After more than 20 years working in hospitality, Northern Regional College student Matthew Sheppard transformed his career and is now supporting young people with special educational needs.

The Ballymoney father-of-two completed a Level 3 Diploma in  Children's Care, Learning and Development (CACHE) before securing a permanent position as a special educational needs (SEN) classroom assistant at Ballymoney High School.

Matthew previously worked mainly as a chef, including in Rosette-standard restaurants, and also spent time working as a butcher. However, becoming a father and supporting his youngest daughter, Joniece, who has cerebral palsy and complex needs, inspired him to pursue a career with a new sense of purpose.

Matthew, who lives with his wife Kylie and their daughters Alicia, aged nine, and Joniece, aged six, explained: “Through Joniece’s disability, hospital appointments, therapies and everything that comes with supporting a child with additional needs, I found that I really enjoyed helping children and felt I could bring a lot of those experiences into a school setting.

“I had been in hospitality for a long time and reached the point where I wanted to do something completely different and something that I felt had a real purpose. Working with children, particularly those who need extra support, felt like the right direction for me.”

As part of his course, Matthew completed a placement at Christie Memorial Primary School in Coleraine, working alongside classroom staff to support pupils with their learning.

The experience allowed him to apply the knowledge gained during his studies in a classroom environment and confirmed that he had made the right decision.

Matthew said his experiences as a father have given him greater patience and an understanding that children can communicate in many different ways.

“Joniece is non-verbal, so we have learned to understand her through facial expressions, movements and changes in her behaviour,” he said.

“That has made me more aware that there is often a reason behind what a child is doing. It has also helped me understand things from a parent’s perspective. When you are working with a child with additional needs, you are not just supporting that child; there is usually a family at home doing everything they can for them as well.”

Matthew and his family have also used their personal experiences to advocate for other children requiring specialised feeding-tube surgery.

After raising more than £35,000 to enable Joniece to undergo a procedure privately in London, Matthew joined other parents to establish Parents4Pegs. The group campaigned to highlight the lengthy waiting times experienced by children and their families, contacting politicians and the media to bring greater attention to the issue.

Matthew added: “None of us felt families should have to go through what we had gone through just to get their child the treatment they needed. I was very proud of what we achieved as a group.”

Returning to education as an adult while balancing family responsibilities, coursework and placement was challenging, but Matthew credits the support of his wife and Northern Regional College lecturers with helping him complete the course.

“The fast-track Level 3 Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development course was demanding because a lot had to be completed in a relatively short period, but I stayed focused on why I was doing it and what I wanted to achieve,” he said.

“Kylie was extremely supportive and gave me the time I needed at home to complete my coursework. The College lecturers were also approachable and supportive, particularly when they knew I had a lot going on outside college.

“I hadn’t been in education for a long time, so returning as an adult learner was a big change. The support I received made that transition much easier and gave me the confidence to realise I could completely change career after more than 20 years in another industry.”

Matthew’s commitment was recognised when he was named Adult Learner of the Year at Northern Regional College’s Causeway Campus Student Awards in June.

He added: “When I started the course, I wasn’t doing it to win an award. I was trying to change my career and prove to myself that I could do something completely different.

“To finish the course, move into the career I wanted and then receive that recognition was something I was very proud of.

“I now want to keep developing my skills and experience working with young people with additional needs. I don’t know exactly where it will take me in the long term, but I know moving into education was the right decision.”

Applications are still open for courses starting in September.  To enrol and find out more about coursesat Northern Regional College, visit www.nrc.ac.uk