When did you study at RNC?

I studied at RNC from 2015 to 2017

What courses did you study?

BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in IT

Cisco Networking Academy

In November 2021, Andrew got in touch with an update. He had just started the Digital Media degree at Portsmouth University and has recently won a university award for a video he created on the city of Portsmouth. He was heralded for incorporating good editing and sound techniques. You can view the film here:

Andrew continues to go on to bigger and better things and says:

‘Please continue to push students to aim really high in College and beyond, now I’m a lot older I really appreciate it.’

In March 2021, Andrew talked to us about the Careers support he received at College:

Andrew, found that RNC offered some great help and careers support. He said:

‘Staff offered exceptional support and knowledge, the whole team were really encouraging and advised me to do what makes me happy.’

As part of his careers development, the team helped Andrew with applications and interviews and ‘generally getting ready for the world of work.’

Originally, Andrew had applied for a place at university but decided that he needed a little more practical work experience before continuing his studies and the staff were supportive of his decision.

He took part in a work placement at a London firm which helped him manage his time more effectively and develop his employability skills.

Since leaving RNC, Andrew has gained some valuable work experience in a variety of roles including: an activities co-ordinator at the RNIB; an Accessibility Quality Adviser at a London firm and running his own graphic design business.

More recently, like so many during the pandemic, Andrew had to change career direction and has been working for a national supermarket where he says, ‘it’s a really enjoyable work environment’.

Andrew has now secured a place at the University of Portsmouth studying graphic design and hopes that after completing his degree he will be able to develop his own business once more.

For those making decisions on their career pathways now, Andrew said:

‘Just be confident and never see your visual impairment as a barrier. Everyone has their own challenges and do what makes you happy.’

In February 2020, Andrew wrote to the College. Here’s what he had to say:

‘When I first started at RNC back in September 2015 I was such a different person. I was very immature and the thought of me growing up and maturing just frightened me but even after my first term things in my life were starting to change. I had people, staff and students alike, giving me opportunities to grow as a person and bit by bit my outlook on life started to change. I began to realise that there was a small light of hope out there for visually impaired people and this continued to my very last day at this fantastic College.

In July 2017, the first stop was to get a job and from leaving College on the Friday I walked into a job on the Monday. Unfortunately, months later, the partial collapse of my employer saw my job axed overnight along with hundreds of others. But, just as RNC had taught me “be resilient and persistent”, after putting this into practice I found another job which I took up part time with Waitrose. I have now been here for approaching three years but have now enhanced my hours to full time and can honestly say, I still get out of bed five days a week with a smile on my face.

In the last three years, I have also taken on another job alongside my full time job with an IT firm in the capital as an accessibility QA. Also, I have started my own business in the graphic design field, which is rapidly approaching its first year end of trading. It’s been a hell of a year and we have even made a profit.

But, the most important thing out of all of this is that I have started my Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. After being inspired by no other than the fantastic Barry Morris, who worked with me and never gave up when I was working on my Silver at College. Still a long way to go but, hopefully, within 12 months I should be the proud owner of the Duke of Edinburgh Award after starting at Bronze around six years ago.

I’m very happy to announce that I use my new found confidence every day and in everything I do, which lead to me signing up to run a Spartan Sprint Obstacle Race in June in the Brecon Beacons with a close friend of mine. It’s something I definitely wouldn’t have had the confidence to do if it wasn’t for going to RNC.’

Andrew finishes off with one final note of inspiration:

‘Stand up each day and take on the world, put sight loss to one side because every person has something to offer.’