Kelvin Njozi is a health and social care tutor, who has worked as a medical doctor in clinical practice for four years.
Why did you choose to become a tutor?
I wanted to be able to have some impact on the learners, and act almost as a guide in supporting their ambitions. Not just to help them get a degree, but also to learn the life skills they’ll need after college. With my background as a doctor, I’m often asked why I choose to be a tutor. For me, I’ve always loved teaching. I tutored friends in school, ran after-school sessions, and I had to teach medical students and junior colleagues. This is my first role teaching professionally, but I’ve always been passionate about teaching. Irrespective of my professional background before this role, my current journey is about enjoying what I do.
What do you enjoy most about teaching?
I am a part of young people’s success stories. They spend two years of their life with you. In those two years, I’m able to teach them not only a qualification, but work and life skills. As teachers, we’re role models to our learners. That’s how I see my own teachers. When I look back, they had a big role to play in my success. That’s what I love about this job.
What are some of the barriers that stop people from teaching?
People might be worried about the workload. When I started, I was taking work home and it was eating into my time. But I approached my manager, and we worked it out. My schedule now allows me time to plan, prepare and access work, without it eating into my own time. This is the first time I’ve taught professionally, so I’d be considered an inexperienced teacher. When I came in, my colleagues were always ready to help. They recognised that I was new to teaching and to the College. I joined as a new lecturer, and in my first three months, there was so much support and a positive work environment. For that reason alone, I turned down another college because I wasn’t going to trade that.
What would you say to someone considering teaching?
I’ve got a lot of colleagues from my background in a phase of taking a break from clinical practice or looking to combine it with teaching. I give them the assurance that there is a good structure here that can work around your needs to make sure you have a good work-life balance, and that you’re enjoying your job. Another thing that swayed me to the College was the professional development opportunities. There are opportunities and support in place to get higher in teaching, in the department, and in the health and social care space.
