Ella Wardrope

After spending five years as a stay-at-home parent raising my three children, Ella started her journey back to employment which culminated in gaining a first-class honours degree from the University of Stirling. Ella is now working as a Project Support Officer in NHS Forth Valley's Research, Development and Innovation Team.

I recognised that returning to employment would require me to refresh and develop my skills. I studied an HND in Administration and Information Technology at Forth Valley College. During my studies, my lecturers recognised my potential and encouraged me to consider progressing to university.

After completing my HND, I took a year out of formal education and joined the NHS Administration Bank. I was able to apply the knowledge and skills I had gained at college in a practical working environment. This experience further developed my confidence and reinforced my desire to continue my education.

I applied for direct entry into Year 3 of the BSc (Hons) Management at the University of Stirling. The course appealed to me because of the breadth and variety of modules available. Many built upon the foundations established during my college studies while also offering opportunities to broaden my knowledge and skills.

Successful transition from college to university

Initially, I felt apprehensive about making the transition from college to university. I worried that I might lack the knowledge or experience of students who had completed the first two years of the degree course. However, once I began my studies, it quickly became clear that my HND had prepared me exceptionally well.

The knowledge, skills, and academic experience I had gained at college provided a strong foundation for degree-level study. I soon felt confident in my ability to succeed.

One of the aspects of the programme that I valued most was the quality of the lecturers delivering the modules. They not only possessed a strong academic understanding of their subject areas but also brought significant and relevant industry experience into the classroom. This combination allowed them to bridge the gap between theory and practice, using real-world examples to demonstrate how management concepts are applied within organisations.

Great support at Stirling

The lecturing and support staff were exceptionally supportive and understanding of my circumstances as a mature student, balancing academic studies with raising three children.

Their encouragement, flexibility, and willingness to provide guidance when needed helped me successfully manage the demands of both family life and higher education.

During my time at Stirling, I continued to work in an administrative role within the NHS Staff Bank, allowing me to gain practical experience alongside my studies.

Skills gained at Stirling helped advance my career

After graduating with a first-class Honours degree, an opportunity arose to join NHS Forth Valley's Research, Development and Innovation Team as a Project Support Officer. The degree provided me with both the academic qualifications and confidence to apply for this role.

Since taking up the post, I have been able to draw upon the skills and knowledge gained throughout both my college and university studies. The practical administrative and IT skills developed at Forth Valley College provided a solid foundation, while the management theories, frameworks, and analytical approaches I studied at the University of Stirling have proven highly relevant to my role. In particular, the knowledge gained through modules such as Project Management, Strategic Management, and Innovation Management has helped me contribute to service development, support complex projects, engage with stakeholders, and support innovation within the NHS.

My advice to students considering studying at Stirling

My advice to anyone considering studying at the University of Stirling, particularly mature students or those progressing from college, would be to believe in yourself and take the opportunity.

Studying at Stirling gave me the confidence to achieve more than I thought possible, and I would encourage anyone considering higher education to take that next step