Jo Fredriksen

Tutor for our Home Learning College Book keeping Courses|

Jo is 29 and a married mother of two from Basingstoke, who is a great example of how a positive experience as a student can lead to a job as a tutor with the same company – Home Learning College.

Jo left school at 16 and spent several years in various accountancy roles before starting a Sage Book-keeping course with Home Learning College. She was sure a diploma would give her a better chance of moving up the career ladder, but it became the catalyst to a complete career change to become a tutor.

Jo started as a back-up tutor in Book-keeping in August 2005, but soon became full time and is now a senior tutor and support team leader. Having enjoyed her previous studying experience, she continued to learn whilst working, and qualified in Manual Book-keeping, Payroll and received a BTEC in Distance Learning Tutoring in 2006.

A shining example of how home study can really change life for the better, Jo finds her job extremely rewarding, especially when helping students solve problems or hearing they have achieved 99 or 100 per cent in their exams. It is something that continues to make her proud of all the hard work and dedication that the job demands.

Jo's students range from nurses to bricklayers to those with disabilities who find home learning the most convenient way to gain a qualification and find a job which will allow them to work from home later. Book-keeping is a subject that is perfect for those who want to start their own business, already have a company and want to handle the accounts themselves or want a complete change in career.

As a former student, Jo understands the perplexities that students face and believes a tutor must be understanding, patient and very confident with subject knowledge. She knows it is important to give clear and concise instructions and build students' confidence. Jo's favourite phrase is: 'Anyone can do as they are told, but it is understanding why you are doing it that makes it make sense.'

Jo comments: "I love my job as a tutor and would encourage anyone to learn as you can never know what rewards it will bring. It is heart-warming when I receive calls from past students to let me know how well they did in their exams or to tell me that they have started their own company and that taking the course was the best thing they ever did. I know exactly how they feel as it has given me a great career."