Mature Student returns to education to change career path after being made redundant
Emma Macgregor joined The University of Wales Trinity Saint David as a mature student and has successfully completed her advocacy degree whilst also running her own business, caring for her family, and coping with the challenges of Covid.
At first, returning to education as a mature student was a challenge. She said:
“I honestly felt in school I had no confidence. It took me a long time to gain confidence and begin my journey into higher education that came from the opportunity of redundancy in my old workplace and then I decided to give myself the opportunity to change my career path.
“It is an excellent opportunity to be a mature student as we have experienced good and bad in our lives, we get to share that with others and use it to make change for the better.”
She decided to study at UWTSD as it was local and after hearing it was a wonderful place to study. She said:
“Learning about Advocacy and what advocates do changed my outlook on life and now I see society and the people in it differently and in my line of work it overall made an impact on my way of working and dealing with different situations.”
Emma feels that she has evolved in the way she sees things from different perspectives and has gained more knowledge and understanding in a number of ways.
“I may have judged before, but my perspective has changed massively. I can admit that is brave I have genuinely changed as a person, for the better.”
For Emma, the most challenging part of the course was beginning to learn in the midst of covid, as she had a 6 month-year-old, an 8-year-old learning at home, her husband was working, and although she felt very isolated at times, the university helped her to remain in a routine with her learning.
“Juggling home life, work and university was one thing that I can say that I achieved, and it certainly made me stronger.”
Emma said her lecturers were committed to what they taught and believe in. She added:
“At times, I think like every student you can struggle, you may want to give up, but the lecturers wouldn’t let you and provided support and guidance to ensure that any negative thoughts or moments were addressed, encouragement to keep going and remain positive and help you in any way they could.”
Advocacy Programme Manager Ken Dicks said:
“It has been amazing to see the inspiration that Emma has taken from her studies and her determination to make a difference. She has shown great commitment and we wish her luck in her pursuit of a career in Advocacy.”
As Emma graduates, she looks forward to putting all that she has learned into practice as she starts her new job as a facilitator for Mencap. She also would like to try different pathways and explore different forms of advocacy, and then decide what she would like to specialise in.
Emma said she would like to encourage others to study advocacy, and to follow in her footsteps.
“If someone was interested in enrolling in Advocacy I would highly recommend it. There are fewer than 50 independent professional advocates in Wales, and Advocacy is a unique role that will be needed in the future now more than ever before, to be impartial and work and uphold the rights of people and empower them always ensuring peoples’ voices are heard.”
Further Information
Lowri Thomas
Principal Communications and PR Officer
Corporate Communications and PR
Email: lowri.thomas@uwtsd.ac.uk
Phone: 07449 998476