In celebration of International Women’s Day (8th March), Karen Croy, the co-owner of tutoring business Tutor Doctor, is today inspiring women across the West Midlands with her dedication to diversity and inclusivity in the education sector. In a world where difference is valued and celebrated, Karen is a creator of change in her local community, helping to improve the lives of disadvantaged children and young people through education in and around Birmingham and Solihull.
Since launching her tutoring business in September 2020 with her husband Andrew, Karen has made a lasting impact on her female employees and students to create gender equality in both education and the business environment. Together, they have doubled the financial growth of the business year on year since launching and built a strong team of 60 tutors, of whom 63% are female. Delivering over 11,500 hours of tutoring to students in the area, 80% of the work has been to provide alternative provision for those who aren’t in the mainstream education environment for various reasons.
“We are passionate about supporting education initiatives in our community and to positively change the trajectory of students’ lives by delivering outstanding and personalised academic support. The majority of our work is with local authorities, where we are providing opportunities for disadvantaged students who are not able to access education and get what they need from schools. By offering an alternative educational pathway to students through tutoring, we are giving them a chance to be heard and inspired, and to ultimately see education as a route to their future,” said Karen.
“I have always been passionate about my career and about developing people and championing them to be the best version of themselves. I’m really proud to work with exceptional local educators who have joined us as tutors. With over half of our tutors being women, we have created a work environment where they feel inspired and empowered to give something back and make a valued contribution to families, schools and students in the community.”
Prior to being a HR Manager with the NHS, Karen was a HR Manager at a school in Bangkok, and this skillset has undoubtedly put her in the best position to thrive with Tutor Doctor. She feels that her tutoring business role is now having a lasting impact on many families and students in the local community – including her own.
“International Women’s Day is a perfect platform to vocalise and embrace all of the great things about being female in the education sector and to be an advocate for women in business. Today, we are not only celebrating women’s achievements, but it is a reminder that more action is needed to achieve gender parity. Worldwide, women must be included in all fields of endeavour,” added Karen.
A true educationalist, Karen is leading the way in providing quality, personalised education through nurturing local children’s love of learning and instilling confidence and passion. With an ambition and desire to succeed in her career, she is now inspiring and helping to motivate hundreds of students to make informed decisions about their future.
Tutor Doctor has become a true pillar of the local community, and with Karen’s first-hand experience of education in the area and an understanding of the education system as a whole, she is now working collaboratively with local authorities and local schools to improve the overall standard of local education provision.