Susan's return to learning success

When she left school Susan Finnigan believed she had left study behind – but almost 40 years on, she’s now graduated with a foundation degree.

Susan, 52, from Tudhoe, County Durham, works part time at the NECC (North East Chamber of Commerce) in Durham. She will be among 19 NECC employees who are the first to graduate with a Foundation Degree for Leadership and Management at the University.

Special graduation ceremony A special graduation ceremony, officiated by Vice-Chancellor Professor Graham Henderson, will be held in the University’s Innovation Centre from 11.00am to 11.45am on Tuesday 2 June.

Susan, who works as personal assistant to the finance director, said: 'I thought that further education had passed me by, but the course has given me the confidence and passion to develop the skills to reach my potential. I have gained in personal development and my employer has gained from the skills I’ve obtained. 'I had wanted to be a teacher, but due to economic reasons in my family I had to look for work after leaving school. I started my career at 16 as office junior in the North Eastern Electricity Board, eventually working up to a managerial position. In the 1980’s family reasons led me to request part-time hours. In those days it was the accepted culture that you relinquished your managerial role if you reduced your hours.” Mum-of-two Susan went on to work in a number of part-time roles, before joining the NECC eight years ago. She said: 'I was honoured when they offered me the chance to become a candidate on the foundation degree, even though I was not in a direct line management role. Inspiring and rewarding 'The course has required real commitment but ultimately it has been motivating, inspiring and very rewarding. It has given me the ability, through a blend of academic and work-based learning, to review and understand real business issues and effective leadership. 'I value and am proud of the skills I have acquired and I’m both passionate and proactive in utilising them in any new opportunity or challenge. I would encourage anyone - even if you think as I did, that the opportunity for personal development had passed you by - to grasp this learning opportunity with both hands.' Susan, who now aims to do the BA (Hons) Leadership and Management, said: 'The foundation degree offers a practical, hands-on approach to leadership and management. I hope that I might inspire others to return to education by showing that learning can be undertaken at any age.'

For more information about the foundation degree email Lesley Mulcahy in the Business School l.a.mulcahy@tees.ac.uk.

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