An evening class – on the face of it unrelated to their department - has proved to be the perfect way to enhance the skills and expertise of two Forth Valley College Finance Assistants.
Kate Laing and Faine Weir say the one night a week Introduction to Psychology course - that they began in February and completed in June – has given them a greater insight in to how to approach their important roles on a day to day basis.
They both say that even though the course was not directly relevant to their jobs, it has unearthed some welcome benefits that they have incorporated into their roles and they would recommend evening courses to colleagues across the College.
Kate, said:
“I saw on e-focus that staff members could do evening courses for free and even though it had nothing to do with our job, I quite fancied doing Psychology. Faine had just finished her MA in Business Administration and had become a full-time member of the team and I suggested to her that we do something different.
“I really liked meeting new people on the course and being involved in the group discussions. It really makes you think about how someone else is thinking in a situation and that has made me think about how I assess situations in my work. I would definitely recommend that colleagues should look at evening courses and see what would be the ideal one for them.”
Faine, said:
“The course was really interesting and it was very useful to discuss how people think and how they deal with situations depending on whether they are part of a group or as an individual. It has given me a whole new perspective on my role and I would recommend evening courses to other Forth Valley College staff as I feel it has benefited me and it could do the same for them.”
Commenting on her new full-time role Faine, added: “I am really enjoying being full-time. It shows just what can be achieved by entering into the MA programme and how good a route into employment it can be. I did have a place on a college course before I was accepted as an MA Business Administration in the College’s Finance Department and the MA was the right thing for me. I think young people should certainly have a look at Modern Apprenticeships as another career option.”
Irene Andrew, Head of the Finance Department, said: “To be able to undertake evening classes is a terrific opportunity for staff and I was pleased that Faine and Kate had taken advantage of that opportunity to broaden their awareness and knowledge, particularly in this area. This has had a positive impact on their approach to dealing with both internal and external customers, so hopefully we can encourage more staff to undertake some evening courses this academic year.”