Paul graduated from Kent with a BA degree in Criminology and Sociology in 2020 as a mature student. He was prompted to switch careers after being made redundant from his job as an operations manager. He’s already finding his degree is opening up new opportunities for him to explore within the charity sector, the social care sector, and also in the probation and prison services. Paul reflects on his experience as a mature student below…
In my previous career as an operations manager, I was responsible for the day-to-day operation of a multi-million GBP business. Over time, I developed the skills required to successfully manage the workforce and achieve the challenging targets and goals of a large business.
Following my redundancy – as part of a global restructure in 2014 – I decided that I did not want to return to the corporate world. After a career in different forms of engineering I wanted a complete change of direction and was considering a move into teaching or education in some form. Attending university was not an option open to me when I left school and the idea of being able to study society and its changes appealed to me.
So, I began looking into the options available to me and after completing GCSEs in Maths and English, followed by an access to FE course at Canterbury College, I was fortunate to gain an undergraduate place at the University of Kent studying Criminology and Sociology.
Entering full-time education had many challenges, not just my age but also the long time since I had been in formal education. Academic study and writing is vastly different from the report and contract writing that I had been used to. The help I received in adapting to academic writing was invaluable. The lecturers and seminar leaders were excellent, providing advice and support throughout. I also experienced some additional personal challenges during my time at Kent and the additional student support services were fantastic; the help of the SSPSSR professional services staff and Student Support and Wellbeing office was instrumental in my being able to complete my studies.
Overall, the course was well organised and managed, the range of non-compulsory modules available meant that I was able to tailor my degree towards my particular interests.
Whilst studying at University, I have been working as a volunteer at Catching Lives (Canterbury) – a local homeless and rough sleepers’ charity. For the last two years, I’ve been working in a mentoring role, helping clients transition from life on the streets and into accommodation. I also volunteer as a mentor with Care After Combat, a charity that works with ex-servicemen who are presently in prison and continuing to support them after release.
During my time volunteering and studying full-time at university, I have gained a greater understanding of many of the issues and challenges faced by those needing support. As a result, I moved away from the idea of a career in teaching and have focused on looking for work in the charity sector.
I was fortunate to gain employment on a temporary (four-month) contract to provide support for the Catching Lives Outreach Team during the winter months as part of Canterbury City Council’s Rough Sleeper Initiative. Primarily maintaining support services to rough sleepers that have been placed in temporary accommodation outside of the local area. The main responsibility being to engage with the clients to ensure that they continue to access the support services detailed in their care plans, such as Probation, GPs, Forward Trust, Housing services etc, while in temporary accommodation.
Although this role has now finished it allowed me to gain both practical experience and contacts in this field that have led to some recent interviews (and will hopefully result in a permanent role). I now have opportunities in the charity sector, the social care sector and also in the probation and prison services.
For anyone considering study at the University of Kent I would highly recommend it. You are never too old to learn new skills or improve your existing ones. Mature students often face increased challenges of having to combine family life with the demands of studying, but it is well worth it in the end. Kent provides excellent student support; whatever issues or problems you may have, they have probably seen and dealt with it before so you are never alone. The Mature Students Society is not only a good place for peer support and advice, but also great for meeting socially.
Study Criminology and Sociology at Kent: Why do people commit crime? What causes crime rates to rise or fall? How do societies work, develop and transform? Our joint honours programme Criminology and Sociology provides a comprehensive and academically rigorous approach to these pressing questions. Learn more about studying a BA Criminology and Sociology degree at Kent
Explore the full range of social sciences courses you can study at Kent