Benson Langley
When ill-health forced Benson to leave work, his life-long passion for mechanics and ability to pass on his knowledge has set him on a path to becoming a teacher and proves that it is possible to start a new career in mid-life.
Leaving school with no qualifications, Benson worked as a heavy commercial vehicle/plant fitter and long-distance HGV driver for many years before ill-health forced him out of the workplace. He began volunteering at the Harwich Mayflower Project after a recommendation from his Jobcentre Plus Adviser – working on the infrastructure needed in preparation for building a replica of the “Mayflower” to be moored at Harwich Quay – and the staff there quickly noticed his natural teaching ability and in particular how he engaged with everyone, from young apprentices to volunteers his own age.
They asked if Benson would be interested in working as a tutor, and explained that he could gain the qualifications he would need to achieve tutor status by returning to education. Excited to use his existing knowledge and ability, Benson embarked on a fast-track year of learning including NCFE L3 Preparing to Teach, OCR ITQ L1, and OCR Functional Skills L1 English and Maths. He is on target to achieve OCR ITQ L2, plus L2 English and Maths in July 2014. He delights in passing on his skills, and his nominator describes him as “living proof of what hard work and dedication can achieve if you want to change your life.”
Benson says “What I am doing has given me a sense of self-worth both at home and in the workplace, proving that age is no barrier. My plans for the future are to keep studying and hopefully gain full time teaching/tutoring employment.”