Ian’s journey has been one of success, from his nerves around starting higher education to winning a national award and securing an internship at a top company
“I chose to come to University Campus Oldham for a more personalised experience,” says Ian. “UCO offers the same quality of education as a bigger university, but in a smaller, more supportive environment.”
As he is autistic Ian had received 1:1 support at school and college, so was nervous about starting at UCO – he didn’t know what to expect from a higher education setting.
However, after meeting his course lecturer and the Student Wellbeing team at an open event, and receiving a tour of the facilities, Ian felt more familiar with his surroundings.
“The support I received from UCO, right from day one, has been fantastic. I could list any needs or required assistance, no matter how small, and they helped me out. This ranged from helping me to apply for Disability Support Allowance (DSA), to printing out slides for me before a lecture.”
Ian had a ‘rough idea’ of what his course would involve, but enjoyed it even more once he started learning.
“The marketing modules were my favourite, understanding how effective marketing affects consumer behaviour. It was interesting to learn about how things you come across in real life, such as billboards and social media, have commercial awareness attached to them.
“The Academic Development team were a great support as I conducted research and wrote my dissertation, which I’m proud to have produced as it’s the biggest piece of work I’ve done.”
Outside the classroom, Ian made the most of extracurricular opportunities.
In his second year he was a Student Rep for his course, reached the North West finals of a Young Enterprise competition with fellow students, and was part of a student experience group.
This contributed to him taking the title of Association of College (AoC)’s HE Student of the Year for 2021/22. Read more about Ian’s win here.
“I had never involved myself in extracurricular activities before, but as my second year took place during the pandemic and therefore mostly online, I wanted to meet new people and develop my confidence.
“Just to be nominated [for the award] was great recognition, so I wasn’t expecting to win – it was a nice surprise!”
Ian was also supported throughout his degree, and after graduation in 2022, by Vicky Ford, Careers & Graduate Outcomes Officer, when searching for jobs.
“Vicky found a 6-month internship in a People Administration Officer position at TalkTalk, offered through Ambitious about Autism.
“I applied, got the place, and the internship has gone so well it’s been extended until the end of 2023.”
In his role Ian has worked on projects including Right to Work checks and updating databases in line with TalkTalk’s GDPR policy.
He also recently featured on TalkTalk’s podcast, Walking the Walk, to share his experiences.
Listen to Ian Kenworthy: Intern, Curious, Confident on Spotify.
