Skip to main content
D C G Logo

Derby College Group (DCG)
Telephone: 0800 028 0289
https://www.derby-college.ac.uk
enquiries@derby-college.ac.uk

0800 028 0289

  • Contact
  • Jobs
  • How to Apply
  • About DCG
  • Home
  • Courses & Careers
    Course SearchSubject Areas at DCGCourse Types at DCGCampuses & Course LocationsDCG Success StoriesCareer SearchCareer PathwaysDownload a ProspectusFree – ESF Fully Funded Course
  • Employers
  • Student Support
  • Parents
  • News/Events
    EventsNewsEvent Registration
DCG Role Models Laura Smith

DCG Success Stories

Laura Smith

Introduction to Upcycling teacher Laura Smith holding a wreath she created.

Study Type: Adult and Community
Study Location: Ilkeston
Subject Studied: Community Learning

Craft student turned teacher Laura recognised in national Green Commitment Award

Passing on her extensive upcycling knowledge has earned Derby College student turned teacher Laura Smith a runner up place in the National Association of Colleges’ (AoC) Student Green Commitment Award. 

Laura, a crafter, first came to Derby College Group’s Ilkeston college in May to do a free upcycling course and so impressed her tutors with her abilities that she was offered a teaching role.  

She said: “When I first started teaching upcycling at Ilkeston I had just one class per week.

“That’s now grown to three, with student numbers going from five to 15 a week in just nine months.

“Learning upcycling is so popular that there are now plans to run a similar course at DCG’s St James Centre in Derby.  

“I’m so happy to be a runner up in this category of the Student of the Year Awards. Tackling climate change is the responsibility of us all and I firmly believe that sustainability is something schools and colleges should be teaching.

“I’m pleased too that the classes have shown people that caring for our environment doesn’t have to be boring, upcycling is fun and it saves you money.” 

Laura – who previously ran her own crafting business – is now studying for the Award in Education and Training Level 3 teaching qualification at DCG. 

She is also working with Mollie Cox, DCG’s sustainability officer, to look at ways in which the college can upcycle its own used items, such as animal feed sacks at Broomfield Hall.  

Laura, who has two children, has a background in retail and started on the shopfloor, working her way up to management.  

She added: “All the skills, experience and qualifications in retail and customer service I’ve picked up along the way are so useful in my role as a crafter and teacher.” 

Because of Derby College I’ve come full circle, fulfilling my dream to teach but later in my life.

D C G Logo
  • Derby College Facebook
  • Derby College Youtube
  • Derby College Instagram

Courses

  • Course Search
  • Career Search
  • Subject Areas at DCG
  • Career Pathways
  • Course Types at DCG
  • Campuses & Course Locations at DCG
  • Download a Prospectus
  • Chart Your Future

Students

  • Student Support
  • Student Services
  • Login to inTouch
  • Report an Absence or Lateness
  • Moodle VLE
  • Think Alumni
  • Student Bursary

Staff

  • Staff Intranet
  • Remote Desktop
  • Systems Hub
  • Email

DCG

  • Governance
  • Policies and Papers
  • Why work for us?
  • Meet the Governors
  • Who’s Who
  • Website Accessibility Statement
  • Data Protection
  • Freedom of Information
  • Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Statement
  • Modern Slavery Statement
  • Environmental and Sustainability at DCG
  • DCG-Annual-Accountability-Statement-2024-25
  • DCG Strategy and Regulation – Accountability Statement 2025-26

Study with Us

  • DCG Success Stories
  • DCG Covid Safety

Student Life

  • Derby College Students Union

More

  • Covid Safety
  • Apprenticeship Vacancies
  • Open to the Public
  • Term Dates
  • College Calendar 2025-26

Quick Links

  • Contact Us
  • How to Apply
  • Make a Payment
  • Report an Absence or Lateness
  • Jobs at DCG
DCG Logo Derby College Group
Manage Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behaviour or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}