Sunderland care worker who saw horrors of pandemic overjoyed as she trains to become a nurse

A care worker left devastated when covid claimed the lives of 'almost half' the residents at the home where she worked during the pandemic is on track to fulfilling her dream of becoming a nurse.

Emma Louise Fillier, 34, had already faced very tough times in her life, suffering emotional abuse during her childhood, leaving her confidence in pieces.

Now, after overcoming her difficulties, she has landed a 'dream place' on the nursing degree course at the University of Sunderland, thanks to a distance-learning team who helped her through an access course in just eight months.

After enrolling on Learndirect's Access to Higher Education Diploma (Nursing) in January 2023, she worked hard, and was able to start on the Adult Nursing degree course in September.

“I planned to use the full two years (allowed) for the course and then apply to university afterwards, but I decided last minute after quite a lot of encouragement from my mum to try to apply for university this year,” said Emma.

“If I couldn’t get in, I could always try again next year, but I got in. I literally bawled my eyes out. 

“I was just overwhelmed with happiness, and I was so proud of myself that I’d actually achieved something that others told me I never would, and it’s the first time in a long time that I’m excited for the future.”

 While Emma’s determination to become a nurse came from a desire to help people, her reason for choosing learndirect as her gateway to university came down to price – something occupying the minds of many in the UK during the cost-of-living crisis.

“I wouldn’t have been able to afford it if I couldn’t pay it in instalments, but that option was definitely the deciding factor for choosing learndirect,” she said.

Emma’s path to nursing has been a long and emotional one, living through bullying, career changes, motherhood, and witnessing the devastating effects of Covid-19 first hand.

After suffering bullying while growing up, Emma’s confidence took a dip, so she embarked on a 10-year career in childcare.

She stepped away from work to raise her two sons – Harrison, 11, and Lucas, nine – until April 2019 when she started working at a care home in Murton, where, just a year later, she would go on to experience the full horrors of Covid-19.

“We lost about half of the original residents, and it was hard, but it showed me that I’m far stronger emotionally that I ever thought that I could be," she said.

"So, at the end of 2022, I decided that I wanted to at least try to become a nurse.”

Now, Emma is on her way to achieving that goal, and she has an empowering message to others who have a similar dream.

“If you just need to take that one step, take it. I never ever thought that I would be able to do it, but I’m here and I’m doing it, and so can you," she said.

Sarah-Jane McCausland, digital engagement manager at Learndirect, said: “Emma’s story is a wonderful example of how our learners empower themselves through learning.

“The beauty of having a thriving, established community means that people of all ages, backgrounds, and circumstances can share experiences and support each other through their studies. Every day we see, and celebrate, real-life stories of people overcoming challenges, discovering hidden potentials, and realising their dreams.”

What are Access to HE Diplomas?

Access to Higher Education Diplomas are nationally recognised Level 3 qualifications that act as the equivalent to 3 A-Levels, meaning that learners who are keen to progress to university can obtain an Access to HE Diploma instead of A-Levels. This opens the door to those who have been out of mandatory education for some time, as they can study their diploma online with learndirect.

Most universities across the UK accept Access to HE Diplomas as part of their entry requirements, but learners are always advised to check the criteria first. learndirect provides a suite of Access to HE Diploma courses and has had widespread success. Some key stats include:

• 97% of Access to HE learners have progressed to university
• Learners have progressed to 81 of the top 100 universities in the UK
• Learners have also progressed to universities overseas, including China, Poland, Romania, USA, Germany, Australia, and Canada