Joe Lewis

Aberdeen Football Club captain Joe Lewis is midway through studying for an HNC in Business via distance learning, combining coursework with commitments in football and at home.

He admits it was a prospect that brought some trepidation. He said: “It was the first time I’d written more than a paragraph in 15 or 16 years, it was quite scary. Distance Learning can be a bit daunting at the start because you are second guessing yourself, but the tutor was really helpful and available all the time. It has been great – I’m just over half way through, so I’ve got a little way to go, but I’m enjoying it.

“You have to plan for the future, I’ve witnessed people early in my career who didn’t do that – you get an injury or your career fizzles out a bit quicker than you think it’s going to and then all of a sudden you’re in a sticky situation. If you’re not ready to go into another job or you’re not preparing for that next step it can be really difficult.

“I’d like to stay within football but on the business side. I’m not 100% certain on that, that’s where I think the HNC in Business is great foundation. When I complete this I will have to make my mind up a more about what direction I want to go in, there’s the potential to go on and do the HND or maybe using the HNC as a gateway to doing something more specific, football related or something else depending what I want to do. The HNC gives a great overview.

“I signed up for my latest unit, which is IT applications software. That was one where there was a tutor available all through the summer as well, so it’s really handy that there’s still someone available so I can continue through the holidays.

“During the season I can work around training and playing. If we have an away game, I’m away in a hotel on my own so I’ve got no excuses – I take my laptop, notes and notepad and can get through a good few hours work then.”