Graduation Day | BSc (Hons) in Computing & Information Technology
Graduation Day | BSc (Hons) in Computing & Information Technology
Back in 1998 I came to the end of the fourth year of my Mechanical Engineering HND and was offered the chance to complete a 2+2 bachelor’s degree. Given everything else going on at the time, parents divorcing and the fact my brain simply couldn’t deal with the idea of being told I’m crap at maths for another two years, I promised myself I’d go back to it after spending a year or two in the real world.
I’d come back to it I told myself. I just needed some time away from the classroom and some real-world experience, earning my way and figuring out what to do next. It was going to be exciting, technically challenging and probably very lucrative. And, it might have been had I not graduated during a recession, with almost every Engineering company putting a halt to recruitment!
Of those which were still hiring, some said I was inexperienced, others thought I was over qualified but either way, a no was a no. And so, my part time job in the cash office of my local Sainsburys became full-time.
I quite enjoyed being the only male in the office (and at 6 foot tall and three feet wide, the de-facto bullet-magnet), the banter was eye-opening, the ladies were funny, generous and clever but as I checked stock, processed cheques, filled cash machines and completed paperwork the lessons of the last four years got harder and harder to remember as each day passed.
Several of my friends had already gone onto fast-track careers and were doing well whereas mine had stalled before it had even started. A big part of me cursed my decision and it gnawed away at me for years afterwards.
Fast forward two decades and that promise was looking less and less likely to ever be kept until, after ten years of asking for support, my Employer took a punt (..or got fed up of me asking) and agreed to pay for my Part-Time Online Distance Learning Top-Up degree with Derby University.
Today, three years later I was graduating!
When my sister Steph graduated, she wanted no fanfare, cap or gown but I wanted the works and more importantly, so did Rachel and my mum! We drove down to Derby for the ceremony with my cap and gown waiting for me when I arrived. Then, some time for photos outside and with the kids looking on and cheering from the crowd, I received my certificate from one of the faculty and lined up ready for more photographs.
I had missed out on a first by just 3% obtaining an overall average of 67% across three years worth of study and projects but I’d done it. In truth though, we’d done it. It was definitely a team effort really. I was the one in the cool hat but I was never stupid enough to think I could (..or maybe ever would) have done it on my own.
Rach would sort the kids whenever I was at the hall or needing some head-space. The kids would recognise when I needed to concentrate and give me some time alone and when things were getting a bit much, there would always be someone there I could have a good whinge to.
However, with a degree in hand, I have an excuse to get ideas above my station now, so if you need to reach me, just remember to address a letter to Mr Andrew Entwistle BSc (Hons) because I probably won’t respond otherwise!