Ashton Mandaza
Study Type: School Leaver Academic
Study Location: Joseph Wright Centre
Subject Studied: GCSE Plus
GCSE Plus course puts Ashton on pathway to travel nursing career
Former Derby College Group GCSE Plus student Ashton Mandaza hopes to train for a career as a travel nurse.
Ashton, 17, came to Derby from Zimbabwe in July last year and achieved three grades above level 4 with a 4/4 in Combined Science and a 4 in Maths as well as grade 3s in English and Business.
He studied for GCSEs at Derby College with his older sister Audrey, who also plans to go into the medical profession but in the field of psychiatry.
Ashton, who has applied to do Health and Social Care at the Roundhouse, would like to study for a nursing degree then work in travel nursing.
Travel nurses are registered nursing staff who provide temporary cover in different locations across the UK as and when needed.
Ashton said: “Helping people is my passion; I want to do everything I can to help them to access medical care.
“My uncle is in the medical profession in the UK and my mum works as a carer here, so they might have influenced me.”
Ashton said that going to Derby College had given him the confidence he needed to pursue his goals and put him on a pathway to his chosen career.
He added: “I’d not done GCSEs before or gone to school in the UK so studying in a new country was a big change for me.
“I was behind in the syllabus, but my teachers helped me to learn quickly and catch up. With perseverance and their help, I’ve overcome my challenges.
“I’ve made a lot of friends at college too including students with Ghanaian, Asian and British backgrounds.”
With perseverance and their help, I’ve overcome my challenges.