Friends Catherine Martin and Sharon Ashton were studying Level 3 Make-Up when an impromptu visit to a UCEN Manchester exhibition sent them on an exciting new direction. The exhibition was being held to showcase the work of third-year students undertaking Creative and Media Arts.
Catherine said, “The displays were fantastic and really inspirational. After having a wander around the exhibition for a while, we got talking to one of the students showing their work.”
That student, now a Tutor at UCEN Manchester, spoke to Catherine and Sharon about higher education and what it’s like to study at UCEN Manchester.
Sharon said, “Catherine and I were impressed and it was nice to hear from a fellow student about their experience. The creativity on display throughout the exhibition was incredible and there was such a great atmosphere. We decided there and then that we wanted to enrol on the BA (Hons) Make-Up Artistry course.”
Catherine and Sharon started their studies at UCEN Manchester in September 2019 and recently displayed their major projects at Victoria Baths.
Sharon said, “Catherine and I are both planning to continue our studies after graduating. We intend to enrol on a barbering course at The Manchester College, which is UCEN Manchester’s further education partner. Catherine is also keen to complete a PGCE with UCEN Manchester, which could potentially lead to a teaching career in the long term.”
In addition to their studies, Catherine and Sharon have launched a business together called ‘Wigs by the Actors Closet’, an endeavour that will let them use the skills they’ve learnt over the past three years.
Catherine said, “The plan is to buy a camper van and tour the country providing and maintaining theatre wigs for production companies, a skill which we’ve acquired and refined during our degrees. We’ve been fortunate enough to build a client base while studying thanks to the career focused nature of the courses at UCEN Manchester and we’ll be looking to grow our list of contacts over the coming months.”
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