When Laura Smith enrolled as a student on a free upcycling course with Derby College Group, she didn’t realise she’d also embarked on a new career as a teacher.
Laura owns the upcycling business L&K Creative, which specialises in making things from recycled books, but she is now also teaching the Upcycling course at DCG’s Ilkeston College after impressing her tutors with her knowledge and abilities. She is now being supported by the college through a Level 3 Award in Education and Training and will be involved in creating an upcycling qualification at DCG. Laura wanted to go into teaching when she first left school, but for family reasons couldn’t take her place at college to study.