Loughborough University has always had an excellent reputation for art and design; therefore I knew the standard of teaching would be extremely high and I would gain the skills and confidence to apply for a degree in a creative pathway of my choice.
The workshops are very well equipped and highly qualified technicians were on hand to offer support and guidance on my projects. Most of the academic and technical tutors are also practising artists and I found they were all very generous with their time and happy to share knowledge.
As a mature student I did not feel confident enough to jump straight into a degree. I had worked for almost 30 in the civil service, but it was my long-held dream to study art and design. I knew that if, for whatever reason I could not continue to a degree, I would still have a good qualification from a high-ranking university for my CV and I would learn new artistic skills.