Jo Ramsden has worked at City College for 16 years. Having previously trained at a vocational dance school, Jo now manages and teaches the dance provision at the College.
“Teaching was not my original career path; I hoped to be a professional dancer. I was lucky enough to gain a scholarship and train at the prestigious English National Ballet School and then went on to study Musical Theatre at London Studio Centre. Unfortunately, due to injuries, I had to consider a change in profession. I worked in administration for a while until I decided I wanted to share my passion and teach.
“After gaining qualifications in business administration and ICT, I gained my assessor qualifications. I then worked as an NVQ Trainer/Assessor in Business Administration and Customer Service. This in turn led me to study for a ‘Certificate in Education’ and on securing the qualification I was offered a full-time position teaching English and maths at the College.
“After teaching for a while I was so pleased to be asked to relaunch the Dance Diploma. Getting to share my passion with future dancers was an opportunity I couldn’t refuse.
“Seeing the students’ enjoyment and progress is the most rewarding part of this job. I love teaching! Getting to pass on my knowledge and help the students to improve is so satisfying. Our dance showcases are always the highlight of the year; seeing all the hard work from the students and teachers come together is so exciting. They always do us proud.
“It is so exciting to see the continual growth and development of the dance department. In addition to the Extended Diploma at level 3, we now offer a Level 2 Diploma in Dance and, in September 2019, we launched our very own BA (Hons) Degree in Dance Performance. This degree was designed and written entirely by my colleague, Lauren, and myself, and it is an excellent programme for anyone wishing to pursue a career in dance.”
