Amie Cowley

Why did you choose Newcastle College University Centre? 

Before coming to Newcastle College University Centre, I was working for a company stripping railway materials and I really enjoyed it. I found it interesting because everything you do in life is travelled by rail, so I thought if I could get a degree and continue in this line of work, it could set me up for life. 

When I decided I wanted to do a degree, I looked on UCAS and saw there were only a few universities that offered a higher education course in Rail Engineering - there was only Birmingham, London and Newcastle. Having looked round most of them, I thought Newcastle College University Centre was the friendliest, had best facilities and experienced staff, and knew it would be the place for me. Newcastle itself is a really good city to study in because everything is in walking distance, which is really convenient.  

What do you enjoy most about your degree? 

Probably the practical work. I like getting suited up in the PPE which is provided by my course. It's all taken very seriously, and the course leaders try and teach you everything they can from their own experience and make you as industry ready as possible. 

What inspires you? 

I’m very inspired by my own family. My family are in the rail business. My Grandma started the business when she was in her 20s. She's 76 and still starts work at 7am! 

Tell us about how you’ve worked with industry whilst studying your degree. 

We had Industry Week at the Rail Academy a couple of months ago. We had lots of rail companies come in like Nexus and LNER. They didn't just tell you about what they're doing, they were really interested in what we were doing too. It was a great opportunity for networking. 

Reps from industry came in and showed us how to weld tracks and now every time I go to a train station, I look at the track and think, “I know what that is -‘I can do that!” 

During the week, I was speaking to someone from Nexus who took my details and said maybe at the end of my degree, we could discuss the possibility of part-time work in electrical or track maintenance.  

The industry opportunities really are insane they are brought right to your doorstep. 

How do you think learning from industry experienced tutors has benefited you? 

You can do things theoretically or learn from a book which is great but when you're doing it in person, you've got that real life experience of it. Once you get a taste, you just want to do more. I learn by doing so I quite like being practical. I don't like being in a classroom all the time so a bit of balance makes it so much better. 

The staff are wonderful too. It's very inclusive and my tutors are different ages with different experiences. One of my lecturers, Ian, has worked in Signalling and Track for 30/40 years, so he really knows his stuff. Then there’s people like Muhammad who’s a student teacher so he helps with essay writing because he’s doing it now. 

Have you overcome any challenges whilst studying at Newcastle College University Centre? 

My organisational skills have definitely improved. I am a very, very disorganised person, not just in my studies but in my life in general.  

When I came here, my lecturers and course staff noticed these patterns. I used to turn up late or I wouldn’t have the right paperwork. One of my lecturers, Dan, helped me get a bit more structured with my time. He showed me how to plan my day and organise my paperwork into folders. It seems like common knowledge but that has helped me so much in day-to-day study life. 

Have you received any support from Newcastle College University Centre during your studies? 

I received a scholarship to do this course, so I didn’t think I'd be eligible for any further financial support. Ian, one of my lecturers, encouraged me to take advantage of the extra support available to get the most out of my experience here. He told me to speak with student support and apply for a bursary. I didn't think I’d get it and I did! It made my life so much easier and improved my quality of life whilst studying. 

What's been your highlight of your time here? 

Tough one – you’ll have to ask me later! 

What’s Newcastle like as a student city? 

Amazing - it’s so good and everything is in walking distance. The people are so friendly, and Geordies are the best! Because of the small class sizes, I have made friends outside the University Centre too, which helps as there’s two other massive universities in the city so there's always people my age to go out and meet. 

What are you plans after you graduate? 

I love this question! I’ve got a little 10-year plan. I’m thinking once I graduate, I’d love to go travelling. Once I'm back, I'd like to get a job in Network Rail working in track maintenance then, after working there for a few years, move up to track inspection because if you can fix it, you can inspect it. Then after track inspection, go up to project management because if you can inspect it, you can plan it. If I can spend a few years in each of those places getting experiences and make some connections, then that can all help towards the ultimate dream is to work abroad somewhere, maybe Switzerland or Canada. They have some very high-end, top of the range rail over there! 

What advice would you give to someone coming to study at Newcastle College University Centre? 

Talk to as many people as you can. Try and make friends and connections and take the opportunities that are given to you here because you only live once, so you’ve got to try your best!