Available up to £10,000 and completely interest-free, our Education Loan can open many doors when it comes to education opportunities. This applies not only for what a young person may wish to study after graduating, but also how a qualification could influence a career path. Simply put, the Education Loan could help to shape a young person’s future from their post-graduate studies right through their working life.
This certainly applies to Jane Hearst. A local resident of Leicester, Jane earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Lincoln, before going on to earn a Master of Business Administration (MBA) qualification in Business Administration, and a PhD in Arts-for-Health. Now, it was the MBA qualification for which the STWLC Education Loan helped greatly, as Jane explains:
“I studied a wide range of modules for my MBA, from personal branding to project management, and from finance to intercultural leadership. My personal favourite was entrepreneurship. For MBAs, you are expected to build a reputation and develop networks throughout the process. De Montfort University was a great place to study this type of degree, as they are leaders in entrepreneurship.
“It was one of the happiest periods of my life to be studying this degree. The international cohort made this experience ten times more intriguing and valuable. There was an immense amount of peer-to-peer learning gained throughout the course, and I left with an unbelievable sense of empowerment. The more you threw yourself into the opportunities available at the university, the more you gained in terms of development and insight. I left feeling better able to communicate boundaries, to know my worth, and to pitch my unique strengths and perspectives to others.”
From there, the MBA directly led to Jane achieving a PhD. And these qualifications would allow Jane to take the first steps towards a very exciting career: “The MBA helped me to reach a stage where I can charge more for my creative services, making them more sustainable and offering me more agency in what I do. Having experience of both an MBA and a PhD has showed me that I belong as an intermediary between the academic and professional worlds.
“Whilst I may not end up making a living purely from a film production business, I’ve entered a career path that’s much more fitting. I’m currently in the application stage for a post-doc position, which could see me gaining up to £400,000 investment into my therapeutic filmmaking research. I have already secured funding from Arts Council England to develop my voice as a queer and neurodivergent leader and am in the process of writing my debut novel.”
When considering the role that the STWLC Education Loan played in the journey towards her current career path, Jane acknowledges the Charity’s support as being vital towards her progression:
“When I decided I wanted to study a business-related Master’s degree, I knew I could only do that if I found a way to access additional funding support. The loan from student finance didn’t even cover the cost of my course, let alone any maintenance costs. Since I wanted to set up a business during my studies, I knew I wouldn’t have the time or energy to take on lots of additional employment, so the loan was key. I searched online to see if any options were available for me, and that’s when I found The Sir Thomas White Loan Charity.
“The application was accessible and clear about the scope of support available. The STWLC team were flexible with me when I needed to change the date of my interview. They were kind within the interview and showed an interest in who I was and wanted to achieve.”
So, it’s safe to say that Jane is doing fabulously, and that she has an extremely bright future based on her achievements so far and the qualifications she has earned along the way. And now she’s helping others to explore similar avenues through recommendations:
“I wouldn’t have been able to start the journey onto my Master’s degree had I not received the support from The Sir Thomas White Loan Charity. That journey was such a joyous one, and I absolutely would recommend them to others, and already have done many times!”
To find out more about The Sir Thomas White Loan Charity’s interest-free Education Loans, which are available up to the value of £10,000, please click here.