Hometown: Redruth
Course: BSc (Hons) Applied Computing Technologies
Next Steps: Cloud Project Coordinator for King’s College London
Local mother Gemma achieved her lifelong ambition of earning a degree thanks to University Centre Truro and Penwith.
Although she had always wanted to pursue Higher Education, having children at a young age made it harder for Gemma to go away to study. “Going away to university was never an option because I have three children, so I needed something local,” Gemma explained.
When she discovered the University Centre offered a degree on her doorstep, Gemma enrolled in the FdSc Computing Technology program and later progressed to the BSc (Hons) Applied Computing Technologies top-up degree. She is now set to graduate with First Class Honours.
“Truro stood out to me because they condensed the timetable into two days, which made it easier to manage childcare outside of school hours. It also meant I had more time to spend with my children,” she said.
Gemma also praised the smaller class sizes and the support she received during her studies: “We pay the same fees as other universities, but with the smaller class sizes, it felt like one-on-one tuition. That support was invaluable.”
“The lecturers and support staff were always helpful, even outside of regular hours,” she added.
During her studies, Gemma completed a work placement with Naomi Johns-Dyer, Programme Lead for Maths, Computing, and Engineering, assisting with setting up course materials for Tech Girls.
“When it came time to think about my future, I was already working part-time alongside my degree,” she said.
Gemma is now a Cloud Project Coordinator for King’s College London, working at their service centre in Cornwall.
Her advice to others: “Just do it. I always wanted to get a degree, but I had my children young and didn’t take the traditional route. I knew one day I’d get there, and although I had a lot of anxiety about it, my advice is to go for it because there’s so much support available.”
“The course has helped me professionally, but the biggest takeaway for me was confidence. I came in feeling super anxious and not knowing anyone, but I’ve really come out of my shell. It’s helped me a lot on a personal level.”
