Lily Dowling

Tell us a bit about yourself and your background.

I’m from Luton originally, but I moved to Sunderland about five years ago. I used to be on a football team in school, but after an injury I had to stop competing in sports anymore. I couldn’t stop loving sports though, so I transferred my interest to the people working in the background of sports teams, which led me to study a BTEC Distinction in Sports Injury at school and now at the College! 

How did you hear about Newcastle College? Did you attend an Open Day prior to starting at the College? If so, did you find it useful?

My school talked about different local colleges and took me on trips to Newcastle College and South Tyneside College. South Tyneside College didn’t have the course I wanted to do, so I was pleased that Newcastle College did when I came to an Open Event! I thought the atmosphere at the College and the learning environment I’d be in seemed much better than anywhere else I’d been told about, and the Sport tutors I met on the night were really helpful! 

What made you decide to come to the College and enrol on your chosen course?

I ended up deciding to study the Sports Fitness and Personal Training course here because the skills and knowledge I’ll learn will open a lot of doors for me in the fitness sector. I’m also more interested in the theory behind sports fitness than full-time practical work, so the greater emphasis that this course places on theory compared to some others in the Sport department intrigued me. Now, I get to learn how to do client screenings, biomechanics and other elements that I couldn’t have learnt about in other colleges. 

How would you describe the advice and support you've received from the College staff and your tutors? Have you had any support from our Central Support Service?

Yes – my main tutor is a personal trainer right now in industry alongside being a lecturer at Newcastle College. She just started teaching this academic year, but she’s been really helpful by giving details about how to get into the personal training and physical therapy industries, based on her own experiences. She’s also talked about more mundane elements like financial scaling for PT services, or how to set up your own business in the sports injury sector. Her experience and examples also feed into the course, since one of my modules is in ‘Business and Technology’, which involves me creating my own business plan for a sports company, which has been really useful for developing my long-term skills. 

Do you have any tutors with industry experience? If so, how has this helped you?

My main lecturer has a PhD in Engineering, so he’s really well-informed about the knowledge I need in the industry. The Head of the Energy Academy has also worked abroad for years in the sector so it’s interesting to hear about his stories from the renewables industry. It’s really great that tutors know exactly what they’re talking about and have years of practical experience to back it up, since it means I’m really getting the best of both worlds as I’m learning the ropes! 

Have you overcome any challenges while on your course? If so how has the college helped you?  

When I first started at the College, I had to deal with some bullying from another student. I told my tutors about it, who helped me to change groups, and then later on put me in groups with that student and their friends so we could talk about the issues between us, which really helped me to develop my personal resilience. Right now, I think of my classmates as my colleagues, rather than friends, but that’s fine by me – my family are all the support I need, and I'm here to focus on my future and get the most out of my education, so I don’t care anymore what people might think about me. 

What do you enjoy the most about your course?

Theory studies! Typing up projects or assignments, writing down examples, I just really enjoy all that! I’ve completed two assignments for the ‘Nutrition’ module, all slideshows and reports, and I feel better about my work when I keep track of the theory I learn about because I’ve then got something to look back on about all the work I’ve done, rather than just experience putting my knowledge into practice that I can’t really prove on paper. 

How do you feel that the course is benefitting you?

My course is benefitting me personally because I’m learning things about the body that I’d never learnt during Science classes at school, so I can apply that knowledge to myself and learn more in the process. I’ve also got a better understanding of the industry and how the body works now, so if I go into the personal training or gym instruction fields, I’ll know what I’m doing, which gives me a good background of experience to fall back on, as well as the qualifications I’ll need for my longer-term goals. 

Have you done any work experience or a work placement as part of your course?

Yes, last year I took a placement supporting with PE at my old school. I didn’t really get much hands-on teaching practice, but I got to watch the PE teachers there create lesson plans and plan activities around specific sports, like table tennis or badminton, and then I could apply that to my own lesson plans. It was a six-week, self-sourced placement, which the College accommodated around my class timetable as best they could. 

What would you like to do when you finish your course? Would you consider studying a degree at Newcastle College University Centre?

I’ve been accepted onto the Sport and Exercise Science degree programme at Newcastle College University Centre next year. I’m really looking forward to building up my knowledge and experience in the sector! 

What are your ambitions for the future?

When I’ve got all my qualifications, I intend to pursue a career as a sports medic for professional clubs. The reason behind that is a bit personal: my football team, Luton Town FC, got promoted to the Premier League years ago but never had the money or expertise to get the right training equipment, like heart rate monitors or biomechanics labs to measure someone’s fitness level. Because of that lack of oversight, one of our players had two heart attacks on the pitch in two successive seasons, which is obviously terrible! I want to make sure that never happens again. I’d love to work behind the scenes, analysing fitness results and sports performance to help take care of the athletes but also to plan strategies. After I’ve worked as a sports medic for a number of years, and I’m established in the exercise fitness industry, I want to set up my own business in the industry focused on sports analysis equipment, since I know I don’t want to follow the trend to be a physiotherapist, a personal trainer or a nutritionist. Once I’ve founded my business, I want to build that up as the years go by. 

What would you say to anyone thinking of studying a course with Newcastle College?

I’d say to go for it! Newcastle College’s campus is absolutely massive, so it’s got everything you’ll need for your area – it's got three gym facilities, a hair salon, catering kitchens, loads of computer rooms and a massive library, not to mention the training sites at Newcastle Airport or in Wallsend, so it caters for anyone and everyone! Coming here is a great idea if you want to expand your horizons and make the smaller world you’ve lived in to that point that bit bigger. 

What are your top tips for being a student at Newcastle College?

Focus on your coursework – it counts towards your final grades, so spread it out, don’t leave it all to the last minute! 

Do the best you can – try not to stress, your best is all you can do in the end. 

Always be yourself! – I’m physically smaller than many people doing Sport, so just because you’re not big, buff or stereotypically athletic, don’t change who you – just because you don’t follow the norm, doesn’t mean you need to leave a course you love for another one you’re less passionate about. If you’ve found a course that’s your passion, then you owe it to yourself to follow it, no matter what! Enjoying yourself and your time here is all that matters.