I did OK in my GCSEs and fairly OK in my A-levels, then made a big mistake in choosing my University course. I managed a year of University before dropping out and started working for a living. I moved from Workington to the other end of the country, then to a different end of the country but wasn’t getting anywhere with my career.
Aged 30-odd I started a work-related qualification as part of my job, and even though it was a hard slog, kept going and ended up passing the course and being awarded Student of the Year. I realised that getting more qualifications would help me get better jobs, so I continued with my studies and ended up with a professional qualification which I worked towards while I was in a full-time job.
I’d got the bug. I next decided to re-start the degree I didn’t get when I was younger. I studied for my degree while I was again in full time work – so studying happened at weekends and evenings, and was very hard work indeed. I ended up finishing within 3 years (the same time as someone who is studying full time, not working too) and got a first class honours degree. My family were immensely proud that I’d finally got my degree after all those years. I graduated aged 39 – only 18 years after I would have done if I’d finished the first time round.
Since then I have finished a Master’s degree, again while working, and have just started a PhD, which means in a few years I will be a Doctor of Philosophy. All my qualifications mean I have loads of experience and knowledge to bring to my job and have a great career.
How have I done it? Perseverance.
– Mrs Rowlands
