Connor Cawthrow

Educational Welfare Service, Barnsley Council

I do not believe I would be in this position, or have had the opportunities I’ve had, if it wasn’t for my Masters degree.

Life before Leeds Trinity

Prior to studying at Leeds Trinity I was an HR Specialist with the British Army Reserves. It was here that I learnt essential soft and hard skills in HR. It was fun and took me out of my comfort zone. 

Why I chose to attend Leeds Trinity

I chose Leeds Trinity University due to the price of a Masters degree and the flexibility of only being on campus one day a week. 

My most memorable student experiences

My most memorable moment was the practical elements of classroom teaching. It was enjoyable and gave experience of innovating, creating and liaising with different personalities who had similar interests. It was memorable as it was a chance to be creative, work together in an intellectual team and provide solutions to problems.

Overcoming challenges

There were tons of challenges - it’s part of the process. You need to learn the subject and work hard to show your understanding. As the course progresses, if you put the work in it gets easier. The harder the challenge, the better the future outcome. 

Career preparation

Beside the course content my time as a student taught me two main things. How to produce a logical structured argument and how to learn independently without teacher influence which I think is the most important skill.

The course gave me the confidence to be in a room of senior people and understand what is happening and to contribute to a discussion with logical conclusions and recommendations. 

My career after graduating

After graduating I secured a role I at Barnsley Council for the Education Welfare Service. My role is analysing, monitoring and manipulating data and building positive relationships with key stakeholders.

I do not believe I would be in this position, or have had the opportunities I’ve had, if it wasn’t for my Masters degree.

My advice for others

My biggest advice is cliche. I think you should be yourself and not be scared to put your hand up and contribute. Show your personality and explore ideas and keep being curious. Put the work in and ensure you enjoy yourself.

This is a part of your life you’ll not get back so take every stride with enjoyment. Develop your social skills, find new friends, find new interests and try find something to be passionate about. Leeds Trinity creates that environment for you to be able to achieve those things, you’ve just got to be proactive. 

Overall, Leeds Trinity has great teachers, great facilities, understanding of students needs and a safe environment to explore possibilities.