Nadine Parker

A brief summary of what I've been up to since Millbrook Academy...

After sixth form I went to Gloscat to do a National Diploma in Art Foundation Studies, which was a pre-requisite for doing a degree in fine art. I passed with distinction and was accepted to study for my BA (Hons) in Fine Art at the University of Central England in Birmingham.

After a few years there I decided my medium of choice was installation and specialised in it for the remaining year. I participated in a few external exhibitions-one at Birmingham Cathedral which was opened by the Bishop of Birmingham, one at an installation space in Ladywood and my final major project (the degree show) was also an installation. I came out with a 2:1 in Fine Art and moved back to Gloucester to start looking for work.

I decided not to follow the route of becoming an artist as there was little security in it, and the type of work I did was not very marketable. So instead I applied for several marketing type positions and always got to the final stages, only to be beaten by someone more experienced. I had been working throughout part time for the same company I worked at while I was at University and this allowed me flexibility to look for work.

After a while of being unsuccessful I decided to make a firm decision on what I wanted to be and where I wanted to go with my career, and in the end an off-hand comment from a relative while I was giving a foot massage gave me the inspiration I needed. I decided to be a reflexologist (manipulation of pressure points in the body through the feet) and move in to the field of holistic therapy.

I enrolled on an evening course shortly after and have now been studying a VTCT Reflexology diploma level 3 at Gloscat for almost six months. I approached a local private health clinic about the prospect of working there once I had completed the course, only to be offered a room while I was still a practising student. I will soon be treating paying clients there once a week at reduced rate, in between my other job (which is now a full time admin and logistics role) and once I have completed the course and built up my client base I will hopefully be able to practise reflexology full time.

The eventual goal is to set up my own health clinic and learn some more disciplines to give my clients a wider range of treatments - I would like to learn Reiki, Indian Head Massage and Aromatherapy amongst others.

So watch this space!

Nadine Parker