Laura Kavanagh

What are you doing now?

I manage the health and social care department at NewVIc Sixthform College.

What did you find most valuable about your course at Westminster? How did the skills you learnt during your degree help you to shape your career?

I developed excellent academic skills which has enabled me to support others. I became more effective in time management and managing workloads/deadlines. I learned to write to an excellent standard and had my dissertation published.

What was the best thing about being a student in London?

There are an array of coffee shops, restaurants and clothes shops!

What extra-curricular activities did you participate in that enhanced your time at the University?

I was a mature student with a young daughter so social life was a little limited. I did, however, volunteer at a counselling setting.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of pursuing a similar career?

You have to be determined and focussed and develop excellent organisation skills as the job is fast-paced and demanding. Have a passion for teaching and helping others develop and try to be positive and light-hearted along the way when you are training as a teacher as all teachers learn from negative experiences.

Is there anything else you would like to tell us about yourself?

I was the first person in my family to go to university so it took me quite a long time to decide to do it. I was also a single parent at the time so I was quite overwhelmed by the demands of the course.

I didn't receive the highest grades in the first year but I used this to push me further and I was achieving firsts and had my research published by the third year. This taught me a number of things; you can develop academic skills, previous negative experiences do not have to predict your future and you can achieve anything you put your mind to.

I feel really lucky now that I am in a position to help others develop and finally I am earning three times the amount I used to before I went back to education.