A mother-of-two from Ukraine who has found a new life in North Yorkshire is among adult learners who have been praised for their efforts after signing up to courses to boost their career prospects and gain new skills.
Olha Honcharuk is among 22 winners in our annual adult learning awards which are held to recognise people have learned new skills, changed careers, improved their wellbeing and pursued new interests.
She arrived in the UK from Ukraine in December 2022 with her two young children and her mother after being forced to flee her homeland due to the conflict with Russia.
Facing the challenge of starting a new life in an unfamiliar country, Olha, who lives in Boroughbridge, turned to the our courses to improve her English and achieved qualifications that would help her to further her career.
Her determination and hard work paid off and after starting at entry level, she went on to achieve a level three qualification in accounting.
Olha is now employed as a finance officer at Boroughbridge Primary School and is planning to continue her professional development by studying towards a Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) qualification. She received the Employability and Work Readiness Award.
She said: “When I arrived in the UK, everything was new and unfamiliar. I had to rebuild my life with my children and mother from the beginning.
“The council’s courses gave me the opportunity to improve my English, gain valuable qualifications and, most importantly, build my confidence. The support I received from tutors helped me progress from being new to the country to working and planning the next stage of my career.
“Winning this award is a real honour and shows that with the right support and determination, it is possible to create new opportunities and achieve your goals.”
Executive member for education, learning and skills, Cllr Annabel Wilkinson, said the award winners demonstrate “the life-changing impact that adult learning can have”.
She added: “Whether it is helping someone rebuild their life in a new country, developing skills for employment, or giving people the confidence to achieve their full potential, adult learning creates opportunities and changes lives.
“I would encourage anyone who is thinking about developing their skills or exploring a new career path to take a look at the courses available which are both online and face-to-face.”
Another award winner for his resilience and determination is Paul Thomas, from Whitby, who discovered the courses through social media and enrolled on a functional skills maths Level 2 course.
As a volunteer coastguard, Paul balances his studies alongside a busy schedule and says returning to education after years away was one of his biggest challenges.
Despite still working towards his qualification, he credits the course with boosting his confidence and helping him take steps towards his career ambitions.
Paul said: “I would highly recommend the council’s adult learning courses to others. The combination of structured learning and in-person tutor support is ideal for adults looking to develop their skills and opportunities.”
Adult learning and skills service has delivered more than 6,000 enrolments since August last year, supporting over 3,050 residents to develop new skills and opportunities.
Learners have taken part in a broad range of programmes including maths, English, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) as well as digital skills and accounting. Courses are also available for education and training, supporting teaching and learning, safeguarding and a range of craft-based sessions.
Hundreds of new courses are being offered from September in venues across the county and are designed to be flexible and accessible, with learners able to study online, in person or through a hybrid approach combining both methods.
The service also remains affordable, with about 92 per cent of learners eligible to access their courses free of charge, helping to remove financial barriers to education and training.
The delivery of the courses is commissioned through York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Adult Skills Fund.
The awards also recognised Kasey whose inspirational journey has seen her grow in confidence and independence since joining the personalised learning college in 2022.
Living with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Kasey previously found education challenging. She has developed the confidence to take on new experiences and responsibilities while building life skills.
Her volunteering work at the Dementia Café in Selby has helped her develop communication skills, empathy and self-belief while making a meaningful difference to older people in her community. Kasey was recognised for progression into employment or further learning.
See more information about the courses starting from September.