the People Practice - Level 3 Foundation Certificate (CIPD) aims to develop learners’ knowledge and skills to build their expertise within the HR field.
Most rewarding part of your job: Without a doubt, encouraging and supporting all my learners on their journey, however long it takes. Our learners start with us and progress onto the higher levels because of the experience they have had with us. It’s the smaller things that stand out for me, writing styles developing over a period of time, quieter students contributing to group discussions, reading the assignments that have been submitted and knowing that they understand what is being asked of them. Meeting them in years to come and they recall their experience in my classroom as a positive one.
Most memorable moment at Northern Regional College: I was lucky to be able to accompany some of our students on study visits to Rotterdam and Reims in France. This allowed me to partake in a myriad of culture experiences with other colleges and teaching staff as well as supporting the students.