Adult Learning: Meet our Team

As an Adult Learner, there are a number of challenges you may face. Education moves fast and the qualifications you studied when you were younger may have changed in style and name, making course selection potentially confusing.

Our Adult Learning Team is comprised of two expert, friendly and approachable members, who are armed with all the information you need to succeed.

Amy Thomas – Careers and Recruitment Office, Adult Learning Team

What does your job involve?
I offer one-to-one careers appointments, employability skills and support at multiple events offering advice and guidance.

I work in local community settings at various times during the week. I also introduced evening appointments to the Adult Careers Service to support the many people who may work full time.

What did you do before you joined Burnley College?
I have previously worked as an Admissions Advisor, where I developed extensive knowledge of entry requirements and different progression routes. I am qualified to Level 3 in Advice and Guidance and I am currently working towards my Level 4 in Careers Advice and Guidance. I am also a Mental Health First Aider and have a qualification in Understanding Autism.

Why do you do what you do?
I really want to help people and support them in their next steps whether this is advice on courses or employability skills, particularly support with CV and interview skills which are so important.

What you love about your job?
It is really rewarding to see people successfully complete courses, increase their confidence or gain employment. I also enjoy working in different locations and meeting lots of people in the community. I love the variety of my role and that no day is the same!

Tell me an interesting fact about yourself.
I am the only left-handed person in my family.

Lewis Hoyle – Careers and Recruitment Office, Adult Learning Team

What does your job involve?
I am one of the Adult Careers Advisors. My job involves giving careers advice and guidance to students and members of the public and supporting them in their decision to return to learning. I do this both inside the College and outside at local community venue such as Job Centres and youth hubs.

What did you do before you worked at Burnley College?
I worked at several libraries in the local area where I started as an apprentice and progressed up to management. This helped to increase my confidence massively and gave me lots of experience advising people using my local knowledge.

I have an NVQ Level 3 in Customer Service and a first-class degree in Creative Writing and Film Studies from Liverpool John Moores University.

Why you do what you do?
I have a passion for helping people which has driven me throughout my career. By giving people careers guidance, I have found a new way to do what I love and have been able to set people on the path to achieving their goals.

What you love about your job?
The thing I love most about my job is that is a challenging role where every day there is something new to learn. I also love getting to meet new and interesting people who are ready to take their future into their own hands.

Tell me an interesting fact about yourself.
At University, I directed a Star Wars parody short film!

You can arrange an appointment with Amy or Lewis to talk about your options. Whether you’re looking to boost your promotion chances, you want to secure qualifications which will support you on your quest for a new career or you just want to learn for fun.

• Email [email protected]