Clearing 2021: The uncertainty of the pandemic inspired me to retrain

Thu 19 August, 2021

A first year student with a background in dramatic arts has explained how Clearing at the University of Bedfordshire helped her find a change of direction in life, just when she needed it.

The University’s ‘Defy Expectations’ campaign is well underway, with useful information about alternative routes into university via Clearing available to peruse on the website 24/7.

A Level Results Day is usually crunch time for school-leavers, but mature student Dee Ishani’s story proves that the Clearing process can be used in more than just the obvious ways. With new courses becoming available to apply for during last year’s Clearing process and Dee looking to retrain due to the uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic, Clearing proved to be the perfect solution for her.

Dee said: “During lockdown I decided to start looking at alternative career options so that I could use my time for something productive whilst on furlough. I ultimately decided to jump at the chance to study at Bedfordshire, rather than wait and see what happened with my cultural job after the pandemic.”

Read all about Dee’s Clearing experience below…

My name is Dee Ishani, I’m 37 and from London. I am a first year BSc Physiotherapy student.

My course is so new that it only popped up as an option during the Clearing period – which is how I applied. The application process was really straightforward.

I wasn't sure whether to pursue science or the arts when I was at school so kept my options open with my A Levels. I went to university aged 18 and got a degree in Drama, and have done additional CPD and qualifications since then.

Since graduating, alongside working in the cultural and charity sectors for about 15 years, I started practising yoga and in 2019 I completed my yoga teacher training. Although I'd felt a benefit from yoga, it was only once I started teaching part-time that I really saw how simple movement and breath-work could really help shift people's moods and their experience of their own body and health.

As I learnt more about anatomy and my yoga students, I became increasingly aware of 'bad' information that people were getting under the guise of 'wellness' and started to become curious about how I could help. That’s where the idea of studying Physiotherapy came in.

Covid-19 closed all of the cultural organisations I worked with and those closures led to the cancellation of a lot of my creative work so I went on furlough. During lockdown I decided to start an Access course to build my knowledge and started to look at alternative career options so that I could use my time for something productive whilst on furlough. I ultimately decided to jump at the chance to study at Bedfordshire, rather than wait and see what happened with my cultural job after the pandemic – to be both productive and for the sake of my own sanity, as well as to be of service to others in the long term.

After graduating I’d like to work in the physiotherapy industry and continue teaching yoga. There are so many physio specialisms and I’m so early on in the course that I don't know what precise direction I'll head in or how that will look in two years’ time. But that's a good thing!

The University of Bedfordshire’s Clearing team is on hand to discuss courses, funding, accommodation, student support and any queries about Beds’ different campuses. Give the Clearing Hotline a call today on 0300 3300 073 or apply online 24/7.

Visit the Clearing pages here