I was quite old when I started the apprenticeship, I was in my 50s – you know, I did O Levels at school and they don’t exist anymore! I started the apprenticeship and it worked really well because it was more hands-on, so I managed to learn on the job, which made life a lot easier for me. I got paid so I didn't have to worry about getting into debt as well, so that was a big draw for me.

I was concerned about age gaps, because a lot my colleagues were a lot younger, and how I would feel, but the University have really embraced it. I’ve had quite a few tears and a little ups and downs, and wondered ‘could I do this’ and each corner, each time I've had a bit of a wobble, the University has said ‘let’s find a way around this’, so they've been really good here.

There will always be someone that you will gel with. When I used to hear the phrase ‘Age is just a number’, before I would always think ‘it's just a cliché’ but actually age really is just a number. And actually, your experience, your life experience does make a big difference because you have so much wealth that you don't realise you have, and that expertise comes up."