Against the odds: Single parent achieves first-class honours through degree apprenticeship

A mature student from Blackwood surpassed her own expectations when she decided to take on a degree apprenticeship alongside being a single mother – and went on to graduate with first-class honours.

Kelly Mason, 38, decided to enrol on the Applied Data Science - BSc (Hons) Degree Apprenticeship at Cardiff Metropolitan University to upskill, get qualifications and improve future career prospects.

The mother of one left school at 16 and initially went to college to study A Levels - but after deciding this wasn’t a path she wanted to pursue – Kelly has been in full-time work since she was 18.  

Kelly said: “I’ve always been more of a practical, hands-on person rather than an academic learner, and after finishing college I felt ready to start working. I began my career working for a bank and then specialised in secured loans and mortgages, before going on to work for various companies across the financial services and data sector over a 20-year period.”

It was in 2010, when Kelly got a job with a company called Creditsafe Business Solutions Limited, that she first got a taste for data science.

Kelly said: “I initially started in sales, but my role involved working with data and reporting, and that’s when I began to realise how much I enjoyed analysing and automating processes.”

The Applied Data Science BSc (Hons) Degree Apprenticeship at Cardiff Met focuses on data, and builds apprentices’ ability to extract insights, knowledge and intelligence from the complex data points now ubiquitous in the world of business.

Kelly began her degree apprenticeship with ALS training - a leading provider of work-based training – where she achieved a Level 4 in data analytics. Kelly then decided to go on and complete the following two years of the degree with Cardiff Met.

“Having the flexibility to pause and reflect after completing Level 4 was great. I was able to apply my learning to real-world challenges, and that’s when I realised I wanted to continue and pursue the full degree,” Kelly added.

Degree apprenticeship vacancies are advertised and managed by employers. Cardiff Met works with a range of employer partners throughout Wales. Applicants must be in full time relevant employment in a role aligned to the Wales Digital Degree Apprenticeship Framework Specification for the applied data science degree apprenticeship.

During her degree at Cardiff Met, Kelly was promoted to a data engineer at Creditsafe – a company that helps businesses increase sales and reduce exposure to customer credit risk – and now works at their Group Operational Support Centre.

Offering advice to other mature students who might be considering a return to higher education, Kelly said: “Don’t doubt yourself – you can do it. University always felt like something I wasn’t capable of, and even though at times the juggle of working and studying was like a nightmare – the feeling of elation when I found out I had got a first was euphoric!”

The degree apprenticeships at Cardiff Met are fully funded by Welsh Government over a three-year period and employees are awarded a degree in their selected discipline. 

Cardiff Met currently offers degree apprenticeship opportunities in a number of digital disciplines but is looking to expand this offering in the near future in line with developments from the Welsh Government.