Kath Oldale
"I did some training practice at a small college in North Derbyshire. I used to teach Maths to Miners and Mining Apprentices on Friday evenings."
Kath Oldale is the Vice Principal for Curriculum and Quality, at Bradford College. She’s responsible for quality and standards across the curriculum, as well as the Registry and Data Functions of the College. In a candid interview, Kath Oldale reveals how teaching Miners Maths, and a surprise pregnancy thrown into the mix, lead her to find her true vocation….
Prior to entering education, Kath began her career working as a qualified Metallurgist working in the steelworks in Sheffield. Kath explains how she made the leap from Metallurgist to Lecturer. “I’d been studying for a very long time, part-time, whilst working for the British Steel Corporation. I was fortunate I was able to attend college on day release basis, whilst, worked for British Steel. I used to go to Rotherham College of Art and Technology, and then I went to Sheffield Hallam University. I did an ONC, HNC and a part-time Degree. I’d been studying for a few years for these qualifications, (day and evenings), then, when I’d finally completed my studies, I didn’t know what to do with all my newly found spare time. I decided to look for something else to do, so I looked at Sheffield Hallam University’s Prospectus, and I found the Cert Ed Certificate. I attended initially out of general interest, and found my true vocation.”
Kath continued: Then I found myself pregnant, so instead of returning back to British Steel, I decided to become a Lecturer at the college I trained at. It was a challenge, because the apprentices didn’t particularly like Maths. It was a bit of a novelty for them, as it was a very male dominated environment and they were usually taught by men. I think they used to come and wind me up.” Kath joked: “But we did get on very well and they all passed their mining certificates.”
“I became interested in Access to HE provision and went on to teach miners wives on a Women’s Only Access course. We went down the pit, all the women and myself. It was the first time we’d been down there and we crawled along the coal face – it was quite an experience!”