As we celebrate our 80th anniversary, we’re sharing the stories of our past and present students, apprentices and staff who have been a part of the college throughout the decades.
For 75 of those years, our Customer Service Adviser Elaine Hayles and her family have had a connection to the college spanning multiple generations
It began with her mother, who was a student in 1949. Then Elaine herself, who first stepped through our doors as a young woman in 1976 to take an intense secretary night class, focusing on skills like shorthand and typing, a similar path to her mother’s. Years later, in 1996, her son enrolled as a student, eventually becoming a successful electrician. And, finally in 2021, her granddaughter became the fourth generation of her family to study here, pursuing a career in healthcare.
Elaine started working at the college on the 29th August 1995, after seeing an ad in the Chronicle newspaper. Since then, she’s witnessed remarkable moments in the college’s history including the construction of the Baltic Campus in 2008.
“I was able to take a tour of the Baltic Campus just before construction was completed, I was amazed then at the facilities and it still feels like a new building today!”
For Elaine, what has remained unchanged through the years is the college’s unwavering support for its students—a tradition that stretches back to her mother’s time.
“The college has always cared for its students, I remember my mother telling me about a boy in her class who had an adapted typewriter, our staff have always gone above and beyond.”
Elaine also speaks with pride about the people she works with every day. “Everyone at the college is approachable, kind, and fantastic. Not many companies can say they’ve had someone stay for 30 years and enjoy it!”
Beyond her work, Elaine is known within the college as a ‘crafty queen,’ regularly surprising her team with her latest handmade creations including a beautifully crafted train advent calendar and Easter gifts.
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