Meet: Mohamad

Name: Mohamad
Course Studied: English ESOL

Meet Mohamad, a third year ESOL student at Oaklands College.

We sat down with Mohamad to discover more about his experience as an ESOL student at the college, his plans for the future and more.

Tell us about your time at Oaklands so far. What led you to study here and what have you enjoyed about your time at the college? 

“A first, it was not easy but now I have adapted, I am happy to be at the college improving my English reading, speaking and writing skills.”

Does your chosen career relate your studies, how has it evolved over time and what did you learn at Oaklands?

“Yes, I now work as a Customer Assistant at Tesco, as a result of improving my English at Oaklands College.

Last year, I was studying at Entry Level 1 and now I am Level 3, my English has improved significantly in a short period of time.”

What has the ESOL course helped you to achieve? 

Oaklands College helped me a lot by supporting me to improve my English and gave me the confidence I needed when speaking to others.

Tell us about your teachers, how have they helped you with your learning? 

“My teachers have all been very helpful and friendly, they give us many suggestions for how we can study further English outside of college.”

Tell me about your recent employment at Tesco, what is your role and how has the ESOL course helped you whilst at work? 

“I work as a Customer Assistant at Tesco, I stack the shelves and help customers to find the goods they need, it’s not easy because there are many different accents.”

What are your plans for the future, once you leave Oaklands College? 

“I am continuing to develop myself and gaining more experience across many different fields of work and study.”

What would you say has been the major highlight of your working life so far? 

“When I came to Oaklands College, it was very difficult starting out because my English was poor, but the start is always difficult.

I didn’t give up and I was very patient and tried many times until I was offered a job, since then my language has become much better.”

What advice would you give to today’s Oaklands students if you had a chance? 

“My best advice would be to not give up, believe in yourself and push yourself until you achieve whatever you want to and be patient, too. It’s simple to focus on what you want to get but not always easy.”