SERC Supports John to Keep on Track to Achieve His University Goal 

A young Ballygowan man says he has found the environment at SERC and the support system set up by the college, are helping him stay on course and aim for a university place.   

John Williamson (18), stayed at school for AS Levels but didn’t really feel it was the right place for him. Dealing with the challenges of dyslexia and ADHD, he thought applying to SERC could be a good move. He says,   

"I knew people who had come to the college, including my brother, and they all said it was a great place to learn, with a good network of support services, whether that is for financial advice, such as claiming Educational Maintenance Allowance, or learning support to overcome barriers to studying. That was a major plus for me.   

“I looked at courses online before applying, then once I had applied for a Level 2 course through the website, I received a call almost straight away saying I had the qualifications to aim for a Level 3 qualification. So, I enrolled on the Level 3 Diploma for Children's Care, Learning and Development at SERC Newtownards Campus.”  

As part of the course, John undertook a work placement at his old primary school as a classroom assistant, and he says that he really likes the balance of practical and classroom learning:  

“You get to see things you are learning about in the real world and put what you’ve learnt into practice. A lot of the course is about developing initiative – don’t wait to be told what to do but recognise what needs to be done and do it without being prompted.   I also like the fact that in terms of grading, a lot of your mark comes from being assessed when on placement – how we interact with the children and things like that, rather than being based on a written exam.”  

John says that completing his two-year Diploma could lead to progression to university. Looking further ahead, he has a definite ambition:   

“My end goal is to be a classroom assistant,” he says. “Throughout my life, I have worked and interacted with people with disabilities, or with autism, so the idea of being a classroom assistant that specialises in working with and supporting young people with special needs, appeals.”    

Asked if he would recommend the SERC route to anyone considering their next steps, John advised,   

“Absolutely go for it! Between the massive support in SERC for financial and funding programmes, the mental health services and other support systems it is all good. For example, I have been helped to get a laptop to work on as that helps a lot, both with the dyslexia and with consolidating and organising all my work.  It’s also important to mention the attitude of the tutors – they are approachable and make everything fun. It’s absolutely rewarding to be here.  It feels very open, and you feel very listened to. You have a voice here and you are not a number but a person, so I would recommend it to anyone.”    

SERC offers real learning for real life. Applications are still open, and places are still available on some courses commencing September 2025.