Mother graduates in same week as her son with First Class Degree

Manjit Kaur, 47, is the Leisure Operations and Projects Manager at Walsall Council’s Central Library and Archives.

She passed her Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship with Chartered Manager status having achieved a Distinction after studying at the University of Wolverhampton for three years part-time.

She recently attended her graduation ceremony at The Grand Theatre in Wolverhampton with her family, while her son is also due to graduate this week.

Manjit said: "I didn’t have many aspirations and I started working straight away after my A-Levels.

"When I came into this post, one of the employment conditions was to be working towards a degree or a relevant qualification so that was my foot in the door and luckily my employer was offering the Degree Apprenticeship route.

"I wasn’t sure what to expect coming back into studying after 20 years but I started to use what I was learning in my modules quite quickly – from aspects of marketing and HR through to managing people through change.

"It was all really useful as we were relaunching the building after a refurbishment project.

"To complete my degree at the same time as my children is a real achievement for me, but also to achieve this during the pandemic, while juggling work and family life, is something I’m very proud of and it was amazing to finally graduate and pick up my award."

Manjit's Degree Apprenticeship was funded by her employer of 21 years, Walsall Council, through the Apprenticeship Levy.

Simon Neilson, executive director, economy, environment and communities at Walsall Council, said: “Manjit is a credit to the council.

"She has ably combined a very demanding job with intense studies – reflecting the dedication colleagues know her for.

"Degree Apprenticeships are a great way to invest in our workforce, and we are delighted to see the benefits of our partnership with the University of Wolverhampton."

Employers or employees interested in taking a Higher or Degree Apprenticeship through the University of Wolverhampton should contact the University’s Apprenticeship Hub on 01902 321000 or email: apprenticeshiphub@wlv.ac.uk.