Lola Albarn

Each year, around 2,000 of our graduates take up roles in public services. We train more than 300 teachers every year, many of whom stay in Greater Manchester and make a huge difference through educating our young people.

This article is an edited version that originally appeared on the Manchester Evening News on 30 June 2025.

Female Manchester graduate with blonde hair and wearing blue coat smiles at the camera.
"It's an incredible privilege and a magical experience to be able to work with the young people of Greater Manchester during their formative years."

"Proud to be able to support students who have felt left behind"

Lola Albarn was inspired to pursue a career in education after a stint of teaching in South Korea.

Moved by her rewarding and exciting experiences, Lola studied English literature and creative writing at The University of Manchester, followed by a PGCE in primary education.

Now, as a full-time tutor at The Tutor Trust, she is providing educational support to young people across Greater Manchester. From primary and secondary-aged to post-16 students, she hopes to inspire the next generation of Mancunians to consider the “magical” career.

"In Manchester, on average, school pupils are two years behind what is expected of them, thanks to COVID-19," she said. "We provide opportunities to struggling school pupils who need it most.

"I am so proud to be able to support students who have felt left behind, stuck and a bit forgotten. It is an honour to be in a position to help them feel confident and comfortable on their educational journey.

"It has been incredibly rewarding to work with these young people and watch them develop and blossom into people who feel confident to express their opinions, tackle their work and develop a better idea of what their future may hold.

"From helping little people learn to read and helping older students resit exams they may have failed four times and witness them passing at last, it's just so wonderful.

"As a tutor, I provide a safe space for a portion of their day. It's a privilege to show young people new things and guide them in different areas, not just within the lesson but with their friendships and dealing with emotions. It's a joy to be a part of just one child's life, let alone the hundreds and maybe thousands I see in my line of work.

"In the future, I hope to continue to work with the young people of our region, supporting their educational journeys, but would also love to take a step into helping university students to explore their own options within a teaching career, and find a love for education themselves.

"There's nothing quite like teaching – it's magical and I’m incredibly lucky to do my job in a city I love."

helping to shape them into the people they're going to be for the rest of their lives"

Each year, around 2,000 of our graduates take up roles in public services. We train more than 300 teachers every year, many of whom stay in Greater Manchester and make a huge difference through educating our young people.

Lola Albarn was inspired to pursue a career in education after a stint of teaching in South Korea.

Moved by her rewarding and exciting experiences, Lola studied English literature and creative writing at The University of Manchester, followed by a PGCE in primary education.

Now, as a full-time tutor at The Tutor Trust, she is providing educational support to young people across Greater Manchester. From primary and secondary-aged to post-16 students, she hopes to inspire the next generation of Mancunians to consider the “magical” career.

"In Manchester, on average, school pupils are two years behind what is expected of them, thanks to COVID-19," she said. "We provide opportunities to struggling school pupils who need it most.

"I am so proud to be able to support students who have felt left behind, stuck and a bit forgotten. It is an honour to be in a position to help them feel confident and comfortable on their educational journey.

"It has been incredibly rewarding to work with these young people and watch them develop and blossom into people who feel confident to express their opinions, tackle their work and develop a better idea of what their future may hold.

"From helping little people learn to read and helping older students resit exams they may have failed four times and witness them passing at last, it's just so wonderful.

"As a tutor, I provide a safe space for a portion of their day. It's a privilege to show young people new things and guide them in different areas, not just within the lesson but with their friendships and dealing with emotions. It's a joy to be a part of just one child's life, let alone the hundreds and maybe thousands I see in my line of work.

"In the future, I hope to continue to work with the young people of our region, supporting their educational journeys, but would also love to take a step into helping university students to explore their own options within a teaching career, and find a love for education themselves.

"There's nothing quite like teaching – it's magical and I’m incredibly lucky to do my job in a city I love."

Find out more about how Lola is making a difference by watching the video below.

 


Learn more about social responsibility at the University and how our graduates are making a difference in Greater Manchester.

Find out how we’re leading the world on sustainable development and read the University’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2021/22 report.

Discover more about becoming a student and studying at Manchester.

 


Learn more about social responsibility at the University and how our graduates are making a difference in Greater Manchester.

Find out how we’re leading the world on sustainable development and read the University’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2023-25 report.

Discover more about becoming a student and studying at Manchester.