Nicole Upskills with Canva Course to Explore New Career Path

Nicole, a single parent juggling part-time work and raising her three children, recently completed a beginners’ Canva course with Capital City College – referred by the Grow team to help her explore new career opportunities. With a background in admin and reception work, she was keen to upskill and take steps toward a more fulfilling role that fits around her family life.

Nicole first got in touch with Grow after being signposted by Home-Start, following the end of her perinatal support. “I wasn’t sure if I’d be eligible because I was working already,” she said, “but I really wanted to explore a new career. I attended a few sessions and my Grow Adviser Sheeja looked at my background ( I already have a degree), and suggested the Canva course to help build new skills.”

Although Nicole had never done any design work before, she found the course surprisingly accessible. “I’d never even heard of Canva before, but I found it easy to pick up. It reminded me of PowerPoint in some ways, so I was able to build on what I already knew. The tutor was brilliant – she stayed after class to explain things and even posted videos we could rewatch.”

Nicole now uses Canva in daily life, from creating household chore charts to recognising Canva designs in invitations. “It’s opened my eyes to what’s possible. The sessions were Mondays and Fridays 6-9pm, and I fitted them in around work and the kids’ bedtime. I’m really proud that I stuck with it because it was so worth it.

Since completing the course, Nicole plans to continue to upskill through online courses and has enrolled in a Project Management course to continue developing her skills. “Doing the Canva course gave me the confidence to keep learning. Live sessions helped me get so much more out of it than studying alone. I feel really motivated now to do more courses, I never knew what was available to me before I joined Grow.”

While still working two days a week on reception and doing admin, Nicole now feels better equipped to take the next step in her career and is considering the intermediate Canva course. “Knowing I can upskill and move forward is really motivating. I’d love to find a role where I can use what I’ve learned; this course has been a great first step.”