This week, former Weston College student Charlotte Nottage returned to give a guest lecture to the current Level 3 BTEC Health and Social Care learners with her journey and insights into the available career paths made possible by their studies.  

Charlotte also completed a Level 3 BTEC Health and Social Care at Weston College before progressing to University Centre Weston (UCW), accredited by UWE, to study a Foundation degree in Biological Laboratory Science. She is now completing a top up year at UWE to gain her BSc degree and has recently been accepted onto a master's program in Applied Transfusion and Transplantation Science at UWE, where she will work with leading specialists at the NHS Blood and Transplant headquarters in Filton. 

During her guest lecture, Charlotte shared how the Health and Social Care course at college provided her with both classroom and real-world experience, opening her eyes to laboratory sciences which she may not have previously discovered. It allowed her to progress to university to continue her studies, providing her with many exciting opportunities and career pathways including biological and biomedical research, environmental sciences, and food sciences.  

To give the learners a better understanding of her university course, she outlined the modules and subjects that she has studied, including current modules such as medical microbiology, neuroscience, and developmental science, to create a clear picture of what the course entails. 

Charlotte also emphasized the critical role of internships and work experience in building her career. Not only did she complete industry placements at college, but she also went above and beyond during her degree by completing a summer internship at Thatchers, where she explored the chemistry behind cider production. According to Charlotte, not only did this experience enhance her lab skills but it also provided her with fantastic transferable skills that could be applied to practical scenarios. 

The session was interactive and engaging, with Charlotte asking questions, offering tips, and providing guidance that she wished she had received as a student. Her advice made a more meaningful impact because she had been in the learners’ position not long ago. 

Samantha Kier, our Health and Social Care Lab Technician, reflected on the impact of the session, saying “Charlotte gave the learners lots of tips to get the most out of their BTEC qualification which I think was really useful, and it was really valuable for the learners to see how diverse the future career paths open to them are.” 

Thank you to Charlotte for visiting our learners and giving them an idea of what their future could look like whilst broadening their understanding of potential careers. 

If you are interested in applying to a Health and Social Care course, click here.