Iryna had been a successful accountant in Ukraine but had to flee her country due to war. To find an employment within her chosen field in the UK, she knew she needed to improve her English first. She started her learning journey in Leicester College in September 2022. From the outset, she was a very keen learner. In Term 1 she attended classes every day of the week and concurrently took and passed all three modes of ESOL Level 1. She progressed to Level 2 ESOL and Functional Skills Maths class. All Iryna’s tutors praise her commitment and great attitude. She has proven to be an outstanding asset to our student community and acts as a course representative, a role in which she really exceeded.  

She was nominated for the Festival of Learning award in recognition of the personal challenges she has overcome and her passion for learning.  

In her statement for the Festival of Learning she commented on her learning in Leicester college: “I gained new knowledge and now I feel more confident talking to my British friends, at shops and writing emails to my daughter’s school. I feel the development and the growth of my personality in general which motivates me to take part in competitions and continue studying. For example, last month I took part in the reading competition which was organised by the library at Leicester College. I put effort in, did a lot of work and won it. Such achievements inspire me to study hard and keep going to achieve my goal. However, my new skills not only developed me and improved the quality of my life but help me every day to share the news from Ukraine. I understand how crucial it is to communicate the information and draw attention to the tragic events in Ukraine as it may help my country win the war quicker with fewer victims. English helps me to explain it and answer questions from people who want to know more about it. That’s what soothes my heart and makes me feel better.” 

Iryna has made great progress and is currently continuing her studies at Leicester College on the AAT Level 3 Accounting course so that she can continue her accounting career in the UK.