Member Article

Full time workers get first class degress

A group of full-time workers from across the public and private sectors have been celebrating after receiving first class honours degrees from the University of Sunderland. The first group of students to graduate from the BA (Hons) Applied Management part-time course received their awards last week at Sunderland Football Club’s Stadium of Light.

The eight graduates have done remarkably well to receive the highest degree award possible while also doing a full-time job, especially as many of them had not experienced any kind of study for some years. Those who studied for the course came from organisations such as Newcastle and Sunderland city councils, Nexus, Gateshead Health Authority, universities and charity groups. One of the graduates is Denise Golding, who last studied more than 30 years ago. Denise, who is a manager in the University of Sunderland’s International Office, said it was hard work at first but the group soon got in the swing of things.

Denise said: “Because many of us had not studied for a long time I think there were a few people who were nervous. But it didn’t take long to get into the course. “I think some of the people on the course were not sure if this was the right for them when they first started but now they realise how useful it has been. “It has changed, for the better, the way we work. I know I learned a lot from the degree. We have studied business processes and management issues, as well as benefited from personal development.“It’s made a big difference to me and my role as a manager. I am more logical, calm and confident.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .