Graduate Story

Emily Maskery BA (Hons) Early Years and Primary Practice 

Obtaining a university degree has always been a goal of mine, from the age of 15 I knew I wanted to become a teacher and that dream has now become a reality.  

In 2018 I got diagnosed with CFS/ME. I thought I would never achieve my dreams but I didn’t give up. Many people told me that university would be too difficult and tried to persuade me not to go. I applied for FdA in Early Years Practice and then I was able to progress onto BA (Hons) Early Learning. This was the best decision I had ever made! The best thing about my degree was the flexibility it offered. With only having to be at university one day a week and being able to work in placement the other days it allowed me to continue pursuing my education whilst earning too. This was especially relevant to my practice, as I could immediately apply the knowledge and skills gained from my degree to my job. Additionally, the support I received from the lecturers was invaluable. They encouraged me throughout my three years at University and always had faith in me. I definitely couldn’t fault the support that I was given.

Ultimately my degree enabled me to progress further in my career and provided the foundation for me to successfully transition into teacher training. Now that I am qualifying as a teacher and have my first job lined up for September, I can finally say that my dream has become a reality.