Alumni Spotlight - Liam Hogg
“UHI has been with me from access course to degree and will always be the first place I recommend to anyone willing to study.”
In this week’s blog, we catch up with a former Early Years student to hear how he found his experience at UHI.
Can you introduce yourself?
Liam Hogg and I was based at the UHI campus in Perth.
What course did you study?
BA Childhood Practice, part-time.
Did you consider other universities when you were deciding to study?
No - I did my HNC with UHI and knew I wanted to finish my academic journey where I started it.
Why was this right course for you?
Even though it was a SSSC requirement, I knew I wanted to further develop my skills and knowledge in the childcare sector and knew that carrying out the degree would help me achieve this.
What do you think about the style of teaching and the support you’ve received from tutors and lecturers?
I had tremendous support throughout my degree. This support was invaluable to get me through my studies. From academic support, to support personally, this is what helped me through.
Upon starting your course, did you have a clear idea of the career path you wanted to follow after UHI?
Not particularly. I was going through a phase where I didn’t want to work in childcare anymore - however being able to talk to staff and fellow students helped get me refocused and back on track.
Are you currently employed?
Yes - I work for Happy Days Nursery as an Audit Manager. This allows me to support staff and managers in their roles to ensure that they are following correct procedures and policies in place locally and nationally. I also need to work closely with governing bodies to make sure that we are providing high quality childcare to all our service users. I also lead recruitment using skills I learned from my BA.
How do you feel your studies have helped you with your career? Was there anything you did whilst at UHI that you think helped you secure your job?
Studying my degree really helped me! It gave me the confidence to carry out the role I am in. I know most people dislike the reading; however, this really have me an insight into understanding aspects of childcare and what guidance is out there to support practitioners and managers in their role.
Carrying out the research project and using the topic of staff retention allowed me to gain an in-depth perception into why recruitment is difficult within the sector and use this to help me when recruiting new staff and how I can support them in their role to allow them to understand the role better and help to retain them.
What were the steps you took from graduation to your current role?
From graduation, I did take a break from childcare for a while. During this time, I was able to reflect on my role and think about what I could do to help others in their role. I was then fortunate enough to have a professional discussion with the owners of Happy Days where I spoke about what I learned in my degree and how I wanted to use this to support others but also help develop my own skills and knowledge. This then led to them creating a role for me in which I can use my knowledge to support staff as well as further developing my own CPD.
Where would you like to go with your career in the future?
In all honesty I would love to move into an inspector role or a role as a tutor/lecturer to further develop the skills and knowledge of others looking for a role in childcare and using my ‘on the floor’ experience to help develop them and teach them using practical first-hand experience and knowledge.
What advice would you give to those considering studying in terms of careers and employment?
Just stick at it. It can be daunting and challenging but the moment it is done, you miss it. Never be scared to look for the career you want and if it means working from the bottom you can do it. I was an apprentice student once and now I am in a senior managers role; it is achievable. Also read the recommended reading and read further - this has helped me so much within my professional career and journey.
What are your favourite things about UHI?
The support from both students and staff! Your fellow students are one of the best resources you have during study time and being able to support each other through this is something I won’t forget.
Is there anything else you feel like telling us about your experience at UHI?
UHI has been with me from access course to degree and will always be the first place I recommend to anyone willing to study. It is also my first choice to look into when I’m looking for my masters.
It felt personal and friendly, and I am not sure I would get that at a different university.
